Paulo Aenda Yerusalemu

21 Tulipokwisha agana nao tuliondoka tukasafiri moja kwa moja, mpaka Kosi, na siku ya pili yake tukafika Rodo, na kutoka huko tukaenda Patara. Hapo tukapata meli iliyokuwa ikielekea Foinike tukaingia ndani tukasafiri nayo. Tulipokaribia kisiwa cha Kipro, tulikizunguka upande wa kushoto, tukasafiri mpaka Siria, tukatia nanga katika bandari ya Tiro ambapo meli yetu ili kuwa ipakue shehena yake. Tukawatafuta waamini wa huko, tukakaa nao kwa siku saba. Wale waamini wakiwa wameongozwa na Roho walim wambia Paulo asiende Yerusalemu. Muda wa kukaa nao ulipokwisha, tuliendelea na safari yetu na wale ndugu waamini pamoja na wake zao na watoto wao walitusindikiza hadi nje ya mji. Wote tulipiga magoti pale pwani tukaomba, kisha tukaagana.

Ndipo tukaingia ndani ya meli na wale ndugu wakarudi mak wao. Tuliendelea na safari yetu kutoka Tiro tukafika Tolemai, tukawasalimu waamini wa huko na tukakaa nao kwa siku moja. Kesho yake tuliondoka tukafika Kaisaria. Huko tukaenda nyumbani kwa mwinjilisti mmoja jina lake Filipo ambaye alikuwa kati ya wale watu saba waliochaguliwa kule Yerusalemu, tukakaa kwake. Filipo alikuwa na binti wanne ambao walikuwa bado hawajaolewa nao walikuwa na karama ya unabii. 10 Wakati tulipokuwa huko kwa siku kadhaa, alifika nabii mmoja aitwaye Agabo kutoka Yudea. 11 Alikuja kutuona akachukua mshipi wa Paulo, akautumia kufunga mikono yake mwenyewe na miguu yake akasema, “Roho Mtakatifu anasema: ‘Hivi ndivyo Wayahudi wa Yerusalemu watakavyomfunga mwe nye mshipi huu na kumkabidhi kwa watu wa mataifa .”’ 12 Tulipo sikia maneno haya sisi na ndugu wengine tulimwomba Paulo asiende Yerusalemu. 13 Lakini Paulo alijibu, “Kwa nini mnanivunja moyo kwa machozi yenu? Mimi niko tayari kufungwa na hata kufa huko Yerusalemu kwa ajili ya jina la Bwana Yesu.” 14 Na kwa kuwa hatukuweza kumshawishi asiende, tuliacha kumsihi tukamwambia, “Mapenzi ya Bwana na yatendeke.”

15 Baadaye tulijiandaa tukaondoka kwenda Yerusalemu. 16 Baadhi ya waamini kutoka Kaisaria waliongozana nasi, wakat upeleka nyumbani kwa Mnasoni, mtu wa Kipro, mmoja wa waamini wa zamani, tukae kwake.

Taarifa Ya Paulo Kwa Kanisa La Yerusalemu

17 Tulipofika Yerusalemu ndugu wa huko walitukaribisha kwa furaha. 18 Kesho yake Paulo alikwenda nasi kwa Yakobo, na wazee wote wa kanisa walikuwepo. 19 Baada ya kuwasalimu, Paulo alitoa taarifa kamili ya mambo yote ambayo Mungu alifanya kati ya watu wa mataifa kwa kumtumia yeye. 20 Baada ya maelezo yake wote walimtukuza Mungu. Ndipo wakamwambia, “Unavyoona ndugu, kuna maelfu ya Wayahudi walioamini; nao wote wanaishika sheria kwa bidii. 21 Lakini wamekuwa wakiambiwa habari zako kuwa wewe umew afundisha Wayahudi wanaoishi na watu wa mataifa waache kushika sheria za Musa; na kuwaambia wasitahiri watoto wao, au kufuata mila za Kiyahudi. 22 Sasa tufanyeje? Kwa maana watasikia kwamba umefika Yerusalemu. 23 Kwa hiyo fanya kama tunavyokushauri. Tunao watu wanne hapa ambao wameweka nadhiri. 24 Wachukue hawa ukajitakase pamoja nao na ulipe gharama zao ili wanyoe nywele zao. Kwa njia hii kila mtu atafahamu ya kuwa mambo waliyosikia si ya kweli na kwamba wewe unashika sheria. 25 Lakini wale watu wa mataifa walioamini tumewapelekea barua tukiwaambia kuwa tumeamua wajitenge na kitu cho chote ambacho kimetolewa kwanza kama sadaka kwa miungu ya sanamu na wasinywe damu au kula nyama ya mnyama aliyeuawa kwa kunyongwa. Tena ni lazima wajitenge na uasherati.” 26 Kwa hiyo Paulo akawachukua wale watu na kesho yake akajita kasa pamoja nao. Akaingia ndani ya Hekalu ili akatoe taarifa ya tarehe ambayo siku zao za utakaso zitamalizika na sadaka kutolewa kwa ajili ya kila mmoja wao.

Paulo Akamatwa

27 Zile siku saba zilipokaribia kumalizika, Wayahudi kutoka jimbo la Asia waliokuwa wamemwona Paulo ndani ya hekalu, waka chochea umati mkubwa wa watu wakamkamata Paulo. 28 Wakapiga kelele wakasema, “Ndugu Waisraeli, tusaidieni! Huyu ni yule mtu ambaye anafundisha watu kila mahali wawadharau watu wetu, wazid harau sheria zetu na hata hili Hekalu. Zaidi ya hayo amewaleta Wagiriki katika Hekalu na kuchafua hapa mahali patakatifu!” 29 Walisema hivi kwa sababu walimwona Trofimo, mwenyeji wa Efeso, akiwa mjini na Paulo wakadhani kuwa Paulo alikuwa amemleta Hekaluni . 30 Habari hizi zikawachochea watu wa mji mzima nao wakakimbia pamoja kwa hasira wakamkamata Paulo wakamtoa nje ya Hekalu. Milango ya Hekalu ikafungwa. 31 Walipokuwa wakitaka kum wua, habari zikamfikia Jemadari wa jeshi la askari wa Kirumi kwamba Yerusalemu yote ilikuwa katika hali ya machafuko. 32 Na mara yule jemadari akachukua maofisa wengine wa jeshi pamoja na maaskari wakakimbilia kwenye ile ghasia. Watu walipomwona jema dari na askari wakija, waliacha kumpiga Paulo. 33 Kisha yule jemadari akamkamata Paulo akaamuru afungwe kwa minyororo miwili. Akauliza yeye ni nani na alikuwa amefanya nini. 34 Baadhi ya watu wakapiga kelele wakieleza jambo moja na wengine wakieleza jingine. Yule jemadari alipoona kuwa hawezi kupata ukweli kamili kwa sababu ya zile kelele, akaamuru Paulo apelekwe katika ngome ya jeshi. 35 Basi walipofika penye ngazi, ilibidi askari wambebe Paulo juu juu kwa sababu ya fujo za ule umati wa watu 36 ambao walikuwa wakiwafuata wakipiga kelele, “Mwueni!”

Paulo Anajitetea

37 Walipokuwa wanakaribia kuingia katika ngome ya jeshi, Paulo alimwuliza yule jemadari, “Je, naweza kusema jambo moja?” Yule jemadari akajibu, “Kumbe unajua Kigiriki? 38 Wewe si yule Mmisri ambaye siku za karibuni alianzisha uasi akaongoza majam bazi elfu nne wenye silaha jangwani?” 39 Paulo akajibu, “Mimi ni Myahudi, mzaliwa wa Tarso, jimbo la Kilikia na raia wa mji wenye sifa. Tafadhali niruhusu nizungumze na hawa watu.” 40 Yule jemadari alipomruhusu azungumze, Paulo akasimama penye ngazi akawapungia watu mkono ili wanyamaze. Watu walipokuwa kimya kabisa, Paulo akazungumza nao kwa lugha ya Kiebrania, akasema;

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