13 Then Paul answered, a“What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, a“The will of the Lord be done.”
Paul Urged to Make Peace
15 And after those days we1 packed and went up to Jerusalem.
16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
17 aAnd when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 On the following day Paul went in with us to aJames, and all the elders were present.
19 When he had greeted them, ahe told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles bthrough his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all azealous for the law;
21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may ashave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.
25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, awe have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from2 sexual immorality.”
Arrested in the Temple
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, aentered the temple bto announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.
27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, athe Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and blaid hands on him,
28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man awho teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
29 (For they had1 previously seen aTrophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 And aall the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.
31 Now as they were aseeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the1 garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
32 aHe immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the acommander came near and took him, and bcommanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.
34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks.
35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.
36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, a“Away with him!”
Addressing the Jerusalem Mob
37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek?
38 aAre you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”
39 But Paul said, a“I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and amotioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the bHebrew language, saying,
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Commentaries:
No entry exists in Barnes' Notes for Acts 21:15.
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