Paul Goes to Jerusalem
1 After saying goodbye, we sailed straight to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and from there sailed on to Patara. 2 We found a ship going to Phoenicia, so we got on board and sailed off.
3 We came within sight of Cyprus and then sailed south of it on to the port of Tyre in Syria, where the ship was going to unload its cargo. 4 We found the Lord's followers and stayed with them for a week. The Holy Spirit had told them to warn Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when the week was over, we started on our way again. All the men, together with their wives and children, walked with us from the town to the seashore. We knelt on the beach and prayed. 6 Then after saying goodbye to each other, we got into the ship, and they went back home.
7 We sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the followers and stayed with them for a day. 8 The next day we went to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, the preacher. He was one of the seven men who helped the apostles, 9 and he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. 11 He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, “The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles.” 12 After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
13 But Paul answered, “Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus, but I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!”
14 Since we could not get Paul to change his mind, we gave up and prayed, “Lord, please make us willing to do what you want.”
15 Then we got ready to go to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the followers from Caesarea went with us and took us to stay in the home of Mnason. He was from Cyprus and had been a follower from the beginning.
Paul Visits James
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the Lord's followers gladly welcomed us. 18 Paul went with us to see James the next day, and all the church leaders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and told how God had used him to help the Gentiles. 20 Everyone who heard this praised God and said to Paul:
My friend, you can see how many tens of thousands of our people have become followers! And all of them are eager to obey the Law of Moses. 21 But they have been told that you are teaching those who live among the Gentiles to disobey this Law. They claim that you are telling them not to circumcise their sons or to follow our customs.
22 What should we do now that our people have heard you are here? 23 Please do what we ask, because four of our men have made special promises to God. 24 Join with them and prepare yourself for the ceremony that goes with the promises. Pay the cost for their heads to be shaved. Then everyone will learn that the reports about you are not true. They will know you do obey the Law of Moses.
25 Some while ago we told the Gentile followers what we think they should do. We instructed them not to eat anything offered to idols. They were told not to eat any meat with blood still in it or the meat of an animal that has been strangled. They were also told not to commit any terrible sexual sins.
26 The next day Paul took the four men with him and got himself ready at the same time they did. Then he went into the temple and told when the final ceremony would take place and when an offering would be made for each of them.
Paul Is Arrested
27 When the period of seven days for the ceremony was almost over, some of the Jewish people from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They got a large crowd together and started attacking him. 28 They were shouting, “Friends, help us! This man goes around everywhere, saying bad things about our nation and about the Law of Moses and about this temple. He has even brought shame to this holy temple by bringing in Gentiles.” 29 Some of them thought that Paul had brought Trophimus from Ephesus into the temple, because they had seen them together in the city.
30 The whole city was in an uproar, and the people turned into a mob. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Then suddenly the doors were shut. 31 The people were about to kill Paul when the Roman army commander heard that all Jerusalem was starting to riot. 32 So he quickly took some soldiers and officers and ran to where the crowd had gathered.
As soon as the mob saw the commander and soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The army commander went over and arrested him and had him bound with two chains. Then he tried to find out who Paul was and what he had done. 34 Part of the crowd shouted one thing, and part of them shouted something else. But they were making so much noise that the commander could not find out a thing. Then he ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress. 35 As they reached the steps, the crowd became so wild that the soldiers had to lift Paul up and carry him. 36 The crowd followed and kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37 When Paul was about to be taken into the fortress, he asked the commander, “Can I say something to you?”
“How do you know Greek?” the commander asked. 38 “Aren't you that Egyptian who started a riot not long ago and led 4,000 terrorists into the desert?”
39 “No!” Paul replied. “I am a Jew from Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia. Please let me speak to the crowd.”
