Acts 21–26

Paul Travels on to Jerusalem

21And it happened that after we tore ourselves away^* from them, we put out to sea, and^* running a straight course we came to Cos and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ²And finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and^* put out to sea. ³And after we^* sighted Cyprus and left it behind on the port side,^a we sailed to Syria and arrived at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its^* cargo there. ⁴And we stayed there seven days after we^* found the disciples, who kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵And it happened that when our days were over, we departed and^* went on our way, while^* all of them accompanied us, together with their^* wives and children, as far as outside the city. And after^* falling to our knees on the beach and^* praying, ⁶we said farewell to one another and embarked in the ship, and they returned to their own homes.

⁷And when^* we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. And after we^* greeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them. ⁸And on the next day we departed and^* came to Caesarea, and entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and^* stayed with him. ⁹(Now this man had^b four virgin daughters who prophesied.)

¹⁰And while we^* were staying there^* many days, a certain prophet named^c Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹And he came to us and took Paul’s belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver him^* into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” ¹²And when we heard these things, both we and the local residents urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³Then Paul replied, “What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!” ¹⁴And because^* he would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

¹⁵So after these days we got ready and^* went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶And some of the disciples from Caesarea also traveled together with us, bringing us^* to a certain Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing,^d with whom we were to be entertained as guests.

Paul Visits the Leaders of the Jerusalem Church

¹⁷And when^* we came to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ¹⁸And on the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹And after^* greeting them, he began to relate^* one after the other^e the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰And when^* they heard this,^* they began to glorify^* God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law. ²¹And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles the abandonment of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their^* children or to live according to our^f customs. ²²What then is to be done?^g Doubtless they will all hear that you have come! ²³Therefore do this that we tell you: we have^h four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.^{i 24}Take these men and^* purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses^j so that they can shave their^* heads, and everyone will know that the things which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law. ²⁵But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter after^* deciding they should avoid food sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality.” ²⁶Then Paul took along the men on the next day, and^* after he^* had purified himself together with them, he entered into the temple courts,^* announcing the completion of the days of purification until the time^k the offering would be presented on behalf of each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple Courts

²⁷But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia^l who had seen him in the temple courts^* stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, ²⁸shouting, “Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!” ²⁹(For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.) ³⁰And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul and^* dragged him outside of the temple courts,^* and immediately the doors were shut.

³¹And as they^* were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³²He^m immediately took along soldiers and centurions and^* ran down to them. And when^* they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the military tribune came up and^* arrested him and ordered him^* to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what it was that he had done. ³⁴But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others another, and because^* he was not able to find out the truth on account of the commotion, he gave orders to bring him into the barracks.^{n 35}And when he came to the steps, it happened that he had to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, ³⁶for the crowd of people was following them,^* shouting, “Away with him!”

Paul Permitted to Address the Crowd

³⁷And as he^* was about to be brought into the barracks,^o Paul said to the military tribune, “Is it permitted for me to say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸Then you are not the Egyptian who before these days raised a revolt and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”^{p 39}But Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰So when^* he permitted him,^* Paul, standing there on the steps, motioned with his^* hand to the people. And when there^* was a great silence, he addressed them^* in the Aramaic language, saying,

22“Men—brothers and fathers—listen to my defense to you now!” ²And when they^* heard that he was addressing them in the Aramaic language, they became even more silent.^a And he said, ³“I am a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the law received from our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. ⁴I^b persecuted this Way to the death, tying up and delivering to prison both men and women, ⁵as indeed the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and^* was traveling there^* to lead away those who were there also tied up to Jerusalem so that they could be punished.

Paul Tells of His Conversion on the Damascus Road

⁶“And it happened that as^* I was traveling and approaching Damascus around noon, suddenly a very bright light from heaven flashed around me, ⁷and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹(Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.) ¹⁰So I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and^* proceed to Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all the things that have been appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹And as I could not see as a result of the brightness of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me. ¹²And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, ¹³came to me and stood by me^* and^* said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ And at that same time I looked up at him and saw him.^{* 14}And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth, ¹⁵because you will be a witness for him^c to all people of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶And now why are you delaying? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name!’

¹⁷“And it happened that when^* I returned to Jerusalem and I was praying in the temple courts,^* I was in a trance, ¹⁸and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and depart quickly^d from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ ¹⁹And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that from synagogue to synagogue I was imprisoning and beating those who believed in you. ²⁰And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself also was standing near and was approving, and was guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ ²¹And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’ ”

Paul Questioned by the Military Tribune

²²Now they were listening to him until this word, and they raised their voices, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!” ²³And while^* they were screaming and throwing off their^* cloaks and throwing dust into the air, ²⁴the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks,^e saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way. ²⁵But when they had stretched him out for the lash,^f Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it permitted for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” ²⁶And when^* the centurion heard this,^* he went to the military tribune and^* reported it,^* saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen!” ²⁷So the military tribune came and^* said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”…