Acts 21
21 1And when it came to pass that were parted from them and had set
sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes,
and from thence unto Patara:
2and having found a ship crossing over unto
Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.
3And when we had come in sight
of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at
Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden.
4And having found the
disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the
Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.
5And when it came to
pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey;
and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out
of the city: and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other
farewell;
6and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again.
7And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais;
and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.
8And on the
morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea: and entering into the house of
Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him.
9Now
this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.
10And as we tarried
there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and
hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem
bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of
the Gentiles.
12And when we heard these things, both we and they of that
place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13Then Paul answered, What
do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only,
but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14And when
he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
15And after these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.
16And there went with us also certain of the disciples from
Caesarea, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple,
with whom we should lodge.
17And when we were come to Jerusalem, the
brethren received us gladly.
18And the day following Paul went in with us
unto James; and all the elders were present.
19And when he had saluted
them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the
Gentiles through his ministry.
20And they, when they heard it, glorified
God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there
are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for
the law:
21and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou
teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling
them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.
22What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that thou art come.
23Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow
on them;
24these take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges
for them, that they may shave their heads: and all shall know that there is
no truth in the things whereof they have been informed concerning thee; but
that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law.
25But as
touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they
should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and
from what is strangled, and from fornication.
26Then Paul took the men,
and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring
the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered
for every one of them.
27And when the seven days were almost completed,
the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the
multitude and laid hands on him,
28crying out, Men of Israel, help: This
is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law,
and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath
defiled this holy place.
29For they had before seen with him in the city
Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the
temple.
30And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and
they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway
the doors were shut.
31And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came
up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
32And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them:
and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating
Paul.
33Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and
commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what
he had done.
34And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd:
and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to
be brought into the castle.
35And when he came upon the stairs, so it was
that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd;
36for
the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him.
37And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the
chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know
Greek?
38Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up
to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the
Assassins?
39But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen
of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people.
40And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned
with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he
spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,
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