1 And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the [day] following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: 2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. 3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till [we were] out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. 6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again. 7 And when we had finished [our] course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. 8 And the next [day] we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was [one] of the seven; and abode with him. 9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 10 And as we tarried [there] many days, there came down from Judæa a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. 15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. 16 There went with us also [certain] of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. 17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the [day] following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. 19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. 20 And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: 21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. 23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; 24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave [their] heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but [that] thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. 25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. 27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, 28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all [men] every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. 31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? 38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? 39 But Paul said, I am a man [which am] a Jew of Tarsus, [a city] in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. 40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto [them] in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Acts · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Acts 21 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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
Jerusalem
Set high in the Judean hills (~2,500 ft), Jerusalem was David's royal city, the site of the First and Second Temples, and the stage for Jesus' passion and the church's birth at Pentecost.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 5:6-9; Luke 19:41; Acts 1:8
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)