1 And as we launched forth, and were departed from them, we came with a straight course vnto Coos, and the day following vnto the Rhodes, and from thence vnto Patara. 2 And we found a ship that went ouer vnto Phenice, and went aboard, and set forth. 3 And whe we had discouered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed toward Syria, and arriued at Tyrus: for there the ship vnladed ye burden. 4 And when we had found disciples, we taried there seuen dayes. And they told Paul through the Spirit, that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem. 5 But when the dayes were ended, we departed and went our way, and they all accompanied vs with their wiues and children, euen out of the citie: and we kneeling downe on the shore, prayed. 6 Then when we had embraced one another, we tooke ship, and they returned home. 7 And when we had ended the course from Tyrus, we arriued at Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. 8 And the next day, Paul and we that were with him, departed, and came vnto Cesarea: and we entred into the house of Philippe the Euangelist, which was one of the seuen Deacons, and abode with him. 9 Now he had foure daughters virgins, which did prophecie. 10 And as we taried there many dayes, there came a certaine Prophet from Iudea, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come vnto vs, he tooke Pauls girdle, and bound his owne hands and feete, and sayd, Thus sayth the holy Ghost, So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we had heard these things, both we and other of the same place besought him that he would not go vp to Hierusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, and sayd, What doe ye weeping and breaking mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound onely, but also to die at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus. 14 So when he would not be perswaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. 15 And after those dayes we trussed vp our fardels, and went vp to Hierusalem. 16 There went with vs also certaine of the disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an olde disciple, with whome we should lodge. 17 And when we were come to Hierusalem, the brethren receiued vs gladly. 18 And the next day Paul went in with vs vnto Iames: and all the Elders were there assembled. 19 And when he had embraced them, hee tolde by order all things, that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministration. 20 So when they heard it, they glorified God, and sayd vnto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousand Iewes there are which beleeue, and they are all zealous of the Law: 21 Now they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Iewes, which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their sonnes, neither to liue after the customes. 22 What is then to be done? the multitude must needes come together: for they shall heare that thou art come. 23 Doe therefore this that we say to thee. We haue foure men, which haue made a vowe, 24 Them take, and purifie thy selfe with them, and contribute with them, that they may shaue their heads: and all shall knowe, that those things, whereof they haue bene informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thy selfe also walkest and keepest the Lawe. 25 For as touching ye Gentiles, which beleeue, we haue written, and determined that they obserue no such thing, but that they keepe themselues from things offred to idoles, and from blood, and from that that is strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul tooke the men, and the next day was purified with them, and entred into the Temple, declaring the accomplishment of the dayes of the purification, vntill that an offering should be offered for euery one of them. 27 And when the seuen dayes were almost ended, the Iewes which were of Asia (when they sawe him in the Temple) moued all the people, and laide hands on him, 28 Crying, Men of Israel, helpe: this is the man that teacheth all men euery where against the people, and the Lawe, and this place: moreouer, he hath brought Grecians into the Temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29 For they had seene before Trophimus an Ephesian with him in the citie, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple. 30 Then all the citie was moued, and the people ran together: and they tooke Paul and drewe him out of the Temple, and forth with the doores were shut. 31 But as they went about to kill him, tydings came vnto the chiefe captaine of the band, that all Hierusalem was on an vproare. 32 Who immediately tooke souldiers and Centurions, and ran downe vnto them: and when they sawe the chiefe Captaine and the souldiers, they left beating of Paul. 33 Then the chiefe Captaine came neere and tooke him, and commanded him to be bound with two chaines, and demaunded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And one cryed this, another that, among the people. So when he could not know the certeintie for the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castell. 35 And when hee came vnto the grieces, it was so that he was borne of the souldiers, for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul should haue bene led into the castell, he sayd vnto the chiefe Captaine, May I speake vnto thee? Who sayd, Canst thou speake Greeke? 38 Art not thou the Egyptian who before these dayes raised a sedition, and led out into the wildernesse foure thousande men that were murtherers? 39 Then Paul sayde, Doubtlesse, I am a man which am a Iewe, and citizen of Tarsus, a famous citie of Cilicia, and I beseech thee, suffer mee to speake vnto the people. 40 And when he had giuen him licence, Paul stoode on the grieces, and beckened with the hand vnto the people: and when there was made great silence, hee spake vnto them in the Hebrewe tongue, saying,
Acts 21 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Agabus
A prophet who foretold a great famine in the days of Claudius and later bound his feet and hands with Paul's belt to predict Paul's arrest at Jerusalem.
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10
Mnason
A Cypriot and early disciple with whom Paul and his companions lodged on the way to Jerusalem.
Cited in the guide: Acts 21:16
Trophimus
An Ephesian who accompanied Paul; Jews at Jerusalem falsely claimed Paul had brought him into the temple, and Paul later left him sick at Miletus.
Cited in the guide: Acts 20:4; Acts 21:29; 2 Timothy 4:20
Places
Tarsus
A wealthy university city in Cilicia and Paul's hometown. He was also a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:28), which shaped his missionary strategy and legal appeals.
Cited in the guide: Acts 9:11; Acts 21:39; Acts 22:3
Cross references (40)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Thessalonians 2:17; Luke 5:4; 1 Samuel 20:41–42; Acts 27:2; Acts 16:10–11
- 2 Acts 27:6; Acts 15:3; Acts 11:19; Jonah 1:3
- 3 Acts 12:20; Acts 4:36; Acts 27:4; Acts 21:16; Matthew 4:24
- 4 Acts 21:10–12; Acts 20:22–23; Acts 20:6–7; Matthew 10:11; Acts 11:26
- 5 Acts 20:36; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:38; Acts 15:3; Psalm 95:6
- 6 John 19:27; 2 Corinthians 2:13; John 1:11; John 7:53; John 16:32
- 7 Hebrews 13:24; Acts 28:12; Acts 18:22; Acts 21:10; Acts 21:19
- 8 Acts 6:5; Acts 8:26–40; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 8:5–13; 2 Timothy 4:5
- 9 Acts 2:17; Revelation 2:20; Exodus 15:20; Luke 2:36; Joel 2:28
- 10 Acts 11:28; Acts 21:4; Acts 20:16
- 11 Acts 21:33; Jeremiah 13:1–11; 1 Samuel 15:27–28; Ezekiel 24:19–25; 1 Kings 11:29–31
- 12 Acts 20:22; Matthew 16:21–23; Acts 21:4
- 13 Acts 20:24; Philippians 1:20–21; Philippians 2:17; Romans 8:35–37; Colossians 1:24
- 14 Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 6:10; 2 Kings 20:19
- 15 Acts 25:9; Acts 25:1; Acts 25:6; Acts 18:22
- 16 Proverbs 16:31; Acts 21:8; Acts 21:3–4; Psalm 92:14; Philemon 9
- 17 Acts 15:4; Hebrews 13:1–2; Romans 15:7; 3 John 7–8; Acts 21:7
- 18 Galatians 1:19; Acts 15:13; Acts 11:30; Galatians 2:9; Acts 15:23
- 19 Acts 14:27; Acts 1:17; Romans 15:18–19; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Acts 20:24
- 20 Romans 10:2; Galatians 1:14; Acts 22:3; Acts 11:18; Acts 15:1
- 21 Galatians 6:12–15; 1 Corinthians 9:19–21; Galatians 5:1–6; Acts 21:28; Acts 15:19–21
- 22 Acts 15:22; Acts 15:12; Acts 19:32
- 23 Acts 18:18; Numbers 6:2–7
- 24 Acts 21:26; Acts 18:18; Acts 24:18; 1 Corinthians 9:20; Exodus 19:14
- 25 Acts 15:29; Acts 15:19–20
- 26 Acts 24:18; Numbers 6:13–20; Acts 21:24; 1 Corinthians 9:20
- 27 Acts 26:21; Acts 24:18; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:19; Acts 5:18
- 28 Acts 24:5–6; Acts 21:21; Acts 26:20–21; Acts 6:13–14; Acts 19:26–28
- 29 Acts 20:4; 2 Timothy 4:20; Acts 18:19
- 30 Acts 26:21; 2 Corinthians 11:26; Acts 16:19–22; Acts 7:57–58; Acts 19:29
- 31 2 Corinthians 11:23–33; Acts 26:9–10; Acts 17:5; Acts 25:23; Acts 23:17
- 32 Acts 23:27; Acts 5:40; Isaiah 3:15; Acts 22:19; Acts 24:6
- 33 Ephesians 6:20; Acts 21:11; Acts 20:23; Acts 12:6; Acts 28:20
- 34 Acts 23:10; Acts 19:32; Acts 23:16; Acts 22:24; Acts 21:37
- 35 Genesis 6:11–12; Psalm 55:9; Habakkuk 1:2–3; Psalm 58:2; Jeremiah 23:10
- 36 John 19:15; Acts 22:22; Luke 23:18; 1 Corinthians 4:13; Acts 7:54
- 37 Acts 21:34; Luke 21:15; Matthew 10:18–20; Acts 19:30; Acts 21:19
- 38 Matthew 24:26; Acts 5:36–37; 1 Corinthians 4:13; Matthew 5:11
- 39 Acts 22:3; Acts 9:11; Acts 6:9; Acts 23:27; Acts 15:41
- 40 Acts 12:17; Acts 26:14; John 5:2; Acts 22:2; Acts 21:35
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This was the Bishop of Jerusalem; and to him (Paul) is sent on an earlier occasion. This (James) was brother of the Lord; a great and admirable man. (To him, it says,) "Paul entered in with us." Mark the (Bishop's) unassuming behavior: "and the elders" (were present).
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
Of which city was the Apostle Paul, being born in Tarsus of Cilicia. But some have understood by it Carthage, being haply sometimes so named, or in some language so signified.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
This man gives directions to Paul himself, when he was after this come up again to Jerusalem, saying, "Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are of them that are come together." So great was his understanding and his zeal, or rather so great the power of Christ.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Thus, for instance, both Peter appears to have been "girded," and Paul; for it saith, "the man that owneth this girdle." And Elijah too was thus arrayed, and every one of the saints, because they were at work continually, laboring, and busying themselves either in journeyings, or about some other necessary matter; and not for this cause only, but also …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For indeed even Paul was of them, and the thousands that believed in Jerusalem; for, "thou seest it is said, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe." And if some continued in their sin, to themselves let them impute their punishment.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)