Acts of the Apostles 21

The voyage to Caesarea

1When we had torn ourselves away from them and put out to sea, we ran a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went aboard and sailed. 3We sighted Cyprus, passed it to port, and sailed on to Syria, landing at Tyre, where the ship was to unload her cargo. 4We looked up the disciples and stayed there a week; and through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem. 5When our days there were over we left and went on our way, and all of them, with their wives and children, walked with us out of the city. On the beach we knelt down and prayed, 6said goodbye to one another, and went aboard; and they went back home. 7Continuing the voyage from Tyre we arrived at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and spent one day with them. 8The next day we left and came to Caesarea, and we went to the house of Philip (the evangelist), one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10During the several days we were there, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied up his own feet and hands and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘The man who owns this belt — so will the Jews in Jerusalem bind him, and hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12When we heard this, both we and the people of the place begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14Since he would not be persuaded, we gave up and said, “Let the Lord’s will be done.”

Paul before James and the elders

15After those days we got ready and started up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest days, with whom we were to stay. 17When we reached Jerusalem the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly. 18The next day Paul went with us to see James, and all the elders were present. 19After greeting them he described, one thing at a time, what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard it they praised God. Then they said to him: “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and every one of them zealous for the law. 21They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow our customs. 22What is to be done? They are bound to hear that you have come. 23So do what we tell you. We have four men here who are under a vow. 24Take them with you, go through the rite of purification with them and pay their expenses so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing in the reports about you, and that you yourself live in observance of the law. 25As for the Gentiles who have believed, we sent them our decision in writing: that they should keep themselves from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.” 26So the next day Paul took the men, purified himself with them and went into the temple, giving notice of when the days of purification would end and the offering be made for each of them.

Seized in the temple

27When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, against the law and against this place. And now he has even brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29They had earlier seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30The whole city was thrown into turmoil, the people came running from every side, and they grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple; and at once the gates were shut. 31They were trying to kill him when word reached the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32He immediately took soldiers and centurions and charged down on them; and when the crowd saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander came up, arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains, then asked who he was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since he could get no clear answer through the din, he ordered Paul taken into the barracks. 35When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was such that the soldiers had to carry him, 36for the mass of people followed behind, shouting, “Away with him!” 37Just as he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” The man replied, “You know Greek? 38Then you are not the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I ask you: let me speak to the people.” 40He gave his permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, motioned to the people with his hand. A deep silence fell, and he addressed them in the Hebrew language: