Stone steps rising from a crowded temple court to the wall of a Roman fortress at dusk, a military standard at the top.

The Book of

Acts 21

Everyone who loves Paul begs him not to go to Jerusalem. He goes anyway, and in Jerusalem the warning comes true.

40 verses≈ 7 min4 peopleBSB

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In this chapter

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

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Stylised map · locations approximate

Where it happened

Miletus to Tyre

From Miletus the ship hops down the coast to Cos, Rhodes and Patara. There Paul’s party finds a ship crossing over to Phoenicia and strikes out across open water, “passing south of” Cyprus, to Tyre on the coast of Phoenicia.

We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us. And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.

Paul Visits Philip the Evangelist

Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

In a lamplit room, a bearded man seen from the side with his own hands and feet bound by a long leather belt, others drawing back.

After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

Paul’s companions

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

Paul

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?

When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Acts 21:14

After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.

Stylised map · locations approximate

Where it happened

Up to Jerusalem

Down the coast from Tyre to Ptolemais, on to Caesarea and Philip’s house, then the long climb inland. Agabus has just shown what waits at the end of this road, and Paul takes it anyway.

Reflect

The Lord’s will be done

Paul’s friends wept and pleaded, and it broke his heart. But he said, “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” In the end they said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Is there something you are holding back from God because it might cost you? What would it look like to say those words about it today?

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully. The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

When they heard this, they glorified God.

James and the elders

Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs. What then should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

James and the elders

As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he entered the temple to give notice of the date when their purification would be complete and the offering would be made for each of them.

Question

Quick question

James and the elders had a plan to quiet the rumors about Paul.

What did they ask Paul to do?

Paul Seized at the Temple

When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

Jews from Asia

crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

Heavy bronze temple doors swinging shut in a cloud of dust as a crowd surges outside.

The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil. Immediately he took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

0:26

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.

When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.

Pray

When the crowd turns

Paul came to Jerusalem in peace and went to worship at the temple. Within days a mob was beating him and shouting, “Away with him!” Pray for believers who are being falsely accused today. Ask God to hold them steady, to protect them, and to give them words when their moment to speak comes.

Bound in Jerusalem

Whiteboard

Agabus acted it out in Caesarea, and Paul walked toward it with open eyes. Agabus’ warning came true in Jerusalem. But the chains did not silence him. They gave him a platform.

Paul Addresses the Crowd

Paul

As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

The commander (Claudius Lysias)

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied.

“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?”

Paul

But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”

Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd.

A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:

Acts 21:40

You’ve experienced

Acts 21

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A verse to carry with you

I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 21:13

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