1When we had parted from them and set sail, we made a straight run and came to Cos; next day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara. 2There we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, so we went aboard and sailed in her. 3We came in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it to port, we continued our voyage to Syria, and put in at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4We went and found the disciples and stayed there a week; and they, warned by the Spirit, urged Paul to abandon his visit to Jerusalem. 5But when our time ashore was ended, we left and continued our journey; and they and their wives and children all escorted us out of the city. We knelt down on the beach and prayed, 6then bade each other good-bye; we went aboard, and they returned home.
7We made the passage from Tyre and reached Ptolemais, where we greeted the brotherhood and spent one day with them. 8Next day we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. 9He had four unmarried daughters, who possessed the gift of prophecy. 10When we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judaea. 11He came to us, took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, 'These are the words of the Holy Spirit: Thus will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man to whom this belt belongs, and hand him over to the Gentiles.' 12When we heard this, we and the local people begged and implored Paul to abandon his visit to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul gave his answer: 'Why all these tears? Why are you trying to weaken my resolution? For my part I am ready not merely to be bound but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.' 14So, as he would not be persuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'
15At the end of our stay we packed our baggage and took the road up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea came along with us, bringing a certain Mnason of Cyprus, a Christian from the early days, with whom we were to lodge.
17So we reached Jerusalem, where the brotherhood welcomed us gladly.
18Next day Paul paid a visit to James; we were with him, and all the elders attended. 19He greeted them, and then described in detail all that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard this, they gave praise to God. Then they said to Paul: 'You see, brother, how many thousands of converts we have among the Jews, all of them staunch upholders of the Law. 21Now they have been given certain information about you: it is said that you teach all the Jews in the gentile world to turn their backs on Moses, telling them to give up circumcising their children and following our way of life. 22What is the position, then? They are sure to hear that you have arrived. You must therefore do as we tell you. 23We have four men here who are under a vow; 24take them with you and go through the ritual of purification with them, paying their expenses, after which they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing in the stories they were told about you, but that you are a practising Jew and keep the Law yourself. 25As for the gentile converts, we sent them our decision that they must abstain from meat that has been offered to idols, from blood, from anything that has been strangled, and from fornication.' 26So Paul took the four men, and next day, after going through the ritual of purification with them, he went into the temple to give notice of the date when the period of purification would end and the offering be made for each one of them.
27BUT JUST BEFORE the period of seven days was up, the Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him, 28shouting, 'Men of Israel, help, help! This is the fellow who spreads his doctrine all over the world, attacking our people, our law, and this sanctuary. On top of all this he has brought Gentiles into the temple and profaned this holy place. 29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
30The whole city was in a turmoil, and people came running from all directions. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple; and at once the doors were shut. 31While they were clamouring for his death, a report reached the officer commanding the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He immediately took a force of soldiers with their centurions and came down on the rioters at the double. As soon as they saw the commandant and his troops, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commandant stepped forward, arrested him, and ordered him to be shackled with two chains; he then asked who the man was and what he had been doing. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. As he could not get at the truth because of the hubbub, he ordered him to be taken into barracks. 35When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36For the whole crowd were at their heels yelling, 'Kill him!'
37Just before Paul was taken into the barracks he said to the commandant, 'May I have a word with you?' The commandant said, 'So you speak Greek, do you? 38Then you are not the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led a force of four thousand terrorists out into the wilds?' 39Paul replied, 'I am a Jew, a Tarsian from Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. I ask your permission to speak to the people.' 40When permission had been given, Paul stood on the steps and with a gesture called for the attention of the people. As soon as quiet was restored, he addressed them in the Jewish language:
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