Add parallel Print Page Options

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21 When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.[a] When we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.(A) We came in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there. We looked up the disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.(B) When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on our journey, and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed(C) and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 21.1 Other ancient authorities add and Myra

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21 After[a] we[b] tore ourselves away[c] from them, we put out to sea,[d] and sailing a straight course,[e] we came to Cos,[f] on the next day to Rhodes,[g] and from there to Patara.[h] We found[i] a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,[j] went aboard,[k] and put out to sea.[l] After we sighted Cyprus[m] and left it behind on our port side,[n] we sailed on to Syria and put in[o] at Tyre,[p] because the ship was to unload its cargo there. After we located[q] the disciples, we stayed there[r] seven days. They repeatedly told[s] Paul through the Spirit[t] not to set foot[u] in Jerusalem. When[v] our time was over,[w] we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied[x] us outside of the city. After[y] kneeling down on the beach and praying,[z] we said farewell[aa] to one another. Then[ab] we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes.[ac]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:1 tn Grk “It happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Since the action described by the participle ἀποσπασθέντας (apospasthentas, “tearing ourselves away”) is prior to the departure of the ship, it has been translated as antecedent action (“after”).
  2. Acts 21:1 sn This marks the beginning of one of the “we” sections in Acts (16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16). These have been traditionally understood to mean that the author was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.
  3. Acts 21:1 tn BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποσπάω 2.b has “pass. in mid. sense . ἀπό τινος tear oneself away Ac 21:1”; LSJ 218 gives several illustrations of this verb meaning “to tear or drag away from.”
  4. Acts 21:1 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”
  5. Acts 21:1 tn BDAG 406 s.v. εὐθυδρομέω has “of a ship run a straight course”; L&N 54.3 has “to sail a straight course, sail straight to.”
  6. Acts 21:1 sn Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea.
  7. Acts 21:1 sn Rhodes was an island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor.
  8. Acts 21:1 sn Patara was a city in Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The entire journey was about 185 mi (295 km).
  9. Acts 21:2 tn Grk “and finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (heurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.
  10. Acts 21:2 sn Phoenicia was the name of an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.
  11. Acts 21:2 tn Grk “going aboard, we put out to sea.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  12. Acts 21:2 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”
  13. Acts 21:3 sn Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.
  14. Acts 21:3 sn The expression left it behind on our port side here means “sailed past to the south of it” since the ship was sailing east.
  15. Acts 21:3 tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”
  16. Acts 21:3 sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia. From Patara to Tyre was about 400 mi (640 km). It required a large cargo ship over 100 ft (30 m) long, and was a four to five day voyage.
  17. Acts 21:4 tn BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνευρίσκω has “look/search for (w. finding presupposed) τινάτοὺς μαθητάς Ac 21:4.” The English verb “locate,” when used in reference to persons, has the implication of both looking for and finding someone. The participle ἀνευρόντες (aneurontes) has been taken temporally.
  18. Acts 21:4 tn BDAG 154 s.v. αὐτοῦ states, “deictic adv. designating a position relatively near or far…thereAc 21:4.”
  19. Acts 21:4 tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγον (elegon) has been taken iteratively.
  20. Acts 21:4 sn Although they told this to Paul through the Spirit, it appears Paul had a choice here (see v. 14). Therefore this amounted to a warning: There was risk in going to Jerusalem, so he was urged not to go.
  21. Acts 21:4 tn BDAG 367 s.v. ἐπιβαίνω places Ac 21:4 under 1, “go up/upon, mount, boardπλοίῳAc 27:2…Abs. go on board, embark21:1 D, 2.—So perh. also . εἰς ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα embark for Jerusalem (i.e., to the seaport of Caesarea) vs. 4.” BDAG notes, however, “But this pass. may also belong to 2. to move to an area and be there, set foot in.” Because the message from the disciples to Paul through the Holy Spirit has the character of a warning, the latter meaning has been adopted for this translation.
  22. Acts 21:5 tn Grk “It happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  23. Acts 21:5 tn Grk “When our days were over.” L&N 67.71 has “ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἡμᾶς ἐξαρτίσαι τὰς ἡμέρας ‘when we brought that time to an end’ or ‘when our time with them was over’ Ac 21:5.”
  24. Acts 21:5 tn Grk “accompanying.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation and the participle προπεμπόντων (propempontōn) translated as a finite verb.
  25. Acts 21:5 tn Grk “city, and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
  26. Acts 21:5 sn On praying in Acts, see 1:14, 24; 2:47; 4:23; 6:6; 10:2; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 16:25.
  27. Acts 21:6 tn BDAG 98 s.v. ἀπασπάζομαι has “take leave of, say farewell to τινά someoneἀπησπασάμεθα ἀλλήλους we said farewell to one another Ac 21:6.”
  28. Acts 21:6 tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the logical sequence.
  29. Acts 21:6 tn Grk “to their own”; the word “homes” is implied.