1After we said goodbye to them and set sail, we went straight to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
2We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, so we got on board and set sail.
3When we saw Cyprus, leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was supposed to unload its cargo there.
4We found some followers and stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit, they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
5When those days were over, we left and continued our journey. Everyone, including wives and children, came with us out of the city. We knelt down on the beach and prayed.
6After saying goodbye to each other, we got on the ship, and they went back home.
7After we finished our trip from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the believers there and stayed with them for one day.
8The next day, we, Paul's companions, left and went to Caesarea. We went into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons, and stayed with him.
9Philip had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11He came to us, took Paul's belt, and tied his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit says: 'This is how the Jewish people in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
12When we heard this, both we and the local believers begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
13But Paul answered, "Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be tied up, but also to die in Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord Jesus."
14When he would not be persuaded, we gave up and said, "May the Lord's will be done."
15After these days, we packed our bags and went up to Jerusalem.
16Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early believer, with whom we were to stay.
17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the believers welcomed us warmly.
18The next day, Paul went with us to see James, and all the elders were present.
19After greeting everyone, Paul told them in detail everything God had done among the non-Jewish people through his work.
20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul, "Brother, you see how many thousands of Jewish people have believed, and they all strictly follow the law.
21They have been told about you that you teach all the Jewish people living among non-Jews to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or follow our customs.
22So what should we do? The assembly is sure to meet, and they will hear that you have come.
23Therefore, do what we tell you. We have four men here who have made a vow.
24Take these men, cleanse yourself with them, and pay their expenses so they can shave their heads. Then everyone will know that what they have been told about you is not true, and that you yourself live in obedience to the law.
25But concerning the non-Jewish believers, we already sent them a letter with our decision that they should not do any of these things, except to avoid food offered to idols, blood, meat from strangled animals, and sexual immorality."
26So Paul took the men, and the next day, after he had purified himself with them, he went into the temple. He announced the completion of the purification period and waited until the offering was made for each of them.
27As the seven days were almost over, some Jewish people from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed him,
28shouting, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this temple. He has even brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place!"
29They had seen Trophimus, an Ephesian, with Paul in the city, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the temple.
30The whole city was in an uproar, and people came running together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the temple gates were shut.
31As they were trying to kill him, a report reached the commanding officer of the Roman regiment that all of Jerusalem was in chaos.
32Immediately, the commander took soldiers and officers and ran down to them. When the crowd saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33Then the commander came over, arrested Paul, ordered him to be bound with two chains, and asked who he was and what he had done.
34Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and others another. Because of the noise, the commander couldn't find out the truth, so he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.
35When Paul reached the stairs, the soldiers had to carry him because the crowd was so violent.
36A large crowd of people followed, yelling, "Get rid of him!"
37As Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I speak to you?" The commander replied, "Do you know Greek?
38Aren't you the Egyptian who, a while ago, started a rebellion and led four thousand dagger-men into the desert?"
39But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a well-known city. Please, let me speak to the people."
40After the commander gave him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people with his hand. When there was complete silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,