Paul Goes to Jerusalem
1 After saying goodbye, we sailed straight to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and from there sailed on to Patara. 2 We found a ship going to Phoenicia, so we got on board and sailed off.
3 We came within sight of Cyprus and then sailed south of it on to the port of Tyre in Syria, where the ship was going to unload its cargo. 4 We found the Lord's followers and stayed with them for a week. The Holy Spirit had told them to warn Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when the week was over, we started on our way again. All the men, together with their wives and children, walked with us from the town to the seashore. We knelt on the beach and prayed. 6 Then after saying goodbye to each other, we got into the ship, and they went back home.
7 We sailed from Tyre to Ptolemais, where we greeted the followers and stayed with them for a day. 8 The next day we went to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, the preacher. He was one of the seven men who helped the apostles, 9 and he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. 11 He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, “The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles.” 12 After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
13 But Paul answered, “Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus, but I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!”
14 Since we could not get Paul to change his mind, we gave up and prayed, “Lord, please make us willing to do what you want.”
15 Then we got ready to go to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the followers from Caesarea went with us and took us to stay in the home of Mnason. He was from Cyprus and had been a follower from the beginning.
Paul Visits James
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the Lord's followers gladly welcomed us. 18 Paul went with us to see James the next day, and all the church leaders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and told how God had used him to help the Gentiles. 20 Everyone who heard this praised God and said to Paul:
My friend, you can see how many tens of thousands of our people have become followers! And all of them are eager to obey the Law of Moses. 21 But they have been told that you are teaching those who live among the Gentiles to disobey this Law. They claim that you are telling them not to circumcise their sons or to follow our customs.
22 What should we do now that our people have heard you are here? 23 Please do what we ask, because four of our men have made special promises to God. 24 Join with them and prepare yourself for the ceremony that goes with the promises. Pay the cost for their heads to be shaved. Then everyone will learn that the reports about you are not true. They will know you do obey the Law of Moses.
25 Some while ago we told the Gentile followers what we think they should do. We instructed them not to eat anything offered to idols. They were told not to eat any meat with blood still in it or the meat of an animal that has been strangled. They were also told not to commit any terrible sexual sins.
26 The next day Paul took the four men with him and got himself ready at the same time they did. Then he went into the temple and told when the final ceremony would take place and when an offering would be made for each of them.
Paul Is Arrested
27 When the period of seven days for the ceremony was almost over, some of the Jewish people from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They got a large crowd together and started attacking him. 28 They were shouting, “Friends, help us! This man goes around everywhere, saying bad things about our nation and about the Law of Moses and about this temple. He has even brought shame to this holy temple by bringing in Gentiles.” 29 Some of them thought that Paul had brought Trophimus from Ephesus into the temple, because they had seen them together in the city.
30 The whole city was in an uproar, and the people turned into a mob. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Then suddenly the doors were shut. 31 The people were about to kill Paul when the Roman army commander heard that all Jerusalem was starting to riot. 32 So he quickly took some soldiers and officers and ran to where the crowd had gathered.
As soon as the mob saw the commander and soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 The army commander went over and arrested him and had him bound with two chains. Then he tried to find out who Paul was and what he had done. 34 Part of the crowd shouted one thing, and part of them shouted something else. But they were making so much noise that the commander could not find out a thing. Then he ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress. 35 As they reached the steps, the crowd became so wild that the soldiers had to lift Paul up and carry him. 36 The crowd followed and kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37 When Paul was about to be taken into the fortress, he asked the commander, “Can I say something to you?”
“How do you know Greek?” the commander asked. 38 “Aren't you that Egyptian who started a riot not long ago and led 4,000 terrorists into the desert?”
39 “No!” Paul replied. “I am a Jew from Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia. Please let me speak to the crowd.”
40 The commander told him he could speak, so Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. When they were quiet, he spoke to them in Aramaic:
في أورشليم
1 وبَعدَما فارَقناهُم، أبحَرْنا مُتوجّهينَ إلى كُوسَ، وفي اليومِ الثاني إلى رُودُسَ، ومِنها إلى باتَرَةَ. 2 فوَجَدْنا هُناكَ سَفينةً مُسافِرَةً إلى فِـينيقيةَ، فرَكِبناها وسِرنا، 3 فلمّا ظَهرَتْ لنا قُبرصُ تَرَكناها عَنْ يسارِنا، واَتجَهْنا إلى سوريّةَ. فنَزَلنا صورَ، حتى تُفرِغَ فيها السّفينةُ حُمولَتَها. 4 ووجَدَنا التلاميذَ هُناكَ، فأقَمنا عِندَهُم سَبعةَ أيّامٍ. وكانوا يَقولونَ لِبولُسَ، بِوَحيٍ مِنَ الرّوحِ، أنْ لا يَصعَدَ إلى أورُشليمَ. 5 ولمّا اَنقَضَت مُدّةُ إقامَتِنا بَينَهُم، خَرَجنا للسَفرِ، فشيّعونا كُلّهُم، معَ نِسائِهِم وأولادِهِم، إلى خارِجِ المدينةِ، فسَجَدنا على الشّاطئِ وصَلّينا. 6 ثُمّ ودّعَ بَعضُنا بَعضًا، فصَعِدنا إلى السّفينةِ، ورَجَعوا هُم إلى بُيوتِهِم.
7 ومِنْ صورَ وصَلْنا في نِهايَةِ الرّحلَةِ إلى بَتولَمايِسَ، فسَلّمنا على الإخوةِ هُناكَ وأقمنا عِندَهُم يومًا واحدًا. 8 وسِرنا في الغَدِ إلى قيصرِيّةَ. فدَخلَنا بَيتَ فيلبّسَ المُبَشّرِ وهوَ أحَدُ السّبعةِ ونَزَلنا عِندَهُ، 9 وكانَ لَه أربعُ بناتٍ عذارى يَتَنـبّأْنَ. 10 وبَعدَ عِدّةِ أيّامٍ مِنْ إقامَتِنا، جاءَ مِنَ اليَهوديّةِ نَبـيّ اَسمُهُ أغابُوسُ. 11 فجاءَ إلَينا وأخَذَ حِزامَ بولُسَ وقَيّدَ بِه رِجلَيهِ ويَدَيهِ وقالَ: «يقولُ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ: صاحِبُ هذا الحِزامِ سيُقيّدُهُ اليَهودُ هكذا في أُورُشليمَ ويُسلِمونَهُ إلى أيدي الوثنيّينَ».
12 فلمّا سَمِعنا هذا الكلامَ، أخَذْنا نَحنُ والحاضِرونَ نَرْجو مِنْ بولُسَ أنْ لا يَصعَدَ إلى أُورُشليمَ. 13 فقالَ: «ما لكُم تَبكونَ فتكسِرونَ قَلبـي؟ أنا مُستَعِدّ لا لِلقيودِ وحَدَها، بل لِلموتِ في أُورُشليمَ مِنْ أجلِ الرّبّ يَسوعَ». 14 فلمّا عَجِزْنا عَنْ إقناعِهِ، سكَتْنا وقُلنا: «لِتكُنْ مشيئَةُ الرّبّ».
15 وبَعدَ ذلِكَ بأيّامٍ تأهّبْنا لِلسَفرِ وصَعِدْنا إلى أُورُشليمَ. 16 ورافَقَنا بَعضُ التلاميذِ مِنْ قَيصرِيّةَ، فأنزَلونا في بَيتِ مناسُونَ القُبرُصِيّ، وهوَ تِلميذٌ قديمٌ.
بولس يزور يعقوب
17 ولمّا وصَلْنا إلى أُورُشليمَ رَحّبَ بِنا الإخوةُ فَرِحينَ. 18 ودخَلَ مَعَنا بولُسُ في الغَدِ إلى يَعقوبَ، وكانَ الشّيوخُ كُلّهُم حاضِرينَ. 19 فسَلّمَ علَيهِم بولُسُ ورَوى لهُم بِالتَفصيلِ كُلّ ما أجرى اللهُ على يدِهِ بَينَ سائِرِ الشّعوبِ.
20 فلمّا سَمِعوا، مَجّدُوا اللهَ وقالوا لِبولُسَ: «أنتَ تَرى، أيّها الأخُ، كيفَ أنّ آلافَ اليَهودِ آمَنوا وكُلّهُم مُتعَصّبونَ لِشريعةِ موسى. 21 وهَؤلاءِ سَمِعوا أنّكَ تُعَلّم اليَهودَ المُقيمينَ بَينَ سائِرِ الشّعوبِ أنْ يَرتَدّوا عَنْ شريعةِ موسى، وتُوصيهِم أنْ لا يَختِنوا أولادَهُم ولا يَتبَعوا تَقاليدَنا. 22 فما العمَلُ؟ لأنّهُم ولا شَكّ سيَسمَعونَ بِمَجيئِكَ. 23 فاَعمَلْ بِما نقولُهُ لكَ: عِندَنا أربعةُ رِجالٍ علَيهِم نَذرٌ. 24 خُذْهُم واَطّهِرْ مَعهُم وأنفِقْ علَيهِم ليَحلِقوا رُؤوسَهُم، فـيَعرِفَ جميعُ الشّعبِ أنّ ما سَمِعوهُ عَنكَ غَيرُ صَحيحٍ، وأنّكَ تَسلُكُ مِثلَهُم حَسبَ شريعةِ موسى. 25 أمّا الذينَ آمَنوا مِنْ غيرِ اليَهودِ، فكتَبْنا إلَيهِم برَأينا، وهوَ أنْ يَمتَنِعوا عَنْ ذَبائِـحِ الأصنامِ وعَن الدّمِ والحيوانِ المَخنوقِ والزّنى».
26 فأخَذَ بولُسُ الرّجالَ الأربَعةَ في الغَدِ، فاَطّهَرَ مَعَهُم ودَخَلَ الهَيكَلَ وأعَلَنَ الموعِدَ الذي تَنقَضي فيهِ أيّامُ الطّهورِ حتى يُقدّمَ فيهِ القُربانَ عَنْ كُلّ واحدٍ مِنهُم.
اعتقال بولس في الهيكل
27 ولمّا كادَت تَنقَضي أيّامُ الطّهورِ السّبعةُ، رأى بَعضُ اليَهودِ الآسيويّينَ بولُسَ في الهَيكَلِ. فحَرّضوا جُمهورَ الشّعبِ، وقَبَضوا علَيهِ، 28 وصاحوا: «النّجدَةَ، يا بَني إِسرائيلَ! هذا هوَ الرّجُلُ الذي يُعَلّمُ الناسَ في كُلّ مَكانٍ تَعليمًا يُسيءُ إلى شَعبِنا وشَريعتِنا وهذا الهَيكَلِ، حتى إنّهُ جاءَ بِبَعضِ اليونانيّينَ إلى الهَيكَلِ، ودَنّسَ هذا المكانَ المُقدّسَ!» 29 قالوا هذا لأنّهُم شاهَدوا تُرُوفيمُسَ الأفسُسِيّ معَ بولُسَ في المدينةِ، فظَنّوا أنّ بولسَ دخَلَ بِه الهَيكَلَ!
30 فهاجَتِ المدينةُ كُلّها، وتَجَمّعَ الناسُ على بولُسَ فأمسَكوهُ وجَرّوهُ إلى خارِجِ الهَيكَلِ، وأغلَقوا الأبوابَ في الحالِ. 31 وبَينَما هُم يُحاوِلونَ قَتلَهُ، سَمِعَ قائِدُ الحامِيَةِ الرّومانِـيّةِ أنّ أُورُشليمَ كُلّها في هَيَجانٍ، 32 فأخَذَ في الحالِ جُنودًا وضُبّاطًا وجاءَ مُسرِعًا إلَيهِم. فلمّا شاهدوا القائِدَ وجُنودَهُ كَفّوا عَنْ ضَربِ بولُسَ. 33 فدَنا إلَيهِ القائِدُ وأمسكَهُ وأمَرَ بِأنْ يُقيّدَ بِسلسِلَتَينِ. ثُمّ سألَ عَنهُ لِـيَعرِفَ مَنْ هوَ وماذا فَعَلَ، 34 فكانَ بَعضُهُم يُنادي بِشيءٍ، وبَعضُهُم بِشيءٍ آخَرَ. فلمّا تَعذّرَ علَيهِ في مِثلِ هذِهِ الضّجّةِ أنْ يَعرِفَ تَمامًا ما جَرى، أمَرَ جُنودَهُ بأنْ يَسوقوا بولُسَ إلى القَلعَةِ. 35 فلمّا وصَلوا بِه إلى السُلّمِ، حَمَلهُ الجُنودُ لِئَلاّ يَفتُكَ بِه جُمهورُ الشّعبِ. 36 لأنّهُم كانوا يَتبعونَهُ ويَصيحونَ: «اَقتُلوهُ!»
بولس يدافع عن نفسه
37 وبَينَما بولُسُ يَدخُلُ القَلعةَ، قالَ لِقائِدِ الحامِيَةِ: «أتسمَحُ أنْ أقولَ لكَ شَيئًا؟» فقالَ لَه: «أتعرِفُ اليونانِـيّةَ؟ 38 أما أنتَ المِصريّ الذي أثارَ الفِتنةَ مِنْ مُدّةٍ وخرَجَ بأربعَةِ آلافِ قاتِلٍ إلى الصّحراءِ؟» 39 فقالَ بولُسُ: «أنا يَهودِيّ ومواطنٌ رومانيّ مِنْ طَرْسوسَ في كِيليكِيّةَ، وهيَ مَدينةٌ