Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

After we had departed from them and set sail, we came straight to Cos, then to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. We boarded a ship sailing to Phoenicia and set off.

When we discovered Cyprus on our port side, we sailed into Syria, landing at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo. There, we found disciples and spent seven days with them. They told Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. We completed our time there and departed, but they all accompanied us with their wives and children until we were out of the city. We knelt down on the shore to pray before taking our leave of one another and boarding ship again. They returned home, while we continued on our journey.

We left Paul's company and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven. He had four daughters, who were virgins and prophesied. We stayed with him for many days. One day, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea. When he arrived, he took Paul's belt and bound his own hands and feet, saying, "This is what the Holy Spirit says will happen to the man who owns this belt - the Jews in Jerusalem will bind him like this and hand him over to the Gentiles."

When we heard these things, both we and those from that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Paul replied, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am prepared not only to be imprisoned but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he refused to be persuaded, we stopped arguing and said, "Let God's will be done."

After those days, we packed up our belongings and went up to Jerusalem. Certain disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, bringing with them Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple whom we would lodge with. When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us warmly.

Paul went in with us to James the next day, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. They glorified the Lord and said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe; all of them are zealous for the law." They had informed us that you were teaching all Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Moses' teachings, saying they should not circumcise their children or follow traditional customs.

The multitude must come together because they will hear that you have arrived. We have four men who are under a vow that we ask you to release. Take these men and purify yourself with them, bearing their expenses so they may shave their heads; in this way all will know that the rumors about you are nothing but a fabrication, and that you yourself walk orderly and keep the law.

As touching the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, except to keep themselves from things offered to idols, blood, strangled animals, and immorality. Then Paul took the men and, after purifying himself with them, entered the temple the next day to signify that their days of purification had been completed until an offering could be made on behalf of each one.

When the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up all the people and laid hands on him. "Men of Israel, help!" they cried. "This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and the law and this place; he even brought Greeks into the temple and polluted this holy place." They had seen Trophimus, an Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

All the city was moved, with people rushing together in a frenzy. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. As they were about to kill him, news arrived at the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Soldiers and centurions immediately took Paul, and when they saw the chief captain and his men, they stopped beating him.

The chief captain approached, took Paul, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he demanded who he was and what he had done. Amidst the crowd, some cried one thing while others another, but when the chief captain couldn't discern the truth due to the commotion, he ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress.

When he came upon the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. The multitude of people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!" As Paul was to be led into the castle, he asked the chief captain if he could speak with him. The officer replied, "Can you speak Greek?" Paul said, "I am a man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; I beg you to allow me to speak to the people."

When given permission, Paul stood on the stairs and signaled to the crowd with his hand; then, as they fell silent, he spoke in Hebrew.