Acts 21:18-26

Amplified Bible

¹⁸On the next day Paul went with us to [see] ^[a]James, and all the elders of the church were present. ¹⁹After greeting them, Paul began to give a detailed account of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰And when they heard it, they began glorifying and praising God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all enthusiastic supporters of the Law [of Moses]. ²¹Now they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to turn away from [the Law of] Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or to live according to the [Mosaic] customs. ²²What then should be done? They will certainly hear that you have arrived. ²³Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow; ²⁴take these men and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses [for the temple offerings] so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also follow and keep the Law. ²⁵But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed [in Christ], we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from [consuming] blood and from [the meat of] what has been strangled and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶Then Paul took the [four] men, and the next day he purified himself along with them [by submitting to the ritual]. He went into the temple to give notice of [the time] when the days of purification [ending each vow] would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each one.

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Footnotes

Acts 21:18 The half brother of Jesus, author of the Letter of James and leader of the church in Jerusalem, not to be confused with James the Apostle (John’s brother).

Psalm 40-41

Amplified Bible

God Sustains His Servant.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
²
He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.
³
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear [with great reverence]
And will trust confidently in the Lord.^(A)

⁴
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not regard the proud nor those who lapse into lies.
⁵
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of your wonders,
They would be too many to count.

⁶
Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them;
You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word];
Burnt offerings and sin offerings You do not require.^(B)
⁷
Then I said, “Behold, I come [to the throne];
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
⁸
“I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart.”^(C)

⁹
I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness],
As You know, O Lord.
¹⁰
I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart;
I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation.
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.^(D)

¹¹
Do not withhold Your compassion and tender mercy from me, O Lord;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
¹²
For innumerable evils have encompassed me;
My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

¹³
Be pleased, O Lord, to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
¹⁴
Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back [in defeat] and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.
¹⁵
Let those be appalled and desolate because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha [rejoicing in my misfortune]!”
¹⁶
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
¹⁷
Even though I am afflicted and needy,
Still the Lord takes thought and is mindful of me.
You are my help and my rescuer.
O my God, do not delay.^(E)

The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed [by God’s grace and compassion] is he who considers the helpless;
The Lord will save him in the day of trouble.
²
The Lord will protect him and keep him alive;
And he will be called blessed in the land;
You do not hand him over to the desire of his enemies.
³
The Lord will sustain and strengthen him on his sickbed;
In his illness, You will restore him to health.

⁴
As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
⁵
My enemies speak evil of me, saying,
“When will he die and his name perish?”
⁶
And when one comes to see me, he speaks empty words,
While his heart gathers malicious gossip [against me];
When he goes away, he tells it [everywhere].
⁷
All who hate me whisper together about me;
Against me they devise my hurt [imagining the worst for me], saying,
⁸
“A wicked thing is poured out upon him and holds him;
And when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
⁹
Even my own close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me [betraying me].^(F)

¹⁰
But You, O Lord, be gracious to me and ^[a]restore me [to health],
So that I may repay them.
¹¹
By this I know that You favor and delight in me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
¹²
As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And You set me in Your presence forever.