Acts 21
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1After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara.1After we tore ourselves away from them, we set sail straight for Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia.2Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded and set sail.
3We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.3After we sighted Cyprus, passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria and arrived at Tyre, since the ship was to unload its cargo there.
4We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.4We sought out the disciples and stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
5When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed,5When our time had come to an end, we left to continue our journey, while all of them, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach to pray,
6and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.6we said farewell to one another and boarded the ship, and they returned home.
7The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed for one day.7When we completed our voyage from Tyre, we reached Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day.
8The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food.8The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him.
9He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.9This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea.10After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’”11He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.'"
12When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.12When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”13Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
14When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Paul Arrives at Jerusalem14Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, "The Lord's will be done."
15After this we packed our things and left for Jerusalem.15After this we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
16Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early believers.16Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and brought us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.
17When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.17When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.
18The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present.18The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
19After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.19After greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously.20When they heard it, they glorified God and said, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
21But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs.21But they have been informed about you--that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs.
22What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.22So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you've come.
23“Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow.23Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow.
24Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.24Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay for them to get their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that what they were told about you amounts to nothing, but that you yourself are also careful about observing the law.
25“As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.” Paul Is Arrested25With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality."
26So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.26So the next day, Paul took the men, having purified himself along with them, and entered the temple, announcing the completion of the purification days when the offering would be made for each of them.
27The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him,27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him,
28yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. ”28shouting, "Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. What's more, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."
29(For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
30The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him.30The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
31As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.31As they were trying to kill him, word went up to the commander of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in chaos.
32He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.32Taking along soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran down to them. Seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done.33Then the commander approached, took him into custody, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done.
34Some shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress.34Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks.
35As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift him to their shoulders to protect him.35When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
36And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!” Paul Speaks to the Crowd36for the mass of people followed, yelling, "Get rid of him!"
37As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?” “Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised.37As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "Am I allowed to say something to you?" He replied, "You know how to speak Greek?
38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”38Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led four thousand men of the Assassins into the wilderness?"
39“No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.”39Paul said, "I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Now I ask you, let me speak to the people."
40The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.40After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in Aramaic:
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Acts 20
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