Paul Travels to Jerusalem despite Warnings

Paul and his companions sailed from place to place, going to Cos, Rhodes, Patara, past Cyprus, and then to Tyre in Syria. There they found disciples and stayed for seven days. Through the Spirit, those believers kept urging Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

When it was time to leave, the believers, along with their wives and children, went with them out of the city. On the beach they knelt down and prayed together. Then they said goodbye. After that, Paul and his companions sailed to Ptolemais, greeted the believers there, and stayed one day.

The next day they came to Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven. Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. After some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and showed that the owner of the belt would be bound in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles.

When everyone heard this, both Paul’s companions and the local believers begged him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul answered that their tears were breaking his heart. He was ready not only to be bound there, but even to die there for the name of the Lord Jesus. When he would not be persuaded, they stopped pressing him and entrusted the matter to the Lord’s will.

After this they went up to Jerusalem. Some disciples from Caesarea went with them and brought them to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom they would stay. In Jerusalem the brothers welcomed them gladly. The next day Paul met James and all the elders, and he reported one by one what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

The elders praised God, but they explained that many Jewish believers had heard reports that Paul was teaching Jews living among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses and their customs. So they told Paul to join four men under a vow, purify himself with them, and pay their expenses. They repeated that Gentile believers were not under that requirement, except for the instructions already sent. Paul then went with the men to the temple the next day.