Acts 21:17-26

Modern English Version

Paul Visits James

¹⁷ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. ¹⁸ On the next day Paul went with us to James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹ He greeted them and recounted one by one what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰ When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous for the law. ²¹ They have been informed concerning you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to observe the customs. ²² What then shall be done? The assembly will certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. ²³ Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. ²⁴ Take these men and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved. Then all will know that what they were told concerning you is nothing, but that you yourself live in observance of the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they should observe no such thing, except that they abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood.”

²⁶ Then on the next day, Paul took the men and purified himself with them. And he went into the temple, announcing when the days of purification would be complete and an offering would be given for each one of them.