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21 And when it came about that we set sail, having parted from them, having run a straight course, we came to Cos. And on the next day we got to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

And having found an oniyah crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.

And having come within sight of Cyprus, and leaving Cyprus behind on our left, we were sailing to Syria and we arrived in Tzor, for there the oniyah was unloading its cargo.

And after having searched for Moshiach’s talmidim there, we stayed in Tzor shivah yamim. And Moshiach’s talmidim were telling Rav Sha’ul by the Ruach Hakodesh not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

But when our yamim there were ended, we departed and everyone, including nashim and yeladim, were accompanying us as far as the outskirts of the city; and falling down on the beach, we all were davening.

And having bid them "Shalom," we embarked in the oniyah, and they returned to their own batim.

And when we had completed the voyage from Tzor, we arrived in Ptolemais, and, having given a "Shalom" greeting to the Achim b’Moshiach there, we stayed yom echad with them.

And on the next day, having left, we came to Caesarea; and entered the bais of Philippos, the maggid of the Besuras HaGeulah who was one of HaShivah [see 6:3]. And we stayed with him.

And Philippos was the abba of arbah banot, betulot, who were gifted in giving a dvar nevuah. [Ex 15:20; Judg 4:4; Neh 6:14]

10 And remaining there many yamim, a certain one came down from Yehudah, a navi, Agav by name.

11 And when he came to us, he took Rav Sha’ul’s gartel and, having bound his own feet and hands with it, Agav said, "So says the Ruach Hakodesh: this is the way the Yehudim in Yerushalayim will bind the man who owns this gartel, and they will hand him over to the Goyim.” [MELACHIM ALEF 22:11; Isa 20:2- 4; Jer 13:1-11]

12 And when we heard these things, we were begging Rav Sha’ul, both we and the locals, not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

13 Then Rav Sha’ul answered, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my lev (heart)? For I am prepared not only to be bound but to die al kiddush ha-Shem in Yerushalayim, for haShem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua."

14 And not persuading him, we remained silent, having said, "Let the ratzon Hashem be done."

15 And after these yamim, having made preparations, we were making an aliyah to Yerushalayim.

16 And also some of Moshiach’s talmidim from Caesarea traveled with us, bringing us for hachnosas orchim to the bais of the Cyprian Mnason, one of Moshiach’s talmidim of long standing [an early disciple].

17 And when we arrived in Yerushalayim, the Achim b’Moshiach there gave us a kabbalat panim welcome with lev same’ach.

18 And on the following day Rav Sha’ul was going in with us to Ya’akov [see p.848], and all the Ziknei HaKehillah came.

19 And having given them a "Shalom" greeting, Rav Sha’ul was explaining one by one the things Hashem did through his avodas kodesh as Moshiach’s Shliach to the Goyim.

20 And the ones who heard were saying, "Baruch Hashem!" And they said to him, "You see, Ach b’Moshiach, how many thousands there are among the Yehudim who have emunah [in our Moshiach] and they all have kanous (zealousness), are shomer mitzvot for the Torah [Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot].

21 "And these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim have heard a rumor informing them about you, that you teach the Yehudim living among the Goyim in the Golus to be shmad and to commit apostasy from Moshe [Rabbeinu, i.e., Orthodox Judaism], telling them to abandon bris milah for Bnei Yisroel and not to be shomer regarding the darkhei haTorah [“ways of the Torah,” i.e. the Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot]. [BAMIDBAR 6:2,5]

22 "What then is to be done? Certainly these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim [i.e., who have emunah in our Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, Ac 21:20] will get word that you have come.

23 "This, therefore, do what we tell you. There are with us arba’ah anashim who are under a neder Nezirim.

24 "Go! Take these for hitkaddeshut (purification) and purify yourself with them and pay expenses for them, that they may cut their hair; then all shall have da’as that there is no emes to the rumor; then it shall be clear that you yourself are in agreement and frum regarding the darkhei haTorah and that you are charedi and shomer mitzvot, in the ranks of those who practice Orthodox Judaism." [BAMIDBAR 6:1-21, Mishnah tractate Nazir]

25 “And concerning the Goyim coming to [Orthodox Jewish] emunah, we have sent an iggeret with our decision that they avoid what is offered to elilim and dahm and what is strangled and zenut."

