Acts 16-21

Christian Standard Bible

Paul Selects Timothy

16 Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy,^(A) the son of a believing Jewish woman,^(B) but his father was a Greek. ² The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.^{(C) 3} Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised^(D) him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe.^{(E) 5} So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(F)

Evangelization of Europe

⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.^{(G) 7} When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(H) did not allow them. ⁸ Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas.^{(I) 9} During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” ^{(J) 10} After^(K) he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion

¹¹ From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi,^(L) a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. ¹⁴ A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.^{(M) 15} After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.”^(N) And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.^(O) She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you^[a] a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” ¹⁸ She did this for many days.

Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away.^(P)

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(Q) and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. ²⁰ Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews ²¹ and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”^{(R) 22} The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.^{(S) 23} After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. ²⁴ Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.^(T)

A Midnight Deliverance

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.^{(U) 27} When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

²⁸ But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ^(V)

³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”^{(W) 32} And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.^(X)

An Official Apology

³⁵ When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”^(Y)

³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to send us away secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out.”^(Z)

³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came to appease them, and escorting them from prison, they urged them to leave town. ⁴⁰ After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.^(AA)

A Short Ministry in Thessalonica

17 After they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(AB) where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As usual, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(AC) 3} explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.”^{(AD) 4} Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.^(AE)

Riot in the City

⁵ But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.^{(AF) 6} When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, ⁷ and Jason has welcomed them. They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees,^(AG) saying that there is another king—Jesus.”^{(AH) 8} The crowd and city officials who heard these things were upset. ⁹ After taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

The Bereans Search the Scriptures

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.^(AI) Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined^[b] the Scriptures^(AJ) daily to see if these things were so. ¹² Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. ¹³ But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and upsetting^[c] the crowds. ¹⁴ Then the brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul away to go to the coast, but Silas and Timothy^(AK) stayed on there. ¹⁵ Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.^(AL)

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.^{(AM) 18} Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, “What is this ignorant show-off^[d] trying to say?”

Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities”—because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.^(AN)

¹⁹ They took him and brought him to the Areopagus,^[e] and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting?^{(AO) 20} Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

The Areopagus Address

²² Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. ²³ For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and everything in it^(AP)—he is Lord of heaven and earth^(AQ)—does not live in shrines made by hands.^{(AR) 25} Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything,^(AS) since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.^{(AT) 26} From one man^[f] he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.^{(AU) 27} He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.^{(AV) 28} For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’^{(AW) 29} Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.^(AX)

³⁰ “Therefore, having overlooked^(AY) the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(AZ)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him, but others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.” ³³ So Paul left their presence. ³⁴ However, some people joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Founding the Corinthian Church

18 After this, he^[g] left Athens and went to Corinth,^{(BA) 2} where he found a Jew named Aquila,^(BB) a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them, ³ and since they were of the same occupation, tentmakers by trade,^(BC) he stayed with them and worked. ⁴ He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks.^(BD)

⁵ When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself to preaching the word^[h] and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.^{(BE) 6} When they resisted and blasphemed,^(BF) he shook out his clothes^(BG) and told them, “Your blood is on your own heads!^(BH) I am innocent.^[i] From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”^{(BI) 7} So he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole household.^(BJ) Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

⁹ The Lord said to Paul in a night vision, “Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”^{(BK) 11} He stayed there a year and a half, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack against Paul and brought him to the tribunal.^{(BL) 13} “This man,” they said, “is persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

¹⁴ As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or of a serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews. ¹⁵ But if these are questions about words, names, and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”^{(BM) 16} So he drove them from the tribunal. ¹⁷ And they all^[j] seized Sosthenes,^(BN) the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal, but none of these things mattered to Gallio.

The Return Trip to Antioch

¹⁸ After staying for some time, Paul said farewell to the brothers and sisters and sailed away to Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.^{(BO) 19} When they reached Ephesus^(BP) he left them there, but he himself entered the synagogue and debated with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he declined, ²¹ but he said farewell and added,^[k] “I’ll come back to you again, if God wills.”^(BQ) Then he set sail from Ephesus.

²² On landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, then went down to Antioch.^(BR)

²³ After spending some time there, he set out, traveling through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.^(BS)

The Eloquent Apollos

²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos,^(BT) a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit,^[l] he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism.^{(BU) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside^[m] and explained the way of God to him more accurately.^{(BV) 27} When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.^{(BW) 28} For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.^(BX)

Twelve Disciples of John the Baptist

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples^{(BY) 2} and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ^(BZ)

“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”^(CA)

³ “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them.

“Into John’s baptism,” they replied.^(CB)

⁴ Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,^(CC) telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”^(CD)

⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands on^(CE) them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues^[n] and to prophesy.^{(CF) 7} Now there were about twelve men in all.

In the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.^{(CG) 9} But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.^{(CH) 10} This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks,^(CI) heard the word of the Lord.^(CJ)

Demonism Defeated at Ephesus

¹¹ God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, ¹² so that even facecloths or aprons^[o] that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.^(CK)

¹³ Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!” ^{(CL) 14} Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ When this became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, they became afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus^(CM) was held in high esteem.^(CN)

¹⁸ And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, ¹⁹ while many of those who had practiced magic^(CO) collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.^(CP)

The Riot in Ephesus

²¹ After these events, Paul resolved by the Spirit^[p] to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. “After I’ve been there,” he said, “It is necessary for me to see Rome as well.”^{(CQ) 22} After sending to Macedonia two of those who assisted him, Timothy and Erastus,^(CR) he himself stayed in Asia for a while.^(CS)

²³ About that time there was a major disturbance about the Way.^{(CT) 24} For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. ²⁵ When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods.^{(CU) 27} Not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin—the very one all of Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸ When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius^(CV) and Aristarchus,^(CW) Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. ³⁰ Although Paul wanted to go in before the people, the disciples did not let him. ³¹ Even some of the provincial officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent word to him, pleading with him not to venture^[q] into the amphitheater. ³² Some were shouting one thing and some another,^(CX) because the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some Jews in the crowd gave instructions to Alexander^[r] after they pushed him to the front. Motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to make his defense to the people.^{(CY) 34} But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ When the city clerk had calmed the crowd down, he said, “People of Ephesus! What person is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple guardian of the great^[s] Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our^[t] goddess. ³⁸ So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.^{(CZ) 39} But if you seek anything further, it must be decided in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting^(DA) for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disturbance.” ⁴¹ After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.

Paul in Macedonia

20 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia.^{(DB) 2} And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece ³ and stayed three months. The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.^{(DC) 4} He was accompanied^[u] by Sopater son of Pyrrhus^[v] from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy,^(DD) and Tychicus^(DE) and Trophimus^(DF) from the province of Asia. ⁵ These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas,^{(DG) 6} but we sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread.^(DH) In five days we reached them at Troas, where we spent seven days.

Eutychus Revived at Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread.^(DI) Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were assembled, ⁹ and a young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill and sank into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. When he was overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down, bent over him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, because he’s alive.”^{(DJ) 11} After going upstairs, breaking the bread, and eating, Paul talked a long time until dawn. Then he left. ¹² They brought the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.

From Troas to Miletus

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul on board, because these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ Sailing from there, the next day we arrived off Chios. The following day we crossed over to Samos, and^[w] the day after, we came to Miletus.^{(DK) 16} For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.^(DL)

Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders

¹⁷ Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time,^{(DM) 19} serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.^{(DN) 20} You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable and to teach you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God^(DO) and faith in our Lord Jesus.^(DP)

²² “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit,^[x] not knowing what I will encounter there,^{(DQ) 23} except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.^{(DR) 24} But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course^[y] and the ministry^(DS) I received from the Lord Jesus,^(DT) to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

²⁵ “And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. ²⁶ Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent^[z] of the blood of all of you,^{(DU) 27} because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God.^{(DV) 28} Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock^(DW) of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers,^(DX) to shepherd the church of God,^[aa] which he purchased with his own blood.^{(DY) 29} I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.^{(DZ) 31} Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.^(EA)

³² “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,^(EB) which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance^(EC) among all who are sanctified. ³³ I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(ED) 34} You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.^{(EE) 35} In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them.^{(EF) 37} There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, ³⁸ grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.^(EG)

Warnings on the Journey to Jerusalem

21 After^(EH) 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,^[ab] 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.^{(EI) 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^[ac] from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day.^{(EJ) 8} The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip^(EK) the evangelist,^(EL) who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. ⁹ This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.^(EM)

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.’”^{(EN) 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.”^(EO)

¹⁴ Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, “The Lord’s will be done.”^(EP)

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.^(EQ)

¹⁷ When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.^{(ER) 18} The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.^{(ES) 19} After greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.^(ET)

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^(EU) 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.^{(EV) 22} So what is to be done?^[ad] 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.^{(EW) 25} With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that^[ae] 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.^{(EX) 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,^{(EY) 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.”^{(EZ) 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.^(FA)

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.^(FB)

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.^(FC) 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.^{(FD) 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!” ^(FE)

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?” ^(FF)

³⁹ Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia,^(FG) 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:^[af](FH)