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 stay.

17After we arrived in Jerusalem, 6the brothers and sisters 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 about them, 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 abandon Moses, telling them 16not to circumcise their children nor to 17walk according to 18the customs. 22So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23Therefore, do 19as we tell you: we have four men who 20have a 21vow upon themselves; 24take them along and 22purify yourself together with them, and 23pay their expenses so that they may 24shave their 25heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law. 25But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we sent a letter, 26having decided that they should abstain from 27meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and what is 28strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26Then Paul 29took along the men, and the next day, after 30purifying himself together with them, he 31went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

27When 32the seven days were almost over, 33the Jews from 3435Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, help! 36This is the man who instructs everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has 37defiled this holy place!” 29For they had previously seen 38Trophimus the 39Ephesian in the city with him, and they thought that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30Then the whole city was provoked and 40the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they 41dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the 42Roman 43cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32He immediately 44took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to 45the crowd; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered that he 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 that 50Paul be brought into 51the barracks. 35When Paul got to 52the stairs, it came about that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the 53mob; 36for the multitude of people kept following them, shouting, “54Away with him!”

37As Paul was about to be brought into 55the barracks, he said to the commander, “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 silence, he spoke to them in the 6465Hebrew dialect, saying,