Dual Panel1AND WHEN we had torn ourselves away from them {and} withdrawn, we set sail and made a straight run to Cos, and on the following [day came] to Rhodes and from there to Patara.
2There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia; so we went aboard and sailed away.
3After 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.
4And having looked up the disciples there, we remained with them for seven days. Prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5But 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.
6Then when we had told one another farewell, we went on board the ship, and they returned to their own homes.
7When 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.
8On 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 [first deacons], and stayed with him.
9And he had four maiden daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10While we were remaining there for some time, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11And coming to [see] 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).
12When we heard this, both we and the residents of that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13Then 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 [even] to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14And when he would not yield to [our] persuading, we stopped [urging and imploring him], saying, The Lord's will be done!
15After these days we packed our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.
16And 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.
17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received {and} welcomed us gladly.
18On the next day Paul went in with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present [also].
19After saluting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20And upon hearing it, they adored {and} exalted {and} praised {and} thanked God. And they said to [Paul], You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and all of them are enthusiastic upholders of the [Mosaic] Law.
21Now 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 [Mosaic] customs.
22What then [is best that] should be done? A multitude will come together, for they will surely hear that you have arrived.
23Therefore do just what we tell you. With us are four men who have taken a vow upon themselves.
24Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses [for the temple offering], 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.
25But 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 [tasting] blood and [eating the meat of animals] which have been strangled and from all impurity {and} sexual immorality.
26Then Paul took the [four] men with him and the following day [he went through the rites of] 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.
27When the seven days were drawing to a close, some of the Jews from [the province of] Asia, who had caught sight of Paul in the temple, incited all the rabble and laid hands on him,
28Shouting, Men of Israel, help! [Help!] This is the man who is teaching everybody everywhere against the people and the Law and this place! Moreover, he has also [actually] brought Greeks into the temple; he has desecrated {and} polluted this holy place!
29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and they supposed that he had brought the man into the temple [into the inner court forbidden to Gentiles].
30Then 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.
31Now 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.
32So 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.
33Then 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.
34Some 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.
35And when [Paul] came to mount the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;
36For the mass of the people kept following them, shouting, Away with him! [Kill him!]
37Just 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?
38Are you not then [as I supposed] the Egyptian who not long ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men who were cutthroats out into the wilderness (desert)?
39Paul 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.
40And 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: