1 A fter we left them, we got on a ship and came straight down to the island of Cos. The next day we came to the island of Rhodes and from there to the city of Patara.

And when we had torn ourselves away from them and withdrawn, we set sail and made a straight run to Cos, and on the following to Rhodes and from there to Patara.

2 T here we found a ship that was going over to the country of Phoenicia. We got on it and went along.

There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia; so we went aboard and sailed away.

3 W e saw the island of Cyprus to our left but went on to the country of Syria. We came to land at the city of Tyre. The ship was to leave its load of freight there.

After we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on our left we sailed on to Syria and put in at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

4 W e looked for the Christians and stayed with them seven days. The Christians had been told by the Holy Spirit to tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

And having looked up the disciples there, we remained with them for seven days. Prompted by the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.

5 W hen our time was up, we left there and went on our way. All of them with their wives and children went with us out of town. They got down on their knees on the shore and prayed.

But when our time there was ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them with their wives and children accompanied us on our way till we were outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed.

6 A fter we said good-bye, we got on the ship and they went back to their houses. Paul Goes from Tyre to Jerusalem

Then when we had told one another farewell, we went on board the ship, and they returned to their own homes.

7 T he same ship took us from Tyre to the city of Ptolemais. We stayed with the Christians there one day.

When we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we paid our respects to the brethren and remained with them for one day.

8 T he next day we left and came to the city of Caesarea. We went to the house of Philip and stayed with him. He was a preacher who goes from town to town and was one of the seven church leaders.

On the morrow we left there and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him.

9 P hilip had four daughters who were not married. They spoke the Word of God.

And he had four maiden daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

10 W hile we were there a few days, a man who speaks for God named Agabus came down from the country of Judea.

While we were remaining there for some time, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 H e came to see us. Then he took Paul’s belt and used it to tie his own feet and hands. He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says, ‘The Jews at Jerusalem will tie the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the people who are not Jews.’”

And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and with it bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit: The Jews at Jerusalem shall bind like this the man who owns this belt, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (heathen).

12 W hen we heard this, we and all the people living there begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

When we heard this, both we and the residents of that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 T hen Paul said, “What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? I am ready to be put in chains in Jerusalem. I am also ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Then Paul replied, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart like this? For I hold myself in readiness not only to be arrested and bound and imprisoned at Jerusalem, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 P aul would not listen to us. So we stopped begging him and said, “May whatever God wants be done.” Paul Is in Jerusalem

And when he would not yield to persuading, we stopped, saying, The Lord’s will be done!

15 A fter this, we got ready and started up to Jerusalem.

After these days we packed our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.

16 S ome of the followers in Caesarea went with us. They took us to Mnason’s house. He was one of the first followers from Cyprus. We stayed with him.

And some of the disciples from Caesarea came with us, conducting us to the house of Mnason, a man from Cyprus, one of the disciples of long standing, with whom we were to lodge.

17 W hen we got to Jerusalem, the Christians were glad to see us.

When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received and welcomed us gladly.

18 T he next day we went with Paul to see James. All the church leaders came also.

On the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders of the church were present.

19 A fter saying hello to them, Paul told of what God had done through his work for the people who were not Jews.

After saluting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 W hen they heard this, they thanked the Lord. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Christians there are among the Jews. They all obey the Law of Moses.

And upon hearing it, they adored and exalted and praised and thanked God. And they said to, You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are enthusiastic upholders of the Law.

21 T hey have heard about you. They have heard you teach the Jews who live among people who are not Jews. They have heard you teach them to break away from the Law of Moses. They say you are telling them not to do the religious act of becoming a Jew and not to follow old religious ways of worship.

Now they have been informed about you that you continually teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn back from and forsake Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or pay any attention to the observance of the customs.

22 W hat should we do about it? They will hear that you have come.

What then should be done? A multitude will come together, for they will surely hear that you have arrived.

23 Y ou must do what we tell you. We have four men with us who have made a promise to God.

Therefore do just what we tell you. With us are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.

24 T ake these four men and go through the religious worship of washing with them. You pay to have their hair cut off. Then everybody will know what they have heard about you is not true. They will know you are careful to obey the Law of Moses.

Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Thus everybody will know that there is no truth in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in observance of the Law.

25 A s for the people who are not Jews, we wrote to them. We said that they must keep away from everything that has been given to gods. They must not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. They must keep away from sex sins.”

But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ), we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should keep themselves free from anything that has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and which have been strangled and from all impurity and sexual immorality.

26 T he next day Paul took the men. He went through the religious worship of washing with them. They went into the house of God to tell when their religious worship of washing would be finished. Then the gift for each one of them would be given as an act of worship.

Then Paul took the men with him and the following day purifying himself along with them. And they entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification (the ending of each vow) would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each of them.

27 T he seven days were almost finished. Jews from the countries of Asia saw Paul in the house of God. They made the people turn against him. Then they took hold of him.

When the seven days were drawing to a close, some of the Jews from Asia, who had caught sight of Paul in the temple, incited all the rabble and laid hands on him,

28 T hey cried out, “You who are Jews, help us! This is the man who is teaching against our people and our Law and this house of God. Also he has brought Greek people into the house of God. This has made this holy place unclean.”

Shouting, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everybody everywhere against the people and the Law and this place! Moreover, he has also brought Greeks into the temple; he has desecrated and polluted this holy place!

29 T hey had seen him before in the city with Trophimus who was from the city of Ephesus. They thought Paul had brought him into the house of God also.

For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and they supposed that he had brought the man into the temple.

30 A ll the people in the city were crying out with loud voices. The people pushed and moved together. They took Paul and dragged him out of the house of God. Then the doors were shut.

Then the whole city was aroused and thrown into confusion, and the people rushed together; they laid hands on Paul and dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the gates were closed.

31 T hey were getting ready to kill him. The captain of the soldiers heard there was trouble over all Jerusalem.

Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commandant of the regular Roman garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in a state of ferment.

32 A t once the captain called his soldiers and they ran down to the people. When the people saw the captain and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Paul Is Tied with Chains

So immediately he took soldiers and centurions and hurried down among them; and when the people saw the commandant and the troops, they stopped beating Paul.

33 T he captain came and took hold of Paul. He told his soldiers to tie Paul with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

Then the commandant approached and arrested Paul and ordered that he be secured with two chains. He then inquired who he was and what he had done.

34 S ome of the people called out one thing and some another. The captain was not able to find out what had happened. He told his men to take Paul into the soldiers’ building.

Some in the crowd kept shouting back one thing and others something else, and since he could not ascertain the facts because of the furor, he ordered that Paul be removed to the barracks.

35 T he people cried out so loud and pushed so hard that Paul had to be carried up the steps by the soldiers.

And when came to mount the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;

36 A ll the people kept pushing and calling out, “Kill him!”

For the mass of the people kept following them, shouting, Away with him!

37 P aul was brought into the soldiers’ building. He said to the captain, “May I say something to you?” The captain said, “Can you speak the Greek language?

Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commandant, May I say something to you? And the man replied, Can you speak Greek?

38 A re you not the man from the country of Egypt who made trouble against our country? That man led 4, 000 fighting men into the desert.”

Are you not then the Egyptian who not long ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4, 000 men who were cutthroats out into the wilderness (desert)?

39 P aul said, “No! I am a Jew and a citizen of a large city. I am from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I ask you to let me speak to the people.”

Paul answered, I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant or undistinguished city. I beg you, allow me to address the people.

40 T he captain told Paul to speak. So Paul stood on the steps and held up his hand. When there was no more noise, he spoke to them in the language of the Jews.

And when the man had granted him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and there was a great hush. Then he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying: