The Book of Acts Chapter 21

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The Book of Acts Chapter 21

Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.21.NIV

Paul in Jerusalem: Arrested

On to Jerusalem

1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, (It is not easy to get separated with beloved.) we put out to sea and sailed (from Miletus) straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.

2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia (transferred a ship to Phoenicia, Canaan region), went on board and set sail.

3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. (Arrived at Tyre.)

4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. (It was a precious comfort meeting alike on the journey.) Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. (The believers in Tyre, moved by the Spirit, urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem where hostile Jews were waiting for him.)(1)

5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. (Paul insisted to leave in spite of their persuasion.) All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.

6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. (It was a sad separation.)

7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. (Time to meet and depart.)

8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.

9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. (Came to the house of Philip and his four prophet daughters.)

10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ” (The Prophet Agabus from Jerusalem came and prophesied Paul's arrest in Jerusalem.)

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. (So the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.)

13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. (But Paul insisted to go on to Jerusalem risking his own freedom, safety, and comfort.)(1)

16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. (Some fellow believers accompanied Paul to Mnason's house. Friends in faith.)

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. (Paul's company met the Jerusalem believers.)

18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James (Brother of Jesus), and all the elders were present. (Also met the leaders of the Jerusalem Church.)

19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. (Paul reported what God had done through the obedient ministry of Paul.)

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. (It was a good news but also raised the opposition of Jews.)

22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow (2, The vow of Nazarite). 

24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. (Try to mitigate the hostility of Jews by following the Jewish law. But it will be ended up the arrest of Paul. v.27ff.)

25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” (The Gentile believers will follow the established rules of abstinence. Ch.15)

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. (So Paul followed the procedure according to the rule.)

Paul Arrested

27 When the seven days were nearly over (The ceremony lasted seven days.), some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” (People who had seen Paul's Gospel ministry in Minor Asia accused and seized Paul for violating the Jewish law concerning the temple regulation.)

29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) (Indeed it was their misunderstanding but...)

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. (The mob acted on their misunderstanding; seizing Paul violently and illegally.)

31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. (They even tried to kill him, and the Roman commander came to know what had happened, and stopped the lynch. Paul was beaten up. 2Co. 11:24. Remember he got into this situation by his own decision. And also what about the church leaders' recommendation for purification ceremony which was ended up like this? v.24. Who's going to blame whom? God's will be done.)

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. (The commander arrested Paul and investigated the incident.)

34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. (Due to the chaos among the mob, the commander took Paul to the barracks. Paul was saved from the lynch of the mob.)

35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.

36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!” (The raging rioters shouted for Paul's execution.)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. (Paul initiated a talk with the commander.)

38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?” (The commander misunderstood Paul as an another terrorist.)

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. (Paul identified to be a Roman citizen who deserves the proper right of a citizen.) Please let me speak to the people.” (and asked him to speak to the people.)

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic. (Paul silenced the mob and began to speak to them in Aramaic which was a common language for the Jew at the time.)

(1)Why Paul insisted to go to Jerusalem in spite of the expected hardship?

We should cherish our wellbeing and resources for His glory. Sometimes we avoid hardship and save our precious resources. But we must not hesitate wasting those if that is for nobler purpose. Jesus fed Himself, and rested time to time. But He gave all of the life for the sake of the salvation of all people. Knowing the future is not to take easy way but to go through the right way for the right result. (Mt. 6:10, 26:39)

(2)Vows of Disciples (Google AI)

"There are four men with us who have made a vow" (from Acts 21:23) means four Jewish Christian men in the Jerusalem church had taken a temporary Nazarite vow, a special dedication to God involving specific abstinences and culminating in purification rituals and sacrifices, and the church elders suggested the Apostle Paul join them in these rites to disprove rumors that he was forsaking Jewish law, demonstrating his continued adherence to tradition. Paul agreed, purifying himself and paying their expenses to complete the vow, showing he was still "walking orderly and keeping the law".