Act 21 | ESV | STEP | And when we had parted from them and set sail , we came by a straight course to Cos , and the next day to Rhodes , and from there to Patara .

1 And when ^awe had parted from them and set sail, we ^bcame by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts add and Myra} 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And ^dthrough the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, ^eaccompanied us until we were outside the city. And ^fkneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted ^gthe brothers ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17} and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of ⁱPhilip ^jthe evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, ^kwho prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named ^lAgabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he ^mtook Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ⁿ“Thus says the Holy Spirit, ^o‘This is how the Jews ^{▼▼Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time} at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and ^qdeliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there ^rurged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, ^s“What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For ^tI am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem ^ufor the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, ^vwe ceased and said, ^w“Let the will of the Lord be done.”

15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

Paul Visits James

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, ^xthe brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to ^yJames, and all ^zthe elders were present. 19 After greeting them, ^aahe related one by one ^abthe things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ^acministry. 20 And when they heard it, they ^adglorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all ^aezealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all ^afthe Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, ^agtelling them ^ahnot to circumcise their children or ^aiwalk according to ^ajour customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men ^akwho are under a vow; 24 take these men and ^alpurify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, ^amso 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. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, ^anwe 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, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts omit and from what has been strangled} and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day ^aphe purified himself along with them and ^aqwent into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and ^arthe offering presented for each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple

27 When ^asthe seven days were almost completed, ^atthe Jews from Asia, ^auseeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who ^avis teaching everyone everywhere against the people and ^awthe law and ^axthis place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and ^ayhas defiled ^azthis holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen ^baTrophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and ^bbdragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 ^bcAnd as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of ^bdthe cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 ^beHe at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him ^bfto be bound ^bgwith two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 ^bhSome in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into ^bithe barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, ^bj“Away with him!”

Paul Speaks to the People

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not ^bkthe Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out ^blinto the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, ^bm“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, ^bnmotioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in ^bothe Hebrew language, ^{▼▼Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)} saying: