21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, 3 a prophet named Agabus 4 came down from Judea. 21:11 He came 5 to us, took 6 Paul’s belt, 7 tied 8 his own hands and feet with it, 9 and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over 10 to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people 11 begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking 12 my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, 13 but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, 14 we said no more except, 15 “The Lord’s will be done.” 16
21:15 After these days we got ready 17 and started up 18 to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea 19 came along with us too, and brought us to the house 20 of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, 21 with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 22 21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. 23 21:19 When Paul 24 had greeted them, he began to explain 25 in detail 26 what God 27 had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised 28 God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews 29 there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers 30 of the law. 31 21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living 32 among the Gentiles to abandon 33 Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children 34 or live 35 according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt 36 hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what 37 we tell you: We have four men 38 who have taken 39 a vow; 40 21:24 take them and purify 41 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 42 so that they may have their heads shaved. 43 Then 44 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 45 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 46 the law. 47 21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided 48 that they should avoid 49 meat that has been sacrificed to idols 50 and blood and what has been strangled 51 and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, 52 and after he had purified himself 53 along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice 54 of the completion of the days of purification, 55 when 56 the sacrifice would be offered for each 57 of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, 58 the Jews from the province of Asia 59 who had seen him in the temple area 60 stirred up the whole crowd 61 and seized 62 him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 63 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 64 and this sanctuary! 65 Furthermore 66 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 67 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 68 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 69 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 70 21:30 The whole city was stirred up, 71 and the people rushed together. 72 They seized 73 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 74 and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying 75 to kill him, a report 76 was sent up 77 to the commanding officer 78 of the cohort 79 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 80 21:32 He 81 immediately took 82 soldiers and centurions 83 and ran down to the crowd. 84 When they saw 85 the commanding officer 86 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 87 Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer 88 came up and arrested 89 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 90 he 91 then asked who he was and what 92 he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 93 and when the commanding officer 94 was unable 95 to find out the truth 96 because of the disturbance, 97 he ordered Paul 98 to be brought into the barracks. 99 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul 100 had to be carried 101 by the soldiers because of the violence 102 of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people 103 followed them, 104 screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 105 he said 106 to the commanding officer, 107 “May I say 108 something to you?” The officer 109 replied, 110 “Do you know Greek? 111 21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion 112 and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ 113 into the wilderness 114 some time ago?” 115 21:39 Paul answered, 116 “I am a Jew 117 from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. 118 Please 119 allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer 120 had given him permission, 121 Paul stood 122 on the steps and gestured 123 to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, 124 he addressed 125 them in Aramaic, 126