Paul Continues His Journey to Jerusalem
1After we had torn ourselves away from the Ephesian elders, we headed out to sea. We sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes. From there we continued on to Patara. 2We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia. So we went on board and headed out to sea. 3We came near Cyprus and passed to the south of it. Then we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre. There our ship was supposed to unload. 4We looked for the believers there and stayed with them for seven days. The believers tried to keep Paul from going on to Jerusalem. They were led by the Holy Spirit to do this. 5When it was time to leave, we continued on our way. All the believers, including their whole families, went with us out of the city. There on the beach we got down on our knees to pray. 6We said goodbye to each other. Then we went on board the ship. And they returned home.
7Continuing on from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and sisters. We stayed with them for a day. 8The next day we left and arrived at Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10We stayed there several days. Then a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11He came over to us. Then he took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘This is how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the owner of this belt. They will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
12When we heard this, we all begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13He asked, “Why are you crying? Why are you breaking my heart? I’m ready to be put in prison. In fact, I’m ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus.” 14We couldn’t change his mind. So we gave up. We said, “May what the Lord wants to happen be done.”
15After this, we started on our way to Jerusalem. 16Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason’s home. We were supposed to stay there. Mnason was from Cyprus. He was one of the first believers.
Paul Arrives in Jerusalem
17When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters gave us a warm welcome. 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James. All the elders were there. 19Paul greeted them. Then he reported everything God had done among the Gentiles through his work.
20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they spoke to Paul. “Brother,” they said, “you see that thousands of Jews have become believers. All of them try very hard to obey the law. 21They have been told that you teach Jews to turn away from the Law of Moses. You teach this to the Jews who live among the Gentiles. They think that you teach those Jews not to circumcise their children. They think that you teach them to give up our Jewish ways. 22What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23So do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a promise to God. 24Take them with you. Join them in the Jewish practice that makes people pure and ‘clean.’ Pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that these reports about you are not true in any way. They will know that you yourself obey the law. 25We have already given written directions to the believers who are not Jews. They must not eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. They must not drink blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not commit sexual sins.”
26The next day Paul took the men with him. They all made themselves pure and “clean” in the usual way. Then Paul went to the temple. There he reported the date when the days of cleansing would end. At that time the proper offering would be made for each of them.
Paul Is Arrested
27The seven days of cleansing were almost over. Some Jews from Asia Minor saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul. 28“Fellow Israelites, help us!” they shouted. “This is the man who teaches everyone in all places against our people. He speaks against our law and against this holy place. Besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple. He has made this holy place ‘unclean.’ ” 29They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul. They thought Paul had brought him into the temple.
30The whole city was stirred up. People came running from all directions. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Right away the temple gates were shut. 31The people were trying to kill Paul. But news reached the commander of the Roman troops. He heard that people were making trouble in the whole city of Jerusalem. 32Right away he took some officers and soldiers with him. They ran down to the crowd. The people causing the trouble saw the commander and his soldiers. So they stopped beating Paul.
33The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn’t get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort. 35Paul reached the steps. But then the mob became so wild that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”
“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn’t you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”
39Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people.”
40The commander told him he could. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When all of them were quiet, he spoke to them in the Aramaic language.
Pavlovo putovanje u Jeruzalem
1Pošto smo se od njih oprostili, otplovili smo jedrenjakom do otoka Kosa, a sutradan do Roa, pa u Pataru. 2Ondje smo se ukrcali na lađu za sirijsku pokrajinu Feniciju. 3Kad smo ugledali Cipar, prošli smo pokraj njega s desne strane jedreći prema Siriji. Pristali smo u Tiru da lađa iskrca teret. 4Sišli smo na kopno te ondje našli vjernike.21:4 U grčkome: učenike. Isto i u 21:16. Kako im je Sveti Duh otkrio21:4 U grčkome: rekli su Pavlu kroz Svetoga Duha. Vidjeti stihove: 20:22-24 i 22:10-12. da će Pavao u Jeruzalemu imati nevolja, rekli su mu da ne ide onamo. 5Ali kad je prošlo tjedan dana, ipak smo otputovali. Oni su nas svi ispratili do izvan grada, skupa sa ženama i djecom. Na obali smo kleknuli i pomolili se. 6Pozdravili smo se i ukrcali na lađu, a oni su se vratili doma.
7Otplovili smo tako iz Tira u Ptolemaidu. Pozdravili smo ondje braću i ostali s njima jedan dan. 8Zatim smo otišli u Cezareju i boravili u domu Filipa evanđelista, jednoga od sedmorice koji su dijelili hranu. 9On je imao četiri neudane kćeri koje su imale dar prorokovanja.
10Kad smo ondje bili već nekoliko dana, dođe neki Agab koji je također imao dar prorokovanja, 11uzme Pavlov pojas te njime sebi zaveže noge i ruke. “Ovo govori Sveti Duh”, reče. “Vlasnika ovog pojasa ovako će svezati židovski vođe u Jeruzalemu i predati ga Rimljanima.” 12Kad smo to čuli, i mi koji smo s njime putovali i mještani počnemo preklinjati Pavla da ne ide u Jeruzalem.
13Ali on reče: “Što plačete? Slamate mi srce! Spreman sam ne samo da me svežu nego i umrijeti za Gospodina Isusa.” 14Kad je bilo jasno da se ne daje nagovoriti, odustali smo i rekli: “Neka bude volja Gospodnja!”
Pavao stiže u Jeruzalem
15Ubrzo nakon toga spremili smo se i otišli u Jeruzalem. 16Neki vjernici iz Cezareje koji su pošli s nama odvedu nas nekome Mnasonu s Cipra, jednomu od prvih učenika, da ondje odsjednemo. 17Svi su nas vjernici u Jeruzalemu srdačno dočekali.
18Sutradan Pavao pođe s nama k Jakovu. Ondje su bili i svi starješine jeruzalemske Crkve. 19On ih pozdravi te im podrobno izloži što je Bog učinio među poganima kroz njegovu službu.
20Kad su to čuli, dadu slavu Bogu. Zatim mu rekoše: “Dragi brate, deseci tisuća Židova također su povjerovali. Oni se revno drže Mojsijeva zakona, 21a za tebe su im rekli da Židove koje žive među poganima učiš da ne poštuju Mojsijev zakon. Kažu da ih poučavaš da ne obrezuju djecu i da se ne drže židovskih običaja. 22Što da učinimo? Sigurno će čuti da si došao.
23Učini zato kako ti kažemo. Među nama su četvorica koji su se zavjetovali i sad se spremaju obrijati glavu. 24Idi s njima u Hram i pridruži im se u obredu posvećenja te plati da im obriju glave. Tako će svi znati da su te glasine lažne, da si na pravome putu i da poštuješ židovski Zakon.
25A glede pogana koji su povjerovali, od njih tražimo što smo im napisali u pismu: da ne jedu meso žrtvovano idolima, krv ni meso udavljenih životinja te da se klone bluda.”
Pavlovo uhićenje
26Pavao dakle pristane na njihov zahtjev te sljedećeg dana obavi s njima obred očišćenja te ode u Hram. Ondje oglasi da je njihov zavjet istekao i da će za svakoga od njih prinijeti žrtvu.
27Upravo se navršavalo sedam dana kad neki Židovi iz Male Azije opaze Pavla u Hramu i podjare narod protiv njega. Ščepaju ga 28vičući: “Izraelci! U pomoć! Evo čovjeka koji poučava protiv naroda, protiv našega Zakona i protiv Hrama! Čak ga je oskvrnuo dovodeći Grke u njega!” 29Prije su, naime, u gradu s njime vidjeli Trofima iz Efeza pa su mislili da je Pavao njega doveo u Hram.
30Sav se grad uzbuni te nastane metež. Ščepaju Pavla i odvuku ga iz Hrama te odmah zatvore za njim vrata. 31Dok su ga nastojali ubiti, zapovjedniku rimske čete dojave da je u Jeruzalemu pobuna. 32On odmah s vojnicima i stotnicima potrči prema pobunjenicima. Kad je svjetina vidjela zapovjednika s vojnicima, prestanu udarati Pavla. 33Zapovjednik priđe, uhiti ga i zapovjedi da ga okuju dvostrukim lancima. Onda počne ispitivati tko je on i što je učinio. 34Iz svjetine su jedni vikali jedno, a drugi drugo. Zbog graje nije mogao pouzdano saznati razlog pa zato Pavla povede u vojarnu. 35Kad su došli do stuba, svjetina se tako razjarila da su ga vojnici morali nositi kako bi ga zaštitili. 36Mnoštvo je išlo za njima i vikalo: “Smakni ga!”
Pavao propovijeda mnoštvu
37Na ulazu u vojarnu Pavao reče zapovjedniku: “Smijem li što reći?”
“Zar ti znaš grčki?” upita ga ovaj iznenađeno. 38“Ti dakle nisi onaj Egipćanin koji je nedavno digao pobunu i poveo u pustinju četiri tisuće prevratnika?”
39“Nisam”, odgovori Pavao. “Ja sam Židov iz Tarza, znamenitoga grada u Ciliciji. Molim te, dopusti mi da se obratim narodu.” 40Zapovjednik mu dopusti. Pavao stane na stube i mahne rukom narodu. Nastane velika tišina. Prozbori im na hebrejskome.