26 Then Rav Sha’ul took the anashim on the following day, and he went with them for hitkaddeshut (purification) and was entering the Beis Hamikdash, giving notice of the completion of the yamim of the tohorah until was offered for each one of them the korban. [BAMIDBAR 6:13 20]

27 Now when the shivat yamim were about to be completed, unbelieving Yehudim from the Province of Asia [Ephesus], having seen Rav Sha’ul in the Beis Hamikdash, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands on him, [YIRMEYAH 26:8]

28 Crying out, "Anashim, Bnei Yisroel, help us! This one is the ish who is giving shiurim to everyone everywhere keneged (against, in opposition to) HaAm [Yisroel] and the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu and this Makom HaKadosh, and in addition also he brought Yevanim into the Beis Hamikdash and has defiled Makom HaKadosh HaZeh [the Beis Hamikdash]."

29 —For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Rav Sha’ul and they had jumped to the conclusion and made the unwarranted assumption that Rav Sha’ul had brought Trophimus past the Soreg [barrier of the holy precinct] in the Beis Hamikdash.

30 —And the whole city was aroused and the people were rushing together, and they seized Rav Sha’ul, and they were dragging him outside the Beit Hamikdash; and immediately the delatot were shut.

31 And while they were trying to kill him, a report went up to a tribune of the Roman cohort that all Yerushalayim was in an oifshtand (uprising) uproar.

32 At once he took his chaiyalim and centurions and ran down to them, and when the rioters saw the Roman tribune and the chaiyalim, they stopped beating Rav Sha’ul.

33 Then the Roman tribune came near and took hold of Rav Sha’ul and ordered him to be bound with two sharsherot (chains), and the tribune was inquiring who he might be and what he had done.

34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another, and the tribune was not able to have da’as of anything definite because of the noise, so he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

35 And when Rav Sha’ul was on the steps, it came about that he was carried by the chaiyalim, because of the violence of the multitude,

36 For the crowd kept following and shouting, "Away with him!"

37 And just when he was about to be brought into the barracks, Rav Sha’ul says to the Roman tribune, "Is it permissible for me to say something to you?" And the tribune said, "Ellinisti Ginoskeis? (Do you know Greek?)

38 "Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up an intifada and led out four thousand assassins into the wilderness?"

39 And Rav Sha’ul said, "I gufa (myself) am an ish Yehudi from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I ask you to allow me to speak to the people."

40 And when the tribune had given permission, Rav Sha’ul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence fell upon the crowd. Then Rav Sha’ul addressed the multitude in the language of the Hebrews.

On to Jerusalem

21 After we(A) had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,(B) went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.(C) We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. We sought out the disciples(D) there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit(E) they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.(F) After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

We continued our voyage from Tyre(G) and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters(H) and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea(I) and stayed at the house of Philip(J) the evangelist,(K) one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.(L)

10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus(M) came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says,(N) ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind(O) the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”(P)

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die(Q) in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”(R) 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up(S) and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”(T)

15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.(U) 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea(V) accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus(W) and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters(X) received us warmly.(Y) 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,(Z) and all the elders(AA) were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles(AB) through his ministry.(AC)

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous(AD) for the law.(AE) 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,(AF) telling them not to circumcise their children(AG) or live according to our customs.(AH) 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.(AI) 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites(AJ) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.(AK) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”(AL)

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.(AM)

Paul Arrested

27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,(AN) 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”(AO) 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus(AP) the Ephesian(AQ) in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,(AR) they dragged him(AS) from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.(AT)

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound(AU) with two(AV) chains.(AW) Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,(AX) and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(AY) 35 When Paul reached the steps,(AZ) the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”(BA)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd(BB)

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,(BC) he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness(BD) some time ago?”(BE)

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus(BF) in Cilicia,(BG) a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned(BH) to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:40 Or possibly Hebrew; also in 22:2