Acts 21
Wycliffe Bible
21 And when it was done, that we should sail [that we should ship], and were passed away from them, with straight course we came to Coos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara, and from thence to Myra [and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara].
2 And when we found a ship passing over to [into] Phenicia, we went up into it, and sailed forth.
3 And when we appeared to Cyprus, we left it at the left half, and sailed into Syria, and came to Tyre. For there the ship should be uncharged [Soothly there the ship was to put out the charge].
4 And when we found disciples, we dwelled there seven days; which said by Spirit to Paul, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
5 And when the days were filled [And the days fulfilled], we went forth, and all men with wives and children led forth us [till] without the city; and we kneeled in the sea brink, and we prayed.
6 And when we had made farewell together, we went up into the ship; and they turned again into their own places [soothly they turned again into their own things].
7 And when the ship sailing was filled from Tyre, we came down to Ptolemais, and when we had greeted well the brethren [and the brethren greeted well], we dwelled one day at them.
8 And another day we went forth, and came to Caesarea. And we entered into the house of Philip evangelist, that was one of the seven, and dwelled at him.
9 And to him were four daughters, virgins, that prophesied.
10 And when we dwelled there [by] some days, a prophet [some man prophet], Agabus by name, came over from Judaea.
11 This when he came to us, took the girdle of Paul, and bound together his feet and hands, and said, The Holy Ghost saith these things, Thus [the] Jews shall bind in Jerusalem the man, whose is this girdle; and they shall betake him into heathen men's hands.
12 Which thing when we heard, we prayed, and they that were of that place, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, and said, What do ye, weeping and tormenting mine heart? For I am ready, not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 And when we might not counsel him, we were still, and said [saying], The will of the Lord be done.
15 And after these days we were made ready [Soothly after these days we made ready], and went up to Jerusalem.
16 And some of the disciples came with us from Caesarea, and led with them a man [and led with them some man], Jason of Cyprus, an old disciple, at whom we should be harboured.
17 And when we came to Jerusalem, brethren received us willfully.
18 And in the day following Paul entered with us to James, and all the elder men were gathered.
19 Which when he had greeted [Whom when he had greeted], he told by all things, what [things] God had done in heathen men, by the ministry of him.
20 And when they heard, they magnified God, and said to him, Brother, thou seest how many thousands be in Jews, that have believed to God, and all be lovers of the law. [And when they heard, magnified God, and said to him, Thou brother, seest how many thousands be in Jews, that have believed to God, and all be followers, or lovers, of the law.]
21 And they heard of thee, that thou teachest departing from Moses of those Jews that be by heathen men, that say [saying], that they owe not to circumcise their sons, neither owe to enter by custom [neither owe to enter after custom].
22 Therefore what is [this]? It behooveth that the multitude come together; for they shall hear, that thou art come.
23 Therefore do thou this thing, that we say to thee. There be to us four men, that have a vow on them.
24 Take thou these men [These take to], and hallow thee with them; hang on them, that they shave their heads; and that all men know, that those things that they heard of thee be false, but that thou walkest, and thyself keepest the law.
25 But of these that believed of heathen men, we have written, deeming that they abstain them from thing offered to idols, and from blood, and also from strangled thing [deeming that they abstain them from things offered to idols, and blood, and strangled things], and from fornication.
26 Then Paul took the men, and in the day following he was purified with them, and entered into the temple, and showed the filling of days of purifying [showing the fulfilling of days of purifying], till the offering was offered for each of them.
27 And when seven days were ended, the Jews that were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred all the people, and laid hands on him,
28 and cried [crying], Men of Israel, help ye us. This is the man, that against the people and the law and this place teacheth every where all men, moreover and hath led heathen men into the temple, and hath defouled this holy place.
29 For they saw Trophimus of Ephesus in the city with him, whom they guessed that Paul had brought into the temple.
30 And all the city was moved, and a running together of the people was made. And they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple; and at once [and anon] the gates were closed.
31 And when they sought to slay him, it was told to the tribune of the company of knights, that all Jerusalem is confounded.
32 Which at once [Which anon] took knights, and centurions, and ran to them. And when they had seen the tribune, and the knights, they ceased to smite Paul.
33 Then the tribune came, and caught him, and commanded, that he were bound with two chains [Then the tribune coming to, caught him, and commanded to be bound with two chains]; and asked, who he was, and what he had done.
34 But others cried other thing among the people [Soothly others cried other thing in the company]. And when he might know no certain thing for the noise/And when he might not know [the] certain thing for the noise, he commanded him to be led into the castles.
35 And when Paul came to the grees, it befell that he was borne of knights, for strength of the people.
36 For the multitude of the people followed him, and cried [crying], Take him away.
37 And when Paul began to be led into the castles, he said to the tribune, Whether it is leaveful to me [If it is leaveful to me], to speak any thing to thee? And he said [Which said], Canst thou Greek?
38 Whether thou art not the Egyptian, which before these days movedest a noise, and leddest out into desert four thousand of men, menslayers?
39 And Paul said to him, For I am a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen, which city is not unknown [Soothly I am a man Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen, or burgher, of a city not unknown]. And I pray thee, suffer me to speak to the people.
40 And when he suffered, Paul stood in the grees, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when a great silence was made, he spake in Hebrew tongue, and said [saying],
Acts 21
New Matthew Bible
Paul’s journey by ship. Of Philip the evangelist, and of Agabus the prophet, who warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He remains steadfast in his purpose, and is taken in the temple.
21 And once we had launched forth and drawn away from them, we went with a straight course to Cos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And we found a ship ready to sail to Phoenicia, and went aboard and set sail. 3 Then we came in sight of Cyprus, and we passed it on the left hand and sailed to Syria. We put in at Tyre, because the ship was to unload her cargo there. 4 And when we found brethren, we stayed there seven days. And they told Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
5 And when the days were ended, we departed and went our ways; and they all brought us on our way, with their wives and children, till we got to the outskirts of the city. And we kneeled down on the shore and prayed. And when we had taken our leave of one another, 6 we boarded ship, and they returned home again.
7 When we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we went on to Ptolemais and greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. 8 The next day, we who were of Paul’s company departed and went to Caesarea. And we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons, and stayed with him. 9 This man had four daughters, virgins who prophesied.
10 And while we tarried there a good many days, there came a certain prophet from Judea named Agabus. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s girdle and bound his hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit: in this manner the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man that owns this girdle, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 When we heard this, both we and others of the same place besought Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered and said, What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 When we could not turn his mind, we gave up, saying, May the will of the Lord be fulfilled.
15 After those days we made ourselves ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and they brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we would lodge. 17 And when we got to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And on the morrow, Paul went in with us to James. And all the elders came together. 19 And when he had greeted them, he told in order all the things that God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousand Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous over the law. 21 And they are informed of you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and say that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor live according to the customs. 22 What then? This group is bound to get together, because they will hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we say to you: We have four men who are under a vow. 24 Take them, and purify yourself with them, and bear their expenses so that they can shave their heads, and everyone will know that those things that they have heard concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law. 25 For concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they need observe no such things, but should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication.
26 Then the next day Paul took the men and purified himself with them, and entered into the temple, declaring that he was observing the days of purification until an offering should be offered for every one of them.
27 And as the seven days were almost ended, the Jews of Asia, when they saw Paul in the temple, moved all the people, and laid hands on him, 28 crying, Men of Israel, help! This is the man that teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he has also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place. 29 (For they had seen one Trophimus, an Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed Paul had brought him into the temple.)
30 And all the city was moved, and the people swarmed together. And they took Paul and drew him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut to.
31 As they went about to kill him, a report came to the high captain of the soldiers that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw the high captain and the soldiers, the people stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the captain came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and demanded who he was and what he had done. 34 And one shouted this and another that among the people. And when he could not ascertain the facts due to the tumult, the captain commanded Paul to be taken into the castle. 35 And when Paul came to a flight of stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the people. 36 For the crowd of people followed after, crying, Away with him!
37 And as Paul began to be led into the castle, he said to the high captain, May I speak to you? He said, Can you speak Greek? 38 Are you not that Egyptian who before these days caused a riot, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
39 But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. I beseech you, allow me to speak to the people.
40 When he had given him leave, Paul stood on the steps and beckoned with his hand to the people, and there was a great silence. And he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.