Acts 21

What’s happening

When we have parted from them and set sail, we come by a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we go aboard and set sail. When we have come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sail to Syria and land at Tyre, for the ship is to unload her cargo there. Having found disciples, we stay there seven days; these tell Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. When we have accomplished the days, we depart and go on our way, and they all bring us on our way with wives and children until we are out of the city, and kneeling down on the beach, we pray. Then we come to Ptolemais, and the next day to Caesarea, where we enter into the house of Philip the evangelist, who is one of the seven, and stay with him. Now this man has four virgin daughters who prophesy. As we stay many days, a certain prophet named Agabus comes down from Judea. Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he binds his own feet and hands and says, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we hear these things, both we and they of that place beg him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answers, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he will not be persuaded, we cease, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." After these days we pack up and go up to Jerusalem, and some of the disciples from Caesarea go with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we are to stay. When we have come to Jerusalem, the brothers receive us gladly. The day following, Paul goes in with us to James, and all the elders are present. When he has greeted them, he reports one by one the things which God has done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they hear it, they glorify God, and they say to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law. They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on them. Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things of which they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law. But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality." Then Paul takes the men, and the next day, purifying himself with them, enters into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering is offered for every one of them. When the seven days are almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they see him in the temple, stir up all the multitude and lay hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place. Moreover he has also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. All the city is moved, and the people run together. They seize Paul and drag him out of the temple, and immediately the doors are shut. As they are trying to kill him, news comes up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem is in an uproar. At once he takes soldiers and centurions, and runs down to them. They, when they see the commanding officer and the soldiers, stop beating Paul. Then the commanding officer comes near, arrests him, commands him to be bound with two chains, and inquires who he is and what he has done. Some shout one thing, some another, among the crowd, and when he can't find out the truth because of the uproar, he commands him to be brought into the barracks. When he comes to the stairs, he is carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people follows after, crying out, "Away with him!" As Paul is about to be brought into the barracks, he says to the commanding officer, "May I speak to you?" He says, "Do you know Greek? Aren't you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people." When he has given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motions with his hand to the people, and when there is a great silence, he speaks to them in the Hebrew language.

Who’s in this chapter

Talk it through

1. Paul is told by the Spirit's prophets what awaits him, and goes anyway. How do you hold prophecy and obedience together here?
2. The Jerusalem elders ask Paul to take part in a vow. What is being asked, and what is risked?
3. Paul is accused of defiling the temple on a false assumption about Trophimus. What does that say about how rumor moves?
4. Paul asks to speak. Why would he want to speak to the crowd that was beating him?