²³Therefore do this that we tell you: we have^h four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.ⁱ ²⁴Take 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.

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Footnotes

hLiterally “there are to us”
iSome manuscripts have “on themselves”
*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“take”) has been translated as a finite verb
jLiterally “spend on them”
*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“deciding”) which is understood as temporal
*Here “and” has been supplied in keeping with English style
*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had purified”) which is understood as temporal
*Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
kLiterally “which time”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow. Take 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. With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

So 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 would be made for each of them.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow. Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.

“As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.

KJV 1900King James Version

Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

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