Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
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] 2 We found[i] a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,[j] went aboard,[k] and put out to sea.[l] 3 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. 4 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. 5 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] 6 we said farewell[aa] to one another. Then[ab] we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes.[ac] 7 We continued the voyage from Tyre[ad] and arrived at Ptolemais,[ae] and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we left[af] and came to Caesarea,[ag] and entered[ah] the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven,[ai] and stayed with him. 9 (He had four unmarried[aj] daughters who prophesied.)[ak]
10 While we remained there for a number of days,[al] a prophet named Agabus[am] came down from Judea. 11 He came[an] to us, took[ao] Paul’s belt,[ap] tied[aq] his own hands and feet with it,[ar] and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over[as] to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people[at] begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking[au] my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,[av] but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Because he could not be persuaded,[aw] we said no more except,[ax] “The Lord’s will be done.”[ay]
15 After these days we got ready[az] and started up[ba] to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea[bb] came along with us too, and brought us to the house[bc] of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times,[bd] with whom we were to stay. 17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.[be] 18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there.[bf] 19 When Paul[bg] had greeted them, he began to explain[bh] in detail[bi] what God[bj] had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised[bk] God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews[bl] there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers[bm] of the law.[bn] 21 They have been informed about you—that you teach all the Jews now living[bo] among the Gentiles to abandon[bp] Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children[bq] or live[br] according to our customs. 22 What then should we do? They will no doubt[bs] hear that you have come. 23 So do what[bt] we tell you: We have four men[bu] who have taken[bv] a vow;[bw] 24 take them and purify[bx] yourself along with them and pay their expenses,[by] so that they may have their heads shaved.[bz] Then[ca] everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told[cb] about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with[cc] the law.[cd] 25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided[ce] that they should avoid[cf] meat that has been sacrificed to idols[cg] and blood and what has been strangled[ch] and sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men the next day,[ci] and after he had purified himself[cj] along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice[ck] of the completion of the days of purification,[cl] when[cm] the sacrifice would be offered for each[cn] of them. 27 When the seven days were almost over,[co] the Jews from the province of Asia[cp] who had seen him in the temple area[cq] stirred up the whole crowd[cr] and seized[cs] him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel,[ct] help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law,[cu] and this sanctuary![cv] Furthermore[cw] he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple[cx] and made this holy place ritually unclean!”[cy] 29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and[cz] they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.)[da] 30 The whole city was stirred up,[db] and the people rushed together.[dc] They seized[dd] Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts,[de] and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were trying[df] to kill him, a report[dg] was sent up[dh] to the commanding officer[di] of the cohort[dj] that all Jerusalem was in confusion.[dk] 32 He[dl] immediately took[dm] soldiers and centurions[dn] and ran down to the crowd.[do] When they saw[dp] the commanding officer[dq] and the soldiers, they stopped beating[dr] Paul. 33 Then the commanding officer[ds] came up and arrested[dt] him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains;[du] he[dv] then asked who he was and what[dw] he had done. 34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else,[dx] and when the commanding officer[dy] was unable[dz] to find out the truth[ea] because of the disturbance,[eb] he ordered Paul[ec] to be brought into the barracks.[ed] 35 When he came to the steps, Paul[ee] had to be carried[ef] by the soldiers because of the violence[eg] of the mob, 36 for a crowd of people[eh] followed them,[ei] screaming, “Away with him!” 37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks,[ej] he said[ek] to the commanding officer,[el] “May I say[em] something to you?” The officer[en] replied,[eo] “Do you know Greek?[ep] 38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion[eq] and led the 4,000 men of the ‘Assassins’[er] into the wilderness[es] some time ago?”[et] 39 Paul answered,[eu] “I am a Jew[ev] from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city.[ew] Please[ex] allow me to speak to the people.” 40 When the commanding officer[ey] had given him permission,[ez] Paul stood[fa] on the steps and gestured[fb] to the people with his hand. When they had become silent,[fc] he addressed[fd] them in Aramaic,[fe]
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.