Acts 21

1 After we had torn [parted, separated] ourselves away from them [apart from their presence], we sailed [set sail, launched] directly [with a straight course, steadily] to Cos [a small island in the Mediterranean], and the next [following, succeeding] day on to Rhodes [a Mediterranean island], and from there [that place, afterwards] to Patara [an important port city in Asia Minor]. word study 2 Finding [discovering, coming across] a ship [boat, vessel] crossing [to pass over, sailing] over to Phoenicia [a region in Palestine], we boarded [went aboard, mounted] it and set sail [departed, began our journey]. word study 3 After sighting [coming in view of, discovering] Cyprus [an island in the eastern Mediterranean] and passing [sailing, navigating] south [on the left hand, to the port side] of it, we sailed [traveled by sea, journeyed] on to Syria [a region in Asia, a Roman province] and landed [came to shore, arrived] at Tyre [a major port city, a place of commerce], where [in that place, there] the ship [the vessel, the boat] was to unload [discharge, remove] its cargo [goods, merchandise, the lading]. word study 4 We sought out the disciples [followers of Christ, learners] in Tyre and stayed with them [tarried, remained] seven days. Through [because of, by means of] the Spirit [the Holy Spirit, breath of God] they kept telling Paul [the apostle, originally Saul] not to go up [to ascend, climb] to Jerusalem [the holy city, capital of Palestine]. word study 5 But when our time [appointed season, set period] there had ended, we set out [departed, went on our way] on our journey [travel, pilgrimage]. All the disciples [followers, believers], with their wives [women, female companions] and children [young ones, offspring], accompanied [escorted, brought along] us out of the city [town, urban area] and knelt down [bowed the knee, prayed] on the beach [shore, seaside] to pray [worship, commune] with us. word study 6 And after we had said our farewells [taken our leave, bid one another farewell], we went aboard [mounted, embarked on] the ship [boat, vessel], and they returned [turned back, went back] home [to their own houses, their private residences]. word study 7 When we had finished [completed, ended] our voyage [journey by sea, travel] from Tyre [the city of Tyros], we landed [came to, arrived] at Ptolemais [a major maritime city], where we greeted [paid respects to, saluted] the brothers [fellow Christians, male siblings] and stayed [remained, abode] with them for a day [one day, a 24-hour period]. word study 8 Leaving [on the morrow] the next day, we went on to Caesarea [a city in Palestine, the Roman capital] and stayed at the home [house, dwelling place] of Philip [one of the seven deacons, a preacher] the evangelist [a preacher of the gospel, who shares the good news], who was one of the Seven [a group of chosen leaders]. word study 9 He had four unmarried [virgin] daughters [female children, descendants] who [frequently speaking under divine inspiration] prophesied [speaking forth God’s message, predicting the future]. word study 10 After we had been there [for some time, waiting] several days [many, a period of time], a prophet [one who speaks for God, having God’s message] named Agabus [a Christian prophet, known for predicting future events] came down [descended, from a higher place] from Judea [a region in southern Palestine, the land of the Jews]. word study 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s [girdle] belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy [set apart, consecrated] Spirit says: ‘In this way [thus, in this manner] the Jews [people of Judah, Israelites] of Jerusalem will bind [tie up, restrain] the owner of this belt and hand him over [deliver, surrender] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations].’” word study 12 When we [as a group, together] heard this [these things, the prophecy], we [I, the speaker] and the people [residents, those living in that place] there [in the location] pleaded [besought, called upon] with Paul not to go up [to ascend, climb] to Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine]. word study 13 Then Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] answered, “Why are you weeping [crying out loud, mourning] and breaking [crushing, disheartening] my heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]? I am ready [willing, prepared] not only to be bound [tied, fastened], but also to die [stop living, pass away] in Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, a significant city] for the name [character, authority] of the Lord [the supreme Master, God] Jesus [God is salvation, the son of God].” word study 14 When he would [not be persuaded, refused to be convinced] not be dissuaded [to persuade, convince by argument or evidence], we fell [became quiet, gave up] silent and said, “The [supreme authority, master] Lord’s [divine] will [purpose, intention, desire] be done [to be, become, come into being, happen].” word study 15 After [following, with] these days [a period of time, a season], we packed up [prepared our belongings, took up our carriages] and went on [ascended, traveled] to [toward, into] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the holy city]. word study 16 Some of the disciples [learners, followers] from Caesarea [a city in Palestine] accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason [a generous host] the Cypriot [from Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean], an early [original, from the beginning] disciple [pupil, follower of Jesus]. word study 17 When we arrived [came to, were come to] in Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine], the brothers [brethren, fellow Christians] welcomed [received, gladly received] us [gladly, warmly] joyfully [with pleasure, happily]. word study 18 The next day [following, after] Paul went in [entered, came] with us [together, as companions] to see [visit, meet with] James [the leader, brother of Jesus], and all [every, the entire group of] the elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides] were present [assembled, gathered together]. word study 19 Paul greeted [saluted, paid respects to] them and recounted [declared particularly, told in detail] one by one [each, every single one] the things that God [the one true deity] had done [accomplished, wrought] among [in the midst of, through] the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] through [by means of, because of] his ministry [service, work of helping others]. word study 20 When they heard [and understood, gave heed to] this, they glorified [praised and honored] God [the Supreme Being, Lord of all]. Then they said to Paul, “You see [perceive, discern], brother [fellow believer, companion in faith], how many [a vast number, a multitude of] thousands of Jews [Jewish people, Israelites] have believed [trusted, put their faith in], and all [every single one, the entirety] of them are zealous [ardent, enthusiastic] for the law [the commandments, the teachings of Moses]. word study 21 But they are under the impression [have been informed, have heard] that you teach [instruct, guide] all the Jews [people of Judah, Israelites] who live among the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] to forsake [abandon, turn away from] Moses [the lawgiver, leader], telling them not to circumcise [cut around, remove the foreskin] their children [sons, male offspring] or observe [follow, walk according to] our customs [traditions, habits]. word study 22 What [which thing, what is it] then [therefore, as a consequence] should we do [take action, make a decision]? They will certainly [surely, without a doubt] hear [learn, become aware] that you have come [arrived, appeared]. word study 23 Therefore [then, as a consequence] do what we advise [say, tell] you. There are four [a specific number] men [adult males] with us who have taken [having, holding] a vow [a prayer or promise to God]. word study 24 Take these men [them, the ones in question], purify [sanctify, make clean] yourself along with them [in their company, together], and pay [be at expense, spend] their expenses [costs, charges] so they can have their heads [the upper part of the body] shaved [cut, trimmed]. Then everyone will know [understand, recognize] that there is no truth [reality, fact] to these rumors [false reports, misinformation] about you, but that you also live [walk, conduct yourself] in obedience [submission, conformity] to the law [the divine standard, God’s commandments]. word study 25 As for the Gentile [non-Jewish, foreign] believers, we have written to them our decision [judgment, conclusion] that they must abstain from food [meat, sacrifices] sacrificed to idols [false gods, images], from blood [the life force, atoning sacrifice], from the meat of strangled [choked, killed without bloodshed] animals, and from sexual immorality [fornication, immoral behavior].” word study 26 So the next day Paul [the apostle, formerly Saul] took the men and purified [made ceremonially clean, consecrated] himself along with them [in a spirit of unity and fellowship]. Then he entered [went into, stepped into] the temple [the sacred place of worship, the inner sanctuary] to give notice [declare publicly, proclaim] of the date when their purification [ceremonial cleansing, ritual consecration] would be complete [finished, fulfilled] and the offering [sacrifice, gift to God] would be made [presented, given] for each of them [individually, personally]. word study 27 When the seven [complete, perfect] days were almost over, some Jews [descendants of Judah] from the province of Asia saw Paul [the apostle, a follower of Jesus] at the temple [a sacred place, the center of Jewish worship]. They stirred up [incited, provoked] the whole crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] and seized [laid hands on, took hold of] him, word study 28 crying out [shouting for help], “Men of Israel [descendants of Jacob], help us [assist us in our time of need]! This is the man [this individual] who teaches [instructs, guides] everywhere [in all places, universally] against our people [the Jewish nation] and against our law [the Mosaic law, God’s instruction] and against this place [the Temple, a sacred location]. Furthermore [in addition to this], he has brought [introduced, led] Greeks [Gentiles, non-Jews] into the temple [the sacred building, a holy site] and defiled [made unclean, polluted] this holy place [a sacred location, set apart for God].” word study 29 For [as a reason, because] they had previously seen [before, with their own eyes] Trophimus [a Christian companion] the Ephesian [from the city of Ephesus] with him [Paul, the apostle] in the city [the metropolis, a place of gathering], and they assumed [thought, supposed, had the idea] that Paul [the Roman apostle] had brought [introduced, led] him into the temple [the sacred place, a house of worship]. word study 30 The whole [entire, complete] city [metropolis, with walls] was stirred up [moved, shaken], and the people [a large crowd, a multitude] rushed together [ran, gathered]. They seized [laid hold of, caught] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] and dragged [drew, pulled] him out of the temple [a sacred place, the Temple in Jerusalem], and at once [immediately, without delay] the gates [doors, entrances] were shut [closed, barred]. word study 31 While they were trying [seeking, attempting] to kill [destroy, take the life of] him, the commander [military officer, chief captain] of the Roman regiment [band, cohort] received a report [news, tidings] that all [the whole, entire] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine] was in [a state of, thrown into] turmoil [confusion, uproar]. word study 32 Immediately [at once, without delay] he took some soldiers [common warriors, Roman military personnel] and centurions [military officers, commanders of 100 men] and ran down [rushed, hastened] to the crowd [the multitude, the assembly]. When the people [the multitude, the crowd] saw the commander [the chief captain, the military officer] and the soldiers [the warriors, the troops], they stopped [ceased, quit] beating [striking, assaulting] Paul [the apostle, the servant of God]. word study 33 The commander [military officer, chief captain] came up and arrested [took hold of, seized] Paul, ordering [commanding, giving instruction] that he be bound [tied, fastened] with two [a pair of] chains. Then he asked [inquired, demanded to know] who [which one, what person] he was and what [which thing, what action] he had done [accomplished, made]. word study 34 Some in the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] were shouting [crying out, making a loud noise] one thing [something, a matter], and some [others, different ones] another [something else, a different thing]. And since the commander [the chief officer, a leader] could not get at the truth [know the certainty, understand the facts] because of the uproar [commotion, tumult], he ordered [commanded, gave a directive] that Paul be brought [led, taken] into the barracks [a military camp, the castle]. word study 35 When [at the specific point in time] Paul reached the steps [stairs, a series of steps leading up], he had to be carried [borne, lifted up] by the soldiers [common warriors] because of the violence [force, intense action] of the mob [crowd, a large group of people]. word study 36 For [because of this reason] the crowd [multitude, a large group of people] that followed [accompanied, walked behind] him kept shouting [crying out, screaming], “Away with him [get rid of him, take him away]!” word study 37 As they were about to take [on the verge of leading] Paul into the barracks [a military camp, the Tower of Antonia], he asked the commander [a high-ranking military officer], “May I say [speak, express, or declare] something to you [address you directly]?” “Do you speak [know, understand, or communicate in] Greek [the Hellenistic language]?” he replied [asserted]. word study 38 “Aren’t you [the one we thought was] the Egyptian [from Egypt, a foreigner] who incited [stirred up, caused trouble] a rebellion [an uprising, a sedition] some time ago [before these days, previously] and led [guided, brought forth] four thousand [a large group of] members of the [group known as the] ‘Assassins’ [murderers] into [toward, into the direction of] the wilderness [a deserted, uninhabited place]?” word study 39 But Paul answered, “I am a Jew [from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham] from Tarsus [a city in Cilicia, an important urban center] in Cilicia [a Roman province in Asia Minor], a citizen [with civic rights and responsibilities] of no ordinary [insignificant or unremarkable] city. Now I beg [request humbly, implore] you to allow [permit, give permission] me to speak [share my thoughts, proclaim] to the people [the crowd, the multitude, a group of individuals].” word study 40 Having received permission [to speak freely, given leave], Paul stood [in an upright position, firmly] on the steps [stairs, a series of steps leading up] and motioned [beckoned, signaled with his hand] to the crowd [a great multitude, a people]. A great hush [silence, stillness] came over the crowd [the multitude, the people], and he addressed them [spoke to, called out to] in Hebrew [the Hebrew language, the dialect of the Israelites]: word study