the Fourth Week of Advent
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Murdock Translation
Acts 21
1 And we separated from them, and proceeded in a straight course to the island of Coos: and the next day, we reached Rhodes, and from there Patara.2 And we found there a ship going to Phenicia; and we entered it, and proceeded on.3 And we came up with the island of Cyprus, and leaving it on the left we came to Syria; and from there we went to Tyre, for there the ship was to discharge her cargo.4 And, as we found disciples there, we tarried with them seven days: and they, by the Spirit, told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.5 And after those days, we departed and went on [fn] way; and they all clung to us, they and their wives and their children, until [fn] without the city; and they fell on their knees by the seaside, and prayed. 6 And we kissed one another: and we embarked in the ship, and they returned to their homes.7 And we sailed from Tyre, and arrived at the city Acco; and we saluted the brethren there, and stopped with them one day.
8 And the next day, we departed and came to Cesarea; and we went in and put up in the house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the seven.9 He had four virgin daughters, who were prophetesses.10 And as we were there many days, a certain prophet came down from Judaea, whose name was Agabus.11 And he came in to us, and took the girdle of Paul's loins, and bound his own feet and hands, and said: Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, who owns this girdle; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.12 And when we heard these words, we and the residents of the place begged of him, that he would not go to Jerusalem.13 Then Paul answered and said: What do ye, weeping and crushing my heart? For I am prepared, not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah.14 And as he was not to be persuaded by us, we desisted; and we said: Let the pleasure of our Lord take place.
15 And after those days, we prepared ourselves and went up to Jerusalem.16 And some disciples of Caesarea went along with us, taking with them a brother from among the earlier disciples, whose name was Mnason, and who was from Cyprus; that he might entertain us at his house.17 And when we arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received us joyfully.18 And the next day, with Paul, we went unto James, when all the Elders were with him.19 And we gave them salutation: and Paul narrated to them, with particularity what God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.20 And when they heard [fn] they glorified God. And they said to him: Our brother, Thou seest how many myriads there are in Judaea who have believed: and these are all zealous for the law. 21 And it hath been told them, of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews that are among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, by telling them not to circumcise their children, and not to observe the rites of the law.22 Now, because they have heard that thou hast arrived here,23 do thou what we tell thee. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves.24 Take them, and go and purify thyself with them, and pay the expenses along with them, as they shall shave their heads; that every one may know, that what is said against thee is false, and that thou fulfillest and observest the law.25 As to those of the Gentiles who have believed, we have written, that they should keep themselves from [fn] sacrifice, and from whoredom, and from what is strangled, and from blood. 26 Then Paul took those men, on the following day, and was purified with them; and he entered and went into the temple, manifesting to them the completion of the days of the purification, up to the presentation of the offering by each of them.
27 And when the seventh day arrived, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple: and they excited all the people against him, and laid hands on him,28 crying out and saying: Men, sons of Israel; help. This is the man, who teacheth in every place, against our people, and against the law, and against this place; and he hath also brought Gentiles into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.29 For they had previously seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian; and they supposed, that he had entered the temple with Paul.30 And the whole city was in commotion; and all the people assembled together, and laid hold of Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and instantly the gates were closed.31 And while the multitude were seeking to kill him, it was reported to the Chiliarch of the cohort, that the whole city was in uproar.32 And immediately he took a centurion and many soldiers, and they ran upon them. And when they saw the Chiliarch and the soldiers, they desisted from beating Paul.33 And the Chiliarch came up to him, and seized him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains: and he inquired respecting him, who he was, and what he had done.34 And persons from the throng vociferated against him this thing and that. And, because he could not, on account of their clamor, learn what the truth was, he commanded to conduct him to the castle.35 And when Paul came to the stairs, the soldiers bore him along, because of the violence of the people.36 For a great many people followed after him, and cried out, saying: Away with him.37 And when he came near to entering the castle, Paul said to the Chiliarch: Wilt thou permit me to speak with thee? And he said to him: Dost thou know Greek?38 Art not thou that Egyptian who, before these days, madest insurrection, and leadest out into the desert four thousand men, doers of evil?39 Paul said to him: I am a Jew, a man of Tarsus, a noted city in Cilicia, in which I was born: I pray thee, suffer me to speak to the people.40 And when he permitted him, Paul stood upon the stairs, and waved to them his hand; and when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew, and said to them:
Murdock Translation
Copyright © 1893, 1896 H. L. Hastings, Boston, Mass., U.S.A, Public Domain