40 The commander told him he could speak, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. When they were quiet, he spoke to them in Aramaic:
1 And as we launched forth, and were departed from them, we came with a straight course vnto Coos, and the day following vnto the Rhodes, and from thence vnto Patara. 2 And we found a ship that went ouer vnto Phenice, and went aboard, and set forth. 3 And whe we had discouered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed toward Syria, and arriued at Tyrus: for there the ship vnladed ye burden. 4 And when we had found disciples, we taried there seuen dayes. And they told Paul through the Spirit, that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem. 5 But when the dayes were ended, we departed and went our way, and they all accompanied vs with their wiues and children, euen out of the citie: and we kneeling downe on the shore, prayed. 6 Then when we had embraced one another, we tooke ship, and they returned home. 7 And when we had ended the course from Tyrus, we arriued at Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. 8 And the next day, Paul and we that were with him, departed, and came vnto Cesarea: and we entred into the house of Philippe the Euangelist, which was one of the seuen Deacons, and abode with him. 9 Now he had foure daughters virgins, which did prophecie. 10 And as we taried there many dayes, there came a certaine Prophet from Iudea, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come vnto vs, he tooke Pauls girdle, and bound his owne hands and feete, and sayd, Thus sayth the holy Ghost, So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we had heard these things, both we and other of the same place besought him that he would not go vp to Hierusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, and sayd, What doe ye weeping and breaking mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound onely, but also to die at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus. 14 So when he would not be perswaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. 15 And after those dayes we trussed vp our fardels, and went vp to Hierusalem. 16 There went with vs also certaine of the disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an olde disciple, with whome we should lodge. 17 And when we were come to Hierusalem, the brethren receiued vs gladly. 18 And the next day Paul went in with vs vnto Iames: and all the Elders were there assembled. 19 And when he had embraced them, hee tolde by order all things, that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministration. 20 So when they heard it, they glorified God, and sayd vnto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousand Iewes there are which beleeue, and they are all zealous of the Law: 21 Now they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Iewes, which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their sonnes, neither to liue after the customes. 22 What is then to be done? the multitude must needes come together: for they shall heare that thou art come. 23 Doe therefore this that we say to thee. We haue foure men, which haue made a vowe, 24 Them take, and purifie thy selfe with them, and contribute with them, that they may shaue their heads: and all shall knowe, that those things, whereof they haue bene informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thy selfe also walkest and keepest the Lawe. 25 For as touching ye Gentiles, which beleeue, we haue written, and determined that they obserue no such thing, but that they keepe themselues from things offred to idoles, and from blood, and from that that is strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul tooke the men, and the next day was purified with them, and entred into the Temple, declaring the accomplishment of the dayes of the purification, vntill that an offering should be offered for euery one of them. 27 And when the seuen dayes were almost ended, the Iewes which were of Asia (when they sawe him in the Temple) moued all the people, and laide hands on him, 28 Crying, Men of Israel, helpe: this is the man that teacheth all men euery where against the people, and the Lawe, and this place: moreouer, he hath brought Grecians into the Temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29 For they had seene before Trophimus an Ephesian with him in the citie, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple. 30 Then all the citie was moued, and the people ran together: and they tooke Paul and drewe him out of the Temple, and forth with the doores were shut. 31 But as they went about to kill him, tydings came vnto the chiefe captaine of the band, that all Hierusalem was on an vproare. 32 Who immediately tooke souldiers and Centurions, and ran downe vnto them: and when they sawe the chiefe Captaine and the souldiers, they left beating of Paul. 33 Then the chiefe Captaine came neere and tooke him, and commanded him to be bound with two chaines, and demaunded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And one cryed this, another that, among the people. So when he could not know the certeintie for the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castell. 35 And when hee came vnto the grieces, it was so that he was borne of the souldiers, for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul should haue bene led into the castell, he sayd vnto the chiefe Captaine, May I speake vnto thee? Who sayd, Canst thou speake Greeke? 38 Art not thou the Egyptian who before these dayes raised a sedition, and led out into the wildernesse foure thousande men that were murtherers? 39 Then Paul sayde, Doubtlesse, I am a man which am a Iewe, and citizen of Tarsus, a famous citie of Cilicia, and I beseech thee, suffer mee to speake vnto the people. 40 And when he had giuen him licence, Paul stoode on the grieces, and beckened with the hand vnto the people: and when there was made great silence, hee spake vnto them in the Hebrewe tongue, saying,