Acts, 21

1. When we had at last torn ourselves away from them and put to sea, we set a straight course and arrived at Cos; the next day we reached Rhodes, and from there went on to Patara.

1. 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 Pat'ara.

2. Here we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, so we went on board and sailed in her.

2. And having found a ship crossing to Phoeni'cia, we went aboard, and set sail.

3. After sighting Cyprus and leaving it to port, we sailed to Syria and put in at Tyre, since the ship was to unload her cargo there.

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. We sought out the disciples and stayed there a week. Speaking in the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem,

4. And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

5. but when our time was up we set off. Together with the women and children they all escorted us on our way till we were out of the town. When we reached the beach, we knelt down and prayed;

5. And when our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were outside the city; and kneeling down on the beach we prayed and bade one another farewell.

6. then, after saying good -- bye to each other, we went aboard and they returned home.

6. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

7. The end of our voyage from Tyre came when we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them.

7. When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolema'is; and we greeted the brethren and stayed with them for one day.

8. The next day we left and came to Caesarea. Here we called on Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him.

8. On the morrow we departed and came to Caesare'a; and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

9. He had four unmarried daughters who were prophets.

9. And he had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

10. When we had been there several days a prophet called Agabus arrived from Judaea.

10. While we were staying for some days, a prophet named Ag'abus came down from Judea.

11. He came up to us, took Paul's belt and tied up his own feet and hands, and said, 'This is what the Holy Spirit says, "The man to whom this girdle belongs will be tied up like this by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the gentiles." '

11. And coming to us he took Paul's girdle and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this girdle and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

12. When we heard this, we and all the local people urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

12. When we heard this, we and the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13. To this he replied, 'What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For my part, I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'

13. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

14. And so, as he would not be persuaded, we gave up the attempt, saying, 'The Lord's will be done.'

14. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "The will of the Lord be done."

15. After this we made our preparations and went on up to Jerusalem.

15. After these days we made ready and went up to Jerusalem.

16. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and took us to the house of a Cypriot with whom we were to lodge; he was called Mnason and had been one of the earliest disciples.

16. And some of the disciples from Caesare'a went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

17. On our arrival in Jerusalem the brothers gave us a very warm welcome.

17. When we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18. The next day Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were present.

18. On the following day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

19. After greeting them he gave a detailed account of all that God had done among the gentiles through his ministry.

19. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20. They gave glory to God when they heard this. Then they said, 'You see, brother, how thousands of Jews have now become believers, all of them staunch upholders of the Law;

20. And when they heard it, they glorified 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 zealous for the law,

21. and what they have heard about you is that you instruct all Jews living among the gentiles to break away from Moses, authorising them not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices.

21. and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs.

22. What is to be done? A crowd is sure to gather, for they will hear that you have come.

22. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23. So this is what we suggest that you should do; we have four men here who are under a vow;

23. Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;

24. take these men along and be purified with them and pay all the expenses connected with the shaving of their heads. This will let everyone know there is no truth in the reports they have heard about you, and that you too observe the Law by your way of life.

24. 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 live in observance of the law.

25. About the gentiles who have become believers, we have written giving them our decision that they must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from illicit marriages.'

25. 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 is strangled and from unchastity."

26. So the next day Paul took the men along and was purified with them, and he visited the Temple to give notice of the time when the period of purification would be over and the offering would have to be presented on behalf of each of them.

26. Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them and went into the temple, to give notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for every one of them.

27. The seven days were nearly over when some Jews from Asia caught sight of him in the Temple and stirred up the crowd and seized him,

27. When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd, and laid hands on him,

28. shouting, 'Men of Israel, help! This is the man who preaches to everyone everywhere against our people, against the Law and against this place. He has even profaned this Holy Place by bringing Greeks into the Temple.'

28. crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching men everywhere against the people and the law and this place; moreover he also brought Greeks into the temple, and he has defiled this holy place."

29. They had, in fact, previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him and thought that Paul had brought him into the Temple.

29. For they had previously seen Troph'imus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

30. This roused the whole city; people came running from all sides; they seized Paul and dragged him out of the Temple, and the gates were closed behind them.

30. Then all the city was aroused, and the people ran together; they seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

31. While they were setting about killing him, word reached the tribune of the cohort that there was tumult all over Jerusalem.

31. And as they were trying to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.

32. He immediately called out soldiers and centurions and charged down on the crowd, who stopped beating Paul when they saw the tribune and the soldiers.

32. He 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. When the tribune came up he took Paul into custody, had him bound with two chains and enquired who he was and what he had done.

33. Then the tribune came up and arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done.

34. People in the crowd called out different things, and since the noise made it impossible for him to get any positive information, the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress.

34. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

35. When Paul reached the steps, the crowd became so violent that he had to be carried by the soldiers;

35. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

36. and indeed the whole mob was after them, shouting, 'Do away with him!'

36. for the mob of the people followed, crying, "Away with him!"

37. Just as Paul was being taken into the fortress, he asked the tribune if he could have a word with him. The tribune said, 'You speak Greek, then?

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. Aren't you the Egyptian who started the recent revolt and led those four thousand cut-throats out into the desert?'

38. Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"

39. 'I?' said Paul, 'I am a Jew and a citizen of the well-known city of Tarsus in Cilicia. Please give me permission to speak to the people.'

39. Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cili'cia, a citizen of no mean city; I beg you, let me speak to the people."

40. The man gave his consent and Paul, standing at the top of the steps, raised his hand to the people for silence. A profound silence followed, and he started speaking to them in Hebrew.

40. And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying: