Acts 21
New American Standard Bible
Paul Sails from Miletus
21 Now when (A)we had parted from them and had set sail, we ran (B)a straight course to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara; 2 and having found a ship crossing over to (C)Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we came in sight of (D)Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to (E)Syria and landed at (F)Tyre; for the ship was to unload its cargo there. 4 After looking up (G)the disciples, we stayed there for seven days; and they kept telling Paul, [a](H)through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem. 5 When [b]our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, (I)escorted us until we were out of the city. After (J)kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. 6 Then we boarded the ship, and they returned (K)home.
7 When we had finished the voyage from (L)Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting (M)the brothers and sisters, we stayed with them for a day. 8 On the next day we left and came to (N)Caesarea, and we entered the house of (O)Philip the (P)evangelist, who was (Q)one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were (R)prophetesses. 10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named (S)Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And he came to us and (T)took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This (U)is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will (V)bind the man who owns this belt and (W)hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him (X)not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For (Y)I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for (Z)the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we became quiet, remarking, “(AA)The will of the Lord be done!”
Paul in Jerusalem
15 After these days we got ready and (AB)started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of (AC)the disciples from (AD)Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of (AE)Cyprus, a (AF)disciple of long standing with whom we were to stay.
17 After we arrived in Jerusalem, (AG)the brothers and sisters received us gladly. 18 And the following day Paul went in with us to [c](AH)James, and all (AI)the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he (AJ)began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his (AK)ministry. 20 And when they heard about them, they began (AL)glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many [d]thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all (AM)zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are (AN)teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them (AO)not to circumcise their children nor to [e]walk according to (AP)the customs. 22 So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore, do [f]as we tell you: we have four men who (AQ)have a [g]vow upon themselves; 24 take them along and (AR)purify yourself together with them, and [h]pay their expenses so that they may (AS)shave their [i]heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law. 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we sent a letter, (AT)having decided that they should abstain from [j]meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and what is [k]strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul [l]took along the men, and the next day, after (AU)purifying himself together with them, he (AV)went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.
Paul Seized in the Temple
27 When (AW)the seven days were almost over, (AX)the Jews from [m](AY)Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! (AZ)This is the man who instructs everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has (BA)defiled this holy place!” 29 For they had previously seen (BB)Trophimus the (BC)Ephesian in the city with him, and they thought that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then the whole city was provoked and [n]the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they (BD)dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the (BE)Roman [o]cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He immediately (BF)took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to [p]the crowd; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered that he be (BG)bound with (BH)two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. 34 But among the crowd, (BI)some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the [q]facts because of the uproar, he ordered that [r]Paul be brought into (BJ)the barracks. 35 When Paul got to (BK)the stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the [s]mob; 36 for the multitude of people kept following them, shouting, “(BL)Away with him!”
37 As Paul was about to be brought into (BM)the barracks, he *said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not (BN)the Egyptian who some [t]time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out (BO)into the wilderness?” 39 But Paul said, “(BP)I am a Jew of Tarsus in (BQ)Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on (BR)the stairs, (BS)motioned to the people with his hand; and when there [u]was a great silence, he spoke to them in the [v](BT)Hebrew dialect, saying,
Footnotes
- Acts 21:4 I.e., because of impressions made by the Spirit
- Acts 21:5 Lit we had completed the days
- Acts 21:18 Or Jacob
- Acts 21:20 Lit ten thousands
- Acts 21:21 I.e., observe or live by
- Acts 21:23 Lit this which we
- Acts 21:23 I.e., a sacred duty to fulfill
- Acts 21:24 Lit spend on them
- Acts 21:24 Lit head (a requirement of the vow)
- Acts 21:25 Lit the thing
- Acts 21:25 I.e., to retain the blood
- Acts 21:26 Or took along the men the next day, and after purifying himself
- Acts 21:27 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
- Acts 21:30 Lit a running together of the people occurred
- Acts 21:31 Normally 600 men (the number varied)
- Acts 21:32 Lit them
- Acts 21:34 Lit certainty
- Acts 21:34 Lit he
- Acts 21:35 Lit crowd
- Acts 21:38 Lit days
- Acts 21:40 Lit occurred
- Acts 21:40 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
Acts 21
Tree of Life Version
Going to Jerusalem Despite Warnings
21 After tearing ourselves away from them and setting sail, we set a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 Finding a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we came in sight of Cyprus, passing it by on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre—for there the ship was to unload the cargo. 4 We looked up the disciples and stayed there seven days. They kept telling Paul through the Ruach not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 When our days there were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. After kneeling down on the shore and praying, 6 we said farewell to one another. Then we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the trip from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered the home of Philip, the proclaimer of Good News, who was one of the seven, and we stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10 While we stayed there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet, and said, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh says this: ‘In this way shall the Jewish people in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard these things, both we and the local people urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Yeshua!”
14 Since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying only, “May the Lord’s will be done.”
15 After these days, we packed and started going up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus—one of the early disciples by whom we might be hosted.
Advice from Jacob and the Elders
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly. 18 On the next day, Paul went in with us to Jacob; all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he reported to them in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his service. 20 And when they heard, they began glorifying God.
They said, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jewish people who have believed—and they are all zealous for the Torah. 21 They have been told about you—that you teach all the Jewish people among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs. 22 What’s to be done then? No doubt they will hear that you have come.
23 “So do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on themselves. [a] 24 Take them, and purify yourself[b] along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. That way, all will realize there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in an orderly manner, keeping the Torah.
25 “As for Gentiles who have believed, however, we have written by letter what we decided—for them to abstain from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men, purifying himself along with them. He went into the Temple, announcing when the days of purification would be completed and the sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.
Trouble at the Temple
27 When the seven days were about to be completed, the Jewish leaders from Asia[c] saw Paul in the Temple and began stirring up the whole crowd. They grabbed him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against our people and the Torah and this place. Besides, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled[d] this holy place!”
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the Temple. 30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the Temple, and the gates were shut at once.
31 As they were trying to kill him, news came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in chaos. 32 Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and rushed down to them. Upon seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up, arrested Paul, ordered him to be bound with two chains, and began investigating what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another. As he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into headquarters.
35 When he came to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. 36 For the multitude of people that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the headquarters, he said to the commander, “Can I say something to you?”
The commander said, “You know Greek? 38 Then you’re not the Egyptian who stirred up a rebellion some time ago—and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”
39 Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, let me speak to the people.”
40 When the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people with his hand. When there was a great hush, he spoke to them in Aramaic,[e] saying:
Footnotes
- Acts 21:24 cf. Num. 6:13-21.
- Acts 21:24 cf. Num. 19:17-22; Acts 24:18.
- Acts 21:27 The Roman province of Asia, in the western part of Asia Minor (now part of Turkey).
- Acts 21:28 Lit. made common or unholy; cf. Lev. 10:10.
- Acts 21:40 Lit. the Hebrew dialect.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.