Act 21:1-18 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Acts 21:1-18: 21:1-18 This “we” passage (see study notes on 16:10; 20:5-15) covers Paul’s journey from Miletus to Jerusalem at the close of the third missionary journey. 21:1 Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea with a major trade port. • Rhodes is a large Aegean island that featured the Colossus, a huge statue 100 feet (30 meters) tall that once stood at the entrance to the city. In Paul’s time, the statue lay where it had fallen during an earthquake over 200 years earlier; it would not be removed for another 600 years. • Patara was the major port of Lycia, located on the coast opposite Rhodes.

Summary for Acts 21:1-18: 21:1-18 ^a This “we” passage (see study notes on 16:10; 20:5-15) covers Paul’s journey from Miletus to Jerusalem at the close of the third missionary journey. 21:1 ^b Cos was an island in the Aegean Sea with a major trade port.

• Rhodes is a large Aegean island that featured the Colossus, a huge statue 100 feet (30 meters) tall that once stood at the entrance to the city. In Paul’s time, the statue lay where it had fallen during an earthquake over 200 years earlier; it would not be removed for another 600 years.

• Patara was the major port of Lycia, located on the coast opposite Rhodes.
Summary for Acts 21:2-3: 21:2-3 ^c Tyre was an important port in Phoenicia with a maritime empire of far-flung commercial interests (see Isa 23 ^d; Jer 25:15-38 ^e; 47 ^f; Zech 9 ^g; Matt 15:21-28 ^h; Mark 7:24-31 ⁱ).
Summary for Acts 21:4-6: 21:4-6 ^j The local believers at Tyre gave Paul a touching farewell that reveals deep Christian fellowship.

• prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem: The believers at Tyre clearly foresaw the danger in Paul’s visiting Jerusalem and out of brotherly concern tried to dissuade him. Paul willingly accepted the risks in order to fulfill his apostolic mandate (cp. Phil 3:7-10 ^k). See also study note on Acts 21:11-14.
21:7 ^l Paul visited Ptolemais, an important city on the coast of the Mediterranean, as he made his way from Tyre to Caesarea.
21:8 ^m Philip had the title of Evangelist due to his evangelistic activity (8:4-40 ⁿ; cp. Eph 4:11 ^o; 2 Tim 4:5 ^p).
21:9 ^q Philip’s daughters’ gift of prophecy demonstrated the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, as Peter had preached at Pentecost (2:17-21 ^r; Joel 2:28-32 ^s).
21:10 ^t Luke juxtaposes female prophets (21:9 ^u) with a male prophet (see study note on 17:34). Agabus, like the Old Testament prophets, used symbolic actions to proclaim his message (see thematic note for Prophetic Sign Acts at end of chapter).
Summary for Acts 21:11-14: 21:11-14 ^v Despite Agabus’s prediction of suffering and the believers’ begging Paul not to go to Jerusalem, Paul was resolutely ready even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Luke stresses Paul’s courage, determination, and heroism as a Christian missionary who would let nothing interfere with his mission. See study note on 21:4-6.
Summary for Acts 21:18-19: 21:18-19 ^w It was important for James and all the elders of the Jerusalem church to hear of Paul’s successful mission among the Gentiles and for the mother church to continue to endorse this effort (21:20 ^x; see 15:7-21 ^y). Paul’s report communicated that God had accomplished his purposes among the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry.