Acts 21:18-40 ▼

18 And on the following day, Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders arrived.

19 And having greeted them, he began to relate, one by one, each of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And those having heard were glorifying God, and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews having believed, and they are all zealous ones of the law.

21 Now they have been informed about you that you teach all Jews among the Gentiles apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise the children nor to walk in the customs.

22 What then is it? Certainly they will hear that you have come.

23 Therefore do this that we say to you. With us there are four men having a vow on themselves.

24 Having taken these, be purified with them and bear expense for them, so that they will shave the head. And all will know that what they have been informed about you is nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law.

25 Now concerning those of the Gentiles having believed, we wrote, having adjudged, to keep themselves from both the things sacrificed to idols and blood, and from what is strangled and sexual immorality.”

26 Then Paul, having taken the men on the following day, having been purified with them, entered into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of the purification until the offering was offered for each one of them.

27 Now when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, began stirring up all the crowd, and they laid the hands upon him,

28 crying out, “Men, Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching all those everywhere against the people and the law and this place. And besides, he has also brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

29 For it was they having previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they were supposing that Paul had brought into the temple.

30 And the whole city was provoked, and there was a rushing together of the people. And having laid hold of Paul, they dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And in their seeking to kill him, a report came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar,

32 who at once, having taken with him soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. And having seen the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 Then having drawn near, the commander laid hold of him and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and he began inquiring who he might be and what it is he has been doing.

34 They were crying out in the crowd one thing, but others another. And he, not being able to know the facts on account of the uproar, ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

35 And when he came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd.

36 For the multitude of the people were following, crying out, “Away with him!”

37 And being about to be brought into the barracks, Paul says to the commander, “Is it permitted to me to say something to you?” And he was saying, “Do you know Greek?

38 Are you not, then, the Egyptian, the one before these days having led a revolt and having led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?”

39 But Paul said, “I am indeed a Jew, a man of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. Now I implore you, allow me to speak to the people.”

40 And he having allowed him, Paul, having stood on the stairs, made a sign with the hand to the people. And a great silence having taken place, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying: