Acts 21:15-40

15After these days we got ready and 1started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16Some of 2the disciples from 3Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of 4Cyprus, a 5disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

17After we arrived in Jerusalem, 6the brethren received us gladly. 18And the following day Paul went in with us to 78James, and all 9the elders were present. 19After he had greeted them, he 10began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his 11ministry. 20And when they heard it they began 12glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many 13thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all 14zealous for the Law; 21and they have been told about you, that you are 15teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them 16not to circumcise their children nor to 17walk according to 18the customs. 22What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who 1920are under a vow; 24take them and 21purify yourself along with them, and 22pay their expenses so that they may 23shave their 24heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. 25But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, 25having decided that they should abstain from 26meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.” 26Then Paul 27took the men, and the next day, 28purifying himself along with them, 29went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

27When 30the seven days were almost over, 31the Jews from 3233Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! 34This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has 35defiled this holy place.” 29For they had previously seen 36Trophimus the 37Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30Then all the city was provoked, and 38the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they 39dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the 40commander of the 41Roman 42cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32At once he 43took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the 44commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33Then the 45commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be 46bound with 47two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. 34But among the crowd 48some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the 49facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into 50the barracks. 35When he got to 51the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the 52mob; 36for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “53Away with him!”

37As Paul was about to be brought into 54the barracks, he said to the 55commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38Then you are not 56the Egyptian who some 57time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out 58into the wilderness?” 39But Paul said, “59I am a Jew of Tarsus in 60Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on 61the stairs, 62motioned to the people with his hand; and when there 63was a great hush, he spoke to them in the 6465Hebrew dialect, saying,