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使徒行传 21
Chinese New Version (Traditional)

結束第三次宣教旅程

21 我們離別了他們以後，船就直航到了哥士，第二天到羅底，從那裡開往帕大拉； 2 遇見了一艘開往腓尼基的船，就上船起行。 3 我們遠遠看見塞浦路斯，就從南邊駛過，直航敘利亞，在推羅靠了岸，因為船要在那裡卸貨。 4 我們找到了一些門徒，就在那裡住了七天。他們憑著聖靈的指示告訴保羅不要上耶路撒冷去。 5 過了這幾天，我們就啟程前行，他們眾人帶著妻子兒女送我們到城外。我們跪在海灘上禱告， 6 互相道別。我們上了船，他們就回家去了。

7 我們從推羅繼續航行，到了多利買，問候那裡的弟兄，與他們同住了一天。 8 第二天我們離開那裡，來到該撒利亞，到了傳福音的腓利家裡，與他住在一起。他是那七位執事中的一位。 9 他有四個女兒，都是童女，是會說預言的。 10 我們住了幾天之後，有一位先知，名叫亞迦布，從猶太下來。 11 他來見我們，把保羅的腰帶拿過來，綁住自己的手腳，說：“聖靈說，猶太人在耶路撒冷要這樣捆綁這腰帶的主人，把他交在外族人的手裡。” 12 我們聽了這些話，就和當地的人勸保羅不要去耶路撒冷。 13 保羅卻回答：“你們為甚麼哭，使我心碎呢？我為主耶穌的名，不但被捆綁，就算死在耶路撒冷我也都準備好了。” 14 他既然不聽勸，我們只說了“願主的旨意成就”，就不出聲了。

15 過了幾天，我們收拾行裝，上耶路撒冷去。 16 有該撒利亞的幾個門徒同我們在一起，領我們到一個塞浦路斯人拿孫家裡住宿；他作了門徒已經很久了。

保羅報告工作的情況

17 我們到了耶路撒冷，弟兄們歡歡喜喜接待我們。 18 第二天，保羅和我們一同去見雅各，長老們也都在座。 19 保羅問候了他們，就把　神藉著他的工作在外族人中所行的事，一一述說出來。 20 他們聽了，就讚美　神，對保羅說：“弟兄，你看，猶太人中信主的有好幾萬，都是對律法很熱心的人。 21 他們聽說，你教導所有在外族人中的猶太人背棄摩西，叫他們不要給孩子行割禮，也不要遵守規例。 22 他們總會聽見你來了，那怎麼辦呢？ 23 你就照我們的話作吧，我們這裡有四個人，都有願在身。 24 你把他們帶去，和他們一同行潔淨禮，並且替他們付錢，讓他們剃去頭髮，這樣大家就知道以前所聽見關於你的事，都不是真實的，也知道你是遵守律法循規蹈矩而行的人。 25 至於信主的外族人，我們已經寫了信，吩咐他們要禁戒祭偶像的食物、血、勒死的牲畜和淫亂。” 26 保羅就把那幾個人帶走了，第二天和他們一同行了潔淨禮。他們進了殿，報明了他們潔淨期滿的日子，以及各人獻祭的時間。

保羅在聖殿被猶太人捉住

27 七日將完的時候，從亞西亞來的猶太人看見保羅在殿裡，就煽動群眾，並且捉住他， 28 喊叫著說：“以色列人哪，快來幫忙！這個人到處教導眾人反對人民，反對律法和這個地方，他甚至把希臘人也帶進殿裡，污穢了這聖地。” 29 原來他們看見過以弗所人特羅非摩同保羅在城裡，就以為保羅帶他進了殿。 30 於是全城震動，民眾一齊跑來，捉住保羅，拉出殿外，殿門就立刻關起來了。 31 他們正想殺他的時候，有人報告營部的千夫長，說：“整個耶路撒冷都亂了！” 32 千夫長立刻帶著一些百夫長和士兵跑到他們那裡。眾人一看見千夫長和士兵，就停止毆打保羅。 33 於是千夫長上前捉住保羅，吩咐人用兩條鐵鍊捆住他，問他是甚麼人，作過甚麼事。 34 那時眾人叫這個喊那個，吵吵鬧鬧，以致千夫長沒有辦法知道真相，只好下令把保羅帶到營樓去。 35 保羅到了臺階下面的時候，士兵把他抬起來，因為群眾猛擠， 36 而且有一群人跟在後面叫喊：“幹掉他！”

保羅為自己申辯(A)

37 他們帶著保羅快到營樓的時候，保羅對千夫長說：“我可以跟你講一句話嗎？”千夫長說：“你懂希臘話嗎？ 38 難道你不就是不久以前作亂的、帶領四千個殺手到曠野去的那個埃及人嗎？” 39 保羅說：“我是猶太人，是基利家的大數人，並不是無名小城的公民，求你准我向民眾講幾句話。” 40 千夫長准許了他，保羅就站在臺階上，向民眾作了一個手勢。大家安靜下來了，保羅就用希伯來語講話，說：

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Actes 21
Segond 21

Retour en Judée

21 Après nous être séparés, nous avons pris la mer pour aller directement à Cos, puis le lendemain à Rhodes, et de là à Patara. 2 Ayant trouvé un bateau qui faisait la traversée vers la Phénicie, nous sommes montés à bord et sommes partis. 3 Arrivés en vue de l'île de Chypre, nous l'avons laissée à gauche, poursuivant notre route du côté de la Syrie pour débarquer à Tyr. Le bateau devait en effet décharger sa cargaison. 4 Comme nous avons trouvé des disciples, nous sommes restés 7 jours avec eux. Poussés par l'Esprit, les disciples disaient à Paul de ne pas monter à Jérusalem 5 mais, une fois les 7 jours passés, nous sommes repartis pour continuer notre route. Tous nous ont accompagnés avec leur femme et leurs enfants jusqu'à l’extérieur de la ville. Nous nous sommes agenouillés sur le rivage et avons prié. 6 Puis, après avoir pris congé les uns des autres, nous sommes montés sur le bateau tandis qu’ils retournaient chez eux.

7 Mettant un terme à notre navigation, nous sommes allés de Tyr à Ptolémaïs où nous avons salué les frères et sœurs et passé un jour avec eux.

8 Nous sommes repartis le lendemain pour Césarée. Là, nous sommes entrés chez Philippe l'évangéliste, qui était l'un des sept[a], et nous avons logé chez lui. 9 Il avait quatre filles vierges qui prophétisaient. 10 Nous étions là depuis plusieurs jours lorsqu'un prophète du nom d'Agabus est descendu de Judée 11 et est venu nous trouver. Il a pris la ceinture de Paul, s'est attaché les pieds et les mains et a dit: «Voici ce que déclare le Saint-Esprit: ‘L'homme à qui appartient cette ceinture, les Juifs l’attacheront de la même manière à Jérusalem et le livreront entre les mains des non-Juifs.’» 12 En entendant cela, nous-mêmes et les croyants de Césarée, nous avons supplié Paul de ne pas monter à Jérusalem. 13 Il a alors répondu: «Que faites-vous là à pleurer et à me briser le cœur? Je suis prêt non seulement à être emprisonné, mais encore à mourir à Jérusalem pour le nom du Seigneur Jésus.» 14 Comme il ne se laissait pas persuader, nous n'avons pas insisté et avons dit: «Que la volonté du Seigneur soit faite!»

Arrivée à Jérusalem

15 A la fin de ces quelques jours, nous avons fait nos préparatifs et sommes montés à Jérusalem. 16 Quelques disciples de Césarée sont aussi venus avec nous et nous ont conduits chez un certain Mnason, originaire de l'île de Chypre. Il était disciple depuis longtemps et nous devions loger chez lui. 17 A notre arrivée à Jérusalem, les frères et sœurs nous ont accueillis avec joie.

18 Le lendemain, Paul s’est rendu avec nous chez Jacques, où tous les anciens se sont réunis. 19 Après les avoir salués, il a raconté en détail ce que Dieu avait fait au milieu des non-Juifs à travers son ministère. 20 Après l'avoir entendu, ils se sont mis à célébrer la gloire du Seigneur. Puis ils lui ont dit: «Tu vois, frère, combien de milliers de Juifs on compte parmi les croyants, et tous sont zélés pour la loi. 21 Or, ils ont entendu dire que tu enseignes à tous les Juifs vivant parmi les non-Juifs d’abandonner la loi de Moïse; tu leur dirais de ne pas circoncire leurs enfants et de ne pas se conformer aux coutumes. 22 Que faire donc? Sans aucun doute [une foule se rassemblera, car] on apprendra que tu es venu. 23 C'est pourquoi, fais ce que nous allons te dire. Il y a parmi nous quatre hommes qui ont fait un vœu. 24 Prends-les avec toi, accomplis la cérémonie de purification avec eux et pourvois à leurs dépenses afin qu'ils se rasent la tête. Ainsi, tous sauront que ce qu'ils ont entendu dire sur ton compte est faux, mais que toi aussi tu vis en respectant la loi. 25 Quant aux croyants d’origine non juive, nous leur avons communiqué par écrit notre décision: ils doivent [seulement] s'abstenir des viandes sacrifiées aux idoles, du sang, des animaux étouffés et de l'immoralité sexuelle.»

De Jérusalem à Rome 21.26–28.31

Arrestation de Paul

26 Paul prit alors ces hommes, se purifia avec eux et entra le lendemain dans le temple pour annoncer à quelle date la période de purification prendrait fin et l'offrande serait présentée pour chacun d'eux. 27 Vers la fin des 7 jours, les Juifs d'Asie qui avaient vu Paul dans le temple soulevèrent toute la foule et s’emparèrent de lui. 28 Ils criaient: «Israélites, au secours! Voici l'homme qui donne partout et à tout le monde un enseignement dirigé contre le peuple, contre la loi et contre cet endroit. Il a même introduit des non-Juifs dans le temple et profané ce saint lieu.» 29 En effet, ils avaient vu Trophime d'Ephèse avec lui dans la ville et croyaient que Paul l'avait fait entrer dans le temple.

30 Toute la ville fut dans l'agitation et le peuple accourut de tous côtés. Ils s’emparèrent de Paul et le traînèrent à l’extérieur du temple, dont on ferma aussitôt les portes. 31 Ils cherchaient à le tuer quand on informa le commandant de la garnison romaine que tout Jérusalem était dans le désordre. 32 Il prit immédiatement des soldats et des officiers et courut vers la foule. Quand ils virent le commandant et les soldats, ils arrêtèrent de frapper Paul. 33 Alors le commandant s’approcha, s’empara de lui et ordonna qu’on l’attache avec deux chaînes. Puis il demanda qui il était et ce qu'il avait fait. 34 Cependant, dans la foule les uns criaient une chose, les autres une autre. Comme il ne pouvait rien apprendre de certain à cause du tumulte, il ordonna de conduire Paul dans la forteresse. 35 Lorsque celui-ci arriva sur les marches de l’escalier, il dut être porté par les soldats à cause de la violence de la foule, 36 car l’ensemble du peuple suivait en criant: «A mort!»

37 Au moment où on allait le faire entrer dans la forteresse, Paul demanda au commandant: «M'est-il permis de te dire quelque chose?» Le commandant répondit: «Tu sais le grec? 38 Tu n'es donc pas cet Egyptien qui s'est révolté dernièrement et qui a emmené 4000 rebelles dans le désert?» 39 Paul reprit: «Je suis juif de Tarse en Cilicie, citoyen d'une ville qui n'est pas sans importance. Je t'en prie, permets-moi de parler au peuple!» 40 Le commandant le lui permit et Paul, debout sur les marches, fit signe de la main au peuple. Un profond silence s'établit. Paul leur adressa la parole en langue hébraïque:

Footnotes

  1. Actes 21:8 L’un des sept: c’est-à-dire un des sept hommes élus à Jérusalem dans les débuts de l’Eglise (voir 6.3).
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Acts 21
New Catholic Bible

From Jerusalem to Rome[a]

Chapter 21

Last Journey to Jerusalem[b]

Arrival at Tyre. 1 When we[c] had finally torn ourselves away from them and set sail, we traveled directly to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 There, we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, so we went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus, we passed by it on our left and sailed to Syria, landing at Tyre where the ship was to unload her cargo.

4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them for seven days. Through the Spirit, they advised Paul to abandon his plans to move on to Jerusalem. 5 However, when our time with them was ended, we left and continued on our journey. All of them, including women and children, escorted us outside the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and then bid farewell to one another. Afterward, we boarded the ship and they returned home.

Arrival at Ptolemais and Caesarea. 7 We finished our voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brethren and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day, we left and came to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven,[d] and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who possessed the gift of prophecy.

10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. 11 He came up to us, took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”

12 When we heard this, we joined with the people who lived there in begging Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be dissuaded, we finally gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Various Events and Paul’s Defenses at Jerusalem

15 Paul Is Welcomed by the Elders.[e] At the end of our stay, we made preparations and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, one of the early disciples, with whom we were to stay.

17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren gave us a warm welcome. 18 On the next day, Paul paid a visit to James. We accompanied him, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 When they heard this, they gave praise to God. Then they said to Paul, “You can see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are zealous upholders of the Law. 21 They have been informed in your regard that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or to observe their custom. 22 What then is to be done? They are sure to hear that you have arrived.

23 “This is what we suggest that you do. We have four men here who are under a vow. 24 Take these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay the expenses involved with the shaving of their heads. In this way, all will know that there is nothing in these reports they have been given about you and that you observe the Law. 25 As for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have informed them of our decision that they must abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from anything that has been strangled, and from unchastity.”

26 Therefore, on the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. He then entered the temple to give notice of the date when the period of purification would end and the offerings would be made for each of them.

27 Paul’s Arrest in the Temple.[f] When the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple. Stirring up the whole crowd, they seized him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, the Law, and this place. What is more, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

30 Thus, the entire city was in turmoil, and people came running from all directions. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and the gates were then shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Immediately, he took soldiers and centurions with him and charged down on them.

When the Jews saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came forward, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Next he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another; and since the commander could not arrive at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When he came to the steps, the violence of the crowd was so intense that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”

37 Just as he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” The commander replied, “So you speak Greek? 38 Then you are not the Egyptian[g] who recently started a revolt and led the four thousand assassins into the desert.” 39 Paul asserted, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. May I have your permission to speak to the people?” 40 When the permission was granted, Paul stood on the steps and raised his hand to the people for silence. As soon as quiet was restored, he started speaking to them in Aramaic.[h]

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:1 The period of missionary journeys is over. The new series of events begins in Jerusalem with an address of the elders of the community to Paul (Acts 21:20-26), followed by an address of Paul to the people (Acts 22:1-21). Then follows a series of four trials, of increasing importance, in Jerusalem and in Caesarea (Acts 23:1ff; 24:1ff; 25:1ff; 26:1ff). In this suffering of Paul, which makes him, like every martyr, a sharer in the suffering of Jesus, the basic theme of the discourses, almost their very reason for being, is the resurrection. Finally, there is the journey to Rome. In the capital of the Empire, the decisive turning point comes. Paul henceforth addresses himself to the Gentiles without any longer taking account of the privilege of the Jews to be the first to receive the message (Acts 28:28).
  2. Acts 21:1 This is the third “we-section” (see note on Acts 16:9-15).
  3. Acts 21:1 Right from the beginning, the presence of the Spirit is apparent. It is he who urges Paul toward his destiny, and his presence is signified by the prophets who discuss the hour from which all want to save Paul. The assembly takes up the words of our Lord in the Garden of Olives: “The Lord’s will be done” (v. 14).
  4. Acts 21:8 Seven: see Acts 6:2-4.
  5. Acts 21:15 The elders extend a cordial but anxious welcome. Paul gives the community of Jerusalem an account of his mission, and the Church offers thanks. In this Jewish city, in a community presided over by James, a relative of Jesus deeply attached to Judaism, Paul accepts to live in the Jewish manner—in accord with his dictum: “I have become all things to all” (1 Cor 9:22). He must also give proof of his good faith: if he does not impose the practices of Judaism on Gentiles, he does not on the other hand wish to turn away those of Jewish origin from those practices.
    In fact, Paul does not blame Jewish practices but those who insist on making them the condition of salvation. As a Jew himself, he loyally consents to perform a typically Jewish act of devotion: he joins a group of pilgrims who have taken a Nazirite vow (see Acts 18:18); at the appointed time he will come to be purified in the temple in accord with the prescriptions of the Law (Num 6:1-21) and will even pay the expenses. The Book of Acts does not say anything about Paul bringing the collection of the Churches to this mother community that has fallen in need.
  6. Acts 21:27 Now the time for imprisonment and captivity has arrived, sparked by a misunderstanding. The Jews come to believe that Paul is bringing into the temple a non-Jew—someone who is forbidden under penalty of death from entering the inner courts. Hence, a cry of sacrilege rings out. In reality, hatred is about to explode. Judaism has felt the jolt of a nascent Christianity and has reacted defensively to it. This reflexive sentiment has already been at work against Stephen (see Acts 6:11-14), and the same accusations were formulated against Jesus (Mt 26:61; 27:40; Mk 14:58; 15:29).
    The defensive reaction is a violent, irrational, and almost visceral one. It has to be such in order that the Christian originality may be manifest and that one may know what to hold on to. The commander of the cohort, who watches the temple from the fortress installed at the north-west corner, intervenes to prevent a riot. The soldiers believe they are arresting a nationalist extremist. Luke stresses once more that neither Paul nor Christians have ever been involved in a subversive plot against the Empire.
  7. Acts 21:38 The Egyptian: in A.D. 54, an Egyptian agitator, Ben Stada, had stirred up the Jewish nationalists to whom reference is made here, as we know from the historian Flavius Josephus. The Roman authorities were forced to put down the riot, and thousands were killed. Assassins: literally, sicarii, violent nationalists who carried a short dagger, called sica in Latin, and did not hesitate to use it.
  8. Acts 21:40 Aramaic: the language spoken by Jews at this time; Hebrew was no longer spoken or understood by the people after the Babylonian exile (587 B.C.).
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Acts 21
New International Version

On to Jerusalem

21 After we(A) had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,(B) went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.(C) We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples(D) there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit(E) they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.(F) 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

7 We continued our voyage from Tyre(G) and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters(H) and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea(I) and stayed at the house of Philip(J) the evangelist,(K) one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.(L)

10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus(M) came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says,(N) ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind(O) the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”(P)

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die(Q) in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”(R) 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up(S) and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”(T)

15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.(U) 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea(V) accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus(W) and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters(X) received us warmly.(Y) 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,(Z) and all the elders(AA) were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles(AB) through his ministry.(AC)

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous(AD) for the law.(AE) 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,(AF) telling them not to circumcise their children(AG) or live according to our customs.(AH) 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.(AI) 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites(AJ) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.(AK) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”(AL)

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.(AM)

Paul Arrested

27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,(AN) 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”(AO) 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus(AP) the Ephesian(AQ) in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,(AR) they dragged him(AS) from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.(AT)

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound(AU) with two(AV) chains.(AW) Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,(AX) and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(AY) 35 When Paul reached the steps,(AZ) the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”(BA)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd(BB)

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,(BC) he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness(BD) some time ago?”(BE)

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus(BF) in Cilicia,(BG) a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned(BH) to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:40 Or possibly Hebrew; also in 22:2
Close ERV

Acts 21
Easy-to-Read Version

Paul Goes to Jerusalem

21 After we said goodbye to the elders, we sailed away straight to Cos island. The next day we went to the island of Rhodes, and from there we went to Patara. 2 There we found a ship that was going to the area of Phoenicia. We got on the ship and sailed away.

3 We sailed near the island of Cyprus. We could see it on the north side, but we did not stop. We sailed to the country of Syria. We stopped at Tyre because the ship needed to unload its cargo there. 4 We found the Lord’s followers there and stayed with them for seven days. They warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of what the Spirit had told them. 5 But when our time there was up, we returned to the ship to continue our trip. All the followers, even the women and children, came with us to the seashore. We all knelt down on the beach, prayed, 6 and said goodbye. Then we got on the ship, and the followers went home.

7 We continued our trip from Tyre and went to the city of Ptolemais. We greeted the believers there and stayed with them one day. 8 The next day we left Ptolemais and went to the city of Caesarea. We went into the home of Philip and stayed with him. He had the work of telling the Good News. He was one of the seven helpers.[a] 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophesying.

10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came from Judea. 11 He came to us and borrowed Paul’s belt. He used it to tie his own hands and feet. He said, “The Holy Spirit tells me, ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man who wears this belt.[b] Then they will hand him over to people who don’t know God.’”

