Acts 21:1-31 ▼

1 And it happened that after having drawn away from them, having run directly in our sailing, we came to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2 And having found a boat passing over into Phoenicia, having gone aboard, we set sail.

3 And having sighted Cyprus and having left it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre, for the ship was unloading the cargo there.

4 And we remained there seven days, having sought out the disciples, who kept saying to Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

5 And it happened that when we had completed the days, having gone out, we journeyed, all accompanying us, with wives and children, as far as outside the city. And having bowed the knees on the shore, having prayed,

6 having said farewell to one another, we then went up into the boat, and they returned to their own.

7 And having completed the voyage from Tyre, we came down to Ptolemais; and having greeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them.

8 And having gone out on the next day, we came to Caesarea; and having entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, being of the Seven, we stayed with him.

9 And with this man there were four daughters, virgins, prophesying.

10 And in our remaining many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 And having come to us and having taken Paul’s belt, having bound his feet and hands, he said, “Thus the Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man whose belt this is, and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

12 And when we had heard these things, both we and those of that place were begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, “What are you? doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I have readiness not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14 And he not being persuaded, we were silent, having said, “The will of the Lord be done.”

15 And after these days, having packed the baggage, we were going up to Jerusalem.

16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing a certain Mnason, a Cypriot, an early disciple with whom we would lodge.

17 Now of us having arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

18 And on the following day, Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders arrived.

19 And having greeted them, he began to relate, one by one, each of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And those having heard were glorifying God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews having believed, and they are all zealous ones of the law.

21 Now they have been informed about you that you teach all Jews among the Gentiles apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise the children nor to walk in the customs.

22 What then is it? Certainly they will hear that you have come.

23 Therefore do this that we say to you. With us there are four men having a vow on themselves.

24 Having taken these, be purified with them and bear expense for them, so that they will shave the head. And all will know that what they have been informed about you is nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law.

25 Now concerning those of the Gentiles having believed, we wrote, having adjudged, to keep themselves from both the things sacrificed to idols and blood, and from what is strangled and sexual immorality.”

26 Then Paul, having taken the men on the following day, having been purified with them, entered into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of the purification until the offering was offered for each one of them.

27 Now when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, began stirring up all the crowd, and they laid the hands upon him,

28 crying out, “Men, Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching all those everywhere against the people and the law and this place. And besides, he has also brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

29 For it was they having previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they were supposing that Paul had brought into the temple.

30 And the whole city was provoked, and there was a rushing together of the people. And having laid hold of Paul, they dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And in their seeking to kill him, a report came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar,