Acts 21

And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:

1We said goodbye to our friends and sailed away. We sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we came to Rhodes, and then to Patara.

2And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

2There we found a ship going across to Phoenicia. We got on board and sailed away.

3Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

3We saw the island of Cyprus and passed by it on our left. We sailed on to Syria and landed at the city of Tyre. The ship had to unload its cargo there.

4And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

4We looked for the followers of Jesus in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. God's Spirit showed them what would happen. So they kept telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

5And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

5When our week there was over, we started out again. All the followers walked with us out of the city. Their wives and children came too. We knelt down on the beach and prayed together.

6And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

6We said goodbye to each other. Then we got on the ship, and they went back home.

7And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

7We finished our boat trip from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais. We said hello to the believers there and stayed with them one day.

8And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

8The next day we left and came to Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip, who told people the good news about Jesus. He was one of the seven men the church had chosen to help.

9And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

9Philip had four daughters who were not married. They were prophets, which means they told people messages from God.

10And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

10We stayed there several days. Then a prophet named Agabus came down from the land of Judea.

11And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

11Agabus came to us and took Paul's belt. He tied up his own hands and feet with it. He said, "The Holy Spirit says this: the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will hand him over to people who are not Jewish."

12And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

12When we heard this, we begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. The people who lived there begged him too.

13Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

13Paul answered, "Why are you crying? You are breaking my heart. I am ready to be tied up. I am even ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus."

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

14Paul would not change his mind. So we stopped asking. We said, "Let the Lord do what he wants."

15And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

15After that we packed our bags and started for Jerusalem.

16There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

16Some of the followers from Caesarea came with us. They brought us to the house of a man named Mnason, from the island of Cyprus. He had followed Jesus since the early days, and we stayed at his home.

17And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

17When we got to Jerusalem, the believers were happy to see us and welcomed us.

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

18The next day Paul went with us to see James. All the leaders of the church were there.

19And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

19Paul said hello to them. Then he told them, one thing at a time, what God had done through his work among people who were not Jewish.

20And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul, "Brother, you can see that many thousands of Jews now believe in Jesus. And they all care deeply about God's law.

21And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

21"People have told them that you teach Jews living in other countries to turn away from Moses. They say you tell them not to circumcise their children or keep our old customs.

NoteTo circumcise a boy means to cut off a small piece of skin. Jewish families did this to baby boys as a sign that they belonged to God's people.

22What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

22"So what should we do? They will surely hear that you have come.

23Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

23"Do what we tell you. Four men here have made a special promise to God.

24Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

24"Take these men with you. Go through the washing ceremony with them, and pay what it costs. Then they can shave their heads. Everyone will see that the stories about you are not true. They will see that you keep God's law too.

NoteThe men had promised God something special. When the promise time ended, they shaved their heads, washed in a special way, and brought a gift to God at the temple. Paul was asked to help pay for it.

25As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

25"As for people who are not Jewish and believe in Jesus, we already sent them a letter. We told them to stay away from food that was offered to idols. They should also stay away from blood, from meat of animals that were choked, and from wrong kinds of sex."

26Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

26The next day Paul took the men and went through the washing ceremony with them. Then he went into the temple. He told the priests what day the ceremony would be finished. On that day a gift would be offered for each man.

27And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

27The seven days were almost over. Some Jews from the land of Asia saw Paul in the temple. They got the whole crowd upset and grabbed him.

28Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

28They shouted, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this temple. He has even brought Greek men into the temple. He has made this holy place dirty."

29(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

29They said this because they had seen Trophimus, a man from Ephesus, with Paul in the city. They thought Paul had taken him into the temple.

30And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

30The whole city got upset. People came running from everywhere. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. The temple doors were shut right away.

31And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

31They were trying to kill him. Then word reached the leader of the Roman soldiers that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.

32He quickly took soldiers and their officers and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the leader and the soldiers, they stopped hitting Paul.

33Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

33The leader came up and arrested Paul. He ordered his men to tie Paul with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done.

34And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

34Some people in the crowd shouted one thing, and some shouted another. The leader could not find out the truth because of all the noise. So he ordered his men to take Paul into the fort.

NoteThe KJV says "castle." It was not a castle with towers. It was the fort in Jerusalem where the Roman soldiers lived.

35And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

35When Paul got to the stairs, the crowd was pushing hard. The soldiers had to carry him.

36For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

36The crowd kept following and shouting, "Take him away!"

37And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?

37As they were about to bring Paul into the fort, he spoke to the leader. He asked, "May I say something to you?" The leader said, "You speak Greek?

38Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

38"Aren't you that man from Egypt? Not long ago he started a fight against the government. He led four thousand killers out into the desert."

39But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

39Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, a city in the land of Cilicia. It is an important city. Please let me speak to the people."

40And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

40The leader said yes. So Paul stood on the stairs and waved his hand at the crowd. Everyone grew very quiet. Then Paul spoke to them in the Hebrew language.