³¹ Pray that I may be kept safe^(A) from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution^(B) I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people^(C) there,

² And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,^(A) for not everyone has faith.

⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing^(A) in this service^(B) to the Lord’s people.^(C)

9 There is no need^(A) for me to write to you about this service^(B) to the Lord’s people.^(C)

²⁵ Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem^(A) in the service^(B) of the Lord’s people^(C) there.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

¹⁷ When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters^(A) received us warmly.^{(B) 18} The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,^(C) and all the elders^(D) were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles^(E) through his ministry.^(F)

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous^(G) for the law.^{(H) 21} They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,^(I) telling them not to circumcise their children^(J) or live according to our customs.^{(K) 22} What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ²³ so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.^{(L) 24} Take these men, join in their purification rites^(M) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.^(N) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”^(O)

²⁶ The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.^(P)

Paul Arrested

²⁷ When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,^{(Q) 28} shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”^{(R) 29} (They had previously seen Trophimus^(S) the Ephesian^(T) in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

³⁰ The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,^(U) they dragged him^(V) from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. ³¹ While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.

¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side^(A) and gave me strength,^(B) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(C) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^(D)

¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch,^(A) Iconium^(B) and Lystra,^(C) the persecutions I endured.^(D) Yet the Lord rescued^(E) me from all of them.^(F)

¹⁵ who killed the Lord Jesus^(A) and the prophets^(B) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone