Acts 21:17–28

¹⁷When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ^p18The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. ^q19After greeting them, he related in detail what God did among the Gentiles through his ministry. ^r

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 ^sfor the law. ²¹But they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, by telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk in our customs. ^t22So what is to be done? ^uThey will certainly hear that you’ve come. ²³Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have obligated themselves with a vow. 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. ^v25With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that ^wthey should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

The Riot in the Temple Complex

²⁶Then 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 for each of them would be made. ^x27As the seven days were about to end, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple complex, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him, ^y28shouting, “Men of Israel, 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 profaned this holy place.” ^z