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Common English Bible CEB
1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
1
After we tore ourselves away from them, we set sail on a straight course to Cos, reaching Rhodes the next day, and then Patara.
2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.
2
We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, boarded, and put out to sea.
3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.
3
We spotted Cyprus, but passed by it on our left. We sailed on to the province of Syria and landed in Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.
4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
4
We found the disciples there and stayed with them for a week. Compelled by the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed
5
When our time had come to an end, we departed. All of them, including women and children, accompanied us out of town where we knelt on the beach and prayed.
6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
6
We said good-bye to each other, then we boarded the ship and they returned to their homes.
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.
7
Continuing our voyage, we sailed from Tyre and arrived in Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and sisters there and spent a day with them.
8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
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The next day we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him.
9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.
9
He had four unmarried daughters who were involved in the work of prophecy.
10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
10
After staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
11
He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In Jerusalem the Jews will bind the man who owns this belt, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
12
When we heard this, we and the local believers urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
13
Paul replied, "Why are you doing this? Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I'm ready not only to be arrested but even to die in Jerusalem for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus."
14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
14
Since we couldn't talk him out of it, the only thing we could say was, "The Lord's will be done."
15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
15
After this, we got ready and made our way up to Jerusalem.
16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
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Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and led us to Mnason's home, where we were guests. He was from Cyprus and had been a disciple a long time.
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
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When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly.
18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
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On the next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James. All of the elders were present.
19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
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After greeting them, he gave them a detailed report of what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law,
20
Those who heard this praised God. Then they said to him, "Brother, you see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and all of them keep the Law passionately.
21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.
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They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to reject Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to live according to our customs.
22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
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What about this? Without a doubt, they will hear that you have arrived.
23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
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You must therefore do what we tell you. Four men among us have made a solemn promise.
24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.
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Take them with you, go through the purification ritual with them, and pay the cost of having their heads shaved. Everyone will know there is nothing to those reports about you but that you too live a life in keeping with the Law.
25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality."
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As for the Gentile believers, we wrote a letter about what we decided, that they avoid food offered to idols, blood, the meat from strangled animals, and sexual immorality."
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
26
The following day Paul took the men with him and went through the purification ritual with them. He entered the temple and publicly announced the completion of the days of purification, when the offering would be presented for each one of them.
27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,
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When the seven days of purification were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple. Grabbing him, they threw the whole crowd into confusion by shouting,
28 crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."
28
"Fellow Israelites! Help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, the Law, and this place. Not only that, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place." (
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.
29
They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him earlier, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the temple.)
30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
30
The entire city was stirred up. The people came rushing, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the gates were closed.
31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
31
While they were trying to kill him, a report reached the commander of a company of soldiers that all Jerusalem was in a state of confusion.
32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
32
Without a moment's hesitation, he took some soldiers and officers and ran down to the mob. When the mob saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done.
33
When the commander arrived, he arrested Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Only then did he begin to ask who Paul was and what he had done.
34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
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Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others shouted something else. Because of the commotion, he couldn't learn the truth, so he ordered that Paul be taken to the military headquarters.
35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,
35
When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers in order to protect him from the violence of the crowd.
36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, "Away with him!"
36
The mob that followed kept screaming, "Away with him!"
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?
37
As Paul was about to be taken into the military headquarters, he asked the commander, "May I speak with you?" He answered, "Do you know Greek?
38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"
38
Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists into the desert some time ago?"
39 Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people."
39
Paul replied, "I'm a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. Please, let me speak to the people."
40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
40
With the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured to the people. When they were quiet, he addressed them in Aramaic.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible