[Acts 21]

 

             {Early 59 AD. Journey to Jerusalem.}

             ^21:1 Now as it happened for us to set-sail, we pulled away from them, made a straight route, and came to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ^21:2 And we found a ship, ferrying people over into Phoenicia, stepped onto it and did set-sail. ^21:3 Now Cyprus appeared, and after we left it on the left, we were sailing to Syria and brought^* the ship into Tyre; for^* the ship was unloading her cargo there. ^21:4 And we remained there^* seven days, and we found disciples who were saying to Paul, through the Spirit, not to go-up into Jerusalem. ^21:5 Now when it happened for us to finish the days there, we came forth and were traveling on, and they all, together-with their wives and children, sending us onward until we were outside the city, and we placed the knees down upon the beach and prayed, ^21:6 and we hugged one another, stepped onto the ship, but those others returned to their own.

 

             ^21:7 Now we concluded the voyage from Tyre, arrived in Ptolemais, and greeted the brethren and remained with them for one day. ^21:8 Now on the next-day, Paul and the ones around him went forth, and came to Caesarea. And they entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, being one out-of the seven, and remained with him. ^21:9 Now to this one, there were four prophesying virgin daughters.

              ^21:10 Now in our remaining even more days there, a certain prophet from Judea, Agabus by name, came down. ^21:11 And he came to us and took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, The Holy Spirit says these things, The Jews in Jerusalem will be binding the man thus whose belt this is, and will be giving him up into the hands of Gentiles. ^21:12 Now as we heard these things, both we and the ones locally were pleading with him not to go-up into Jerusalem.

             ^21:13 And Paul answered, What are you^° doing^*, weeping and crushing my heart? For^* I have not only been ready to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem on behalf of the name of the Lord Jesus.

             ^21:14 But not being persuaded, we were quiet, and said, Let the will of the Lord happen.

 

             {End of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey.}

             ^21:15 Now after these days, we packed up our goods and were going-up to Jerusalem. ^21:16 But also some of the disciples from Caesarea went together-with us, leading us before someone named Mnason from Cyprus, an old disciple in the faith, with whom they said we should lodge.

             ^21:17 Now after we came^* to Jerusalem, the brethren gladly accepted us.

 

             {May 23, 59 AD. Paul’s fifth visit to Jerusalem.}

             ^21:18 Now the next day, Paul was going-into it, together-with us, to James, and all the elders came^*. ^21:19 And he greeted them and was describing to every one, each of the things God did^* among the Gentiles through his service. ^21:20 Now they heard it, they were glorifying the Lord, and said to him, You are now viewing brother, how-many tens of thousands of the Jews there are, the ones who believed, and they are^* all zealous ones of the law; ^21:21 and they were instructed concerning you, that you are teaching to all the Jews throughout the nations apostasy from Moses, saying not to circumcise themselves, and the children nor to walk according-to the customs.

             ^21:22 Therefore, what is this?

             It is certainly essential for the multitude to come together; for^* they will be hearing that you have come. ^21:23 Therefore, do^* this thing, what we say to you. Four men are with us who have a vow upon themselves. ^21:24 After you have taken these and purified yourself together-with them, and be spent over them {i.e., probably ‘pay their expenses’} in-order-that they may shave the head and may know that all the things of which they have been instructed concerning you are nothing, but you yourself also march accordingly, observing the law.

             ^21:25 But concerning the ones of the Gentiles who have believed, we decided and informed them by letter to observe no such thing, except to keep themselves from: the idol-sacrifice, and the blood, and the thing strangled, and fornication.

               ^21:26 Then Paul took the men and was purified together-with the men and was going-into the temple in the next day, thus thoroughly proclaiming the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered on behalf of each one of them.

 

             ^21:27 Now as the seven days were about to be completed, after the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, they were inciting all the crowd and put their hands upon him, ^21:28 crying out, Men, Israelites, help^°! This one is the man who is teaching all people everywhere, against the Jewish people and the law and this place, and even more, he led Greeks into the temple and has desecrated this holy place. ^21:29 For^* they have seen Trophimus the Ephesian together-with him among the city, whom they were supposing that Paul led into the temple.

               ^21:30 And the whole city was moved and a running of the people together {i.e., a mob} happened, and after they grabbed Paul, they were dragging him outside the temple and immediately the doors were locked.

             ^21:31 But while seeking to kill him, information came-up to the commander of the cohort, {600 soldiers} that the whole Jerusalem has been incited to riot. ^21:32 Who promptly took soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. And the ones who saw the commander and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. ^21:33 Now he drew near and the commander grabbed him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and was inquiring as to whoever he might be, and what has he practiced wrongly? ^21:34 But some in the crowd were crying one thing, others another thing, and not being able to know the certainty of the matter because of the uproar, he commanded him to be led into the encampment. ^21:35 But when he came^* upon the steps, it befell him to be bore by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, ^21:36 for^* the multitude of the people was following, crying out, Take him away!

 

             ^21:37 But while Paul is about to be led into the encampment, he says to the commander, If it is legal for me to speak to you, may I?

             And he was saying, Do you know Greek? ^21:38 Are you not then the Egyptian who unsettled the city before these days, and led the four thousand men of the assassins out into the wilderness?

             ^21:39 But Paul said, I am indeed a Jew, a man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city, and I beseech of you, permit^* me to speak to the people. ^21:40 Now after he permitted^* him, Paul, standing up upon the steps, beckoned with the hand to the people, and after it became much silence, he was shouting to the crowd in the Hebrew language, saying,