Acts 21
English Standard Version
Paul Goes to Jerusalem
21 And when (A)we had parted from them and set sail, we (B)came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.[a] 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And (C)through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, (D)accompanied us until we were outside the city. And (E)kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted (F)the brothers[b] and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of (G)Philip (H)the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, (I)who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named (J)Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he (K)took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, (L)“Thus says the Holy Spirit, (M)‘This is how the Jews[c] at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and (N)deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there (O)urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, (P)“What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For (Q)I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem (R)for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, (S)we ceased and said, (T)“Let the will of the Lord be done.”
15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Paul Visits James
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, (U)the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to (V)James, and all (W)the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, (X)he related one by one (Y)the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his (Z)ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they (AA)glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all (AB)zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all (AC)the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, (AD)telling them (AE)not to circumcise their children or (AF)walk according to (AG)our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men (AH)who are under a vow; 24 take these men and (AI)purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, (AJ)so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, (AK)we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,[d] and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day (AL)he purified himself along with them and (AM)went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and (AN)the offering presented for each one of them.
Paul Arrested in the Temple
27 When (AO)the seven days were almost completed, (AP)the Jews from Asia, (AQ)seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who (AR)is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and (AS)the law and (AT)this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and (AU)has defiled (AV)this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen (AW)Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and (AX)dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 (AY)And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of (AZ)the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 (BA)He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him (BB)to be bound (BC)with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 (BD)Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into (BE)the barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, (BF)“Away with him!”
Paul Speaks to the People
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not (BG)the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out (BH)into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, (BI)“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, (BJ)motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in (BK)the Hebrew language,[e] saying:
Footnotes
- Acts 21:1 Some manuscripts add and Myra
- Acts 21:7 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17
- Acts 21:11 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time
- Acts 21:25 Some manuscripts omit and from what has been strangled
- Acts 21:40 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
Acts 21
Christian Standard Bible
Warnings on the Journey to Jerusalem
21 After(A) we tore ourselves away from them, we set sail straight for Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded and set sail. 3 After we sighted Cyprus, passing to the south of it,[a] we sailed on to Syria and arrived at Tyre, since the ship was to unload its cargo there. 4 We sought out the disciples and stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.(B) 5 When our time had come to an end, we left to continue our journey, while all of them, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach to pray, 6 we said farewell to one another and boarded the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we completed our voyage[b] from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day.(C) 8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip(D) the evangelist,(E) who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. 9 This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.(F)
10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.’”(G) 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him 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 also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”(H)
14 Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”(I)
Conflict over the Gentile Mission
15 After this we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and brought us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.(J)
17 When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.(K) 18 The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.(L) 19 After greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.(M)
20 When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous(N) for the law. 21 But they have been informed about you—that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs.(O) 22 So what is to be done?[c] They will certainly hear that you’ve come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay for them to get their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that what they were told about you amounts to nothing, but that you yourself are also careful about observing the law.(P) 25 With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that[d] they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
The Riot in the Temple
26 So the next day, Paul took the men, having purified himself along with them, and entered the temple, announcing the completion of the purification days when the offering would be made for each of them.(Q) 27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him,(R) 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. What’s more, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”(S) 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.(T)
30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.(U)
31 As they were trying to kill him, word went up to the commander of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in chaos. 32 Taking along soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran down to them. Seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander approached, took him into custody, and ordered him to be bound with two chains.(V) He asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks.(W) 35 When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mass of people followed, yelling, “Get rid of him!” (X)
Paul’s Defense before the Jerusalem Mob
37 As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “Am I allowed to say something to you?”
He replied, “You know how to speak Greek? 38 Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led four thousand men of the Assassins into the wilderness?” (Y)
39 Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia,(Z) a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people.”
40 After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in Aramaic:[e](AA)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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