12 When we heard this, we and the other followers there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. 13 But he said, “Why are you crying and making me feel so sad? I am willing to be put in jail in Jerusalem. I am even ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!”

14 We could not persuade him to stay away from Jerusalem. So we stopped begging him and said, “We pray that what the Lord wants will be done.”

15 After this, we got ready and left for Jerusalem. 16 Some of the followers of Jesus from Caesarea went with us. These followers took us to the home of Mnason, a man from Cyprus, who was one of the first people to be a follower of Jesus. They took us to his home so that we could stay with him.

Paul Visits James

17 The brothers and sisters in Jerusalem were very happy to see us. 18 The next day Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were there. 19 After greeting them, Paul told them point by point all that God had used him to do among the non-Jewish people.

20 When the leaders heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul, “Brother, you can see that thousands of Jews have become believers, but they think it is very important to obey the Law of Moses. 21 They have been told that you teach the Jews who live in non-Jewish regions to stop following the Law of Moses. They have heard that you tell them not to circumcise their sons or follow our other customs.

22 “What should we do? The Jewish believers here will learn that you have come. 23 So we will tell you what to do: Four of our men have made a vow[c] to God. 24 Take these men with you and share in their cleansing ceremony.[d] Pay their expenses so that they can shave their heads.[e] This will prove to everyone that the things they have heard about you are not true. They will see that you obey the Law of Moses in your own life.

25 “In regard to the non-Jewish believers, we have already sent a letter to them saying what we think they should do:

‘Don’t eat food that has been given to idols.

Don’t eat meat from animals that have been strangled or any meat that still has the blood in it.

Don’t be involved in sexual sin.’”

Paul Is Arrested

26 So Paul took the four men with him. The next day he shared in their cleansing ceremony. Then he went to the Temple area and announced the time when the days of the cleansing ceremony would be finished. On the last day an offering would be given for each of the men.

27 When the seven-day period was almost finished, some Jews from Asia saw Paul in the Temple area. They stirred up everyone into an angry mob. They grabbed Paul 28 and shouted, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who is teaching things that are against the Law of Moses, against our people, and against this Temple of ours. This is what he teaches people everywhere. And now he has brought some Greeks into the Temple area and has made this holy place unclean!” 29 (The Jews said this because they had seen Trophimus with Paul in Jerusalem. Trophimus was a man from Ephesus. The Jews thought that Paul had taken him into the holy area of the Temple.)

30 An angry reaction spread throughout the city, and everyone came running to the Temple. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the holy area, and the gates were closed immediately. 31 While they were trying to kill Paul, the commander of the Roman army in Jerusalem got word that the whole city was in a state of riot. 32 Immediately the commander ran to where the crowd had gathered, taking with him some army officers and soldiers. When the people saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 The commander went over to Paul and arrested him. He told his soldiers to tie him up with two chains. Then he asked, “Who is this man? What has he done wrong?” 34 Some people there were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Because of all this confusion and shouting, the commander could not learn the truth about what had happened. So he told the soldiers to take Paul to the army building. 35-36 The whole crowd was following them. When the soldiers came to the steps, they had to carry Paul. They did this to protect him, because the people were ready to hurt him. The people were shouting, “Kill him!”

37 When the soldiers were ready to take Paul into the army building, he asked the commander, “Can I say something to you?”

The commander said, “Oh, you speak Greek? 38 Then you are not the man I thought you were. I thought you were the Egyptian who started some trouble against the government not long ago and led four thousand terrorists out to the desert.”

39 Paul said, “No, I am a Jew from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I am a citizen of that important city. Please, let me speak to the people.”

40 The commander told Paul he could speak. So he stood on the steps and waved his hand so that the people would be quiet. The people became quiet and Paul spoke to them in Aramaic.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:8 seven helpers Men chosen for a special work. See Acts 6:1-6.
  2. Acts 21:11 belt Paul’s belt; so Agabus means that the Jews in Jerusalem will tie Paul up (arrest him).
  3. Acts 21:23 vow Probably a Nazirite vow, a time of special dedication and service promised to God. See “ Nazirite” in the Word List.
  4. Acts 21:24 cleansing ceremony The special things Jews did to end the Nazirite vow. Also in verse 26.
  5. Acts 21:24 shave their heads To show that their vow was finished.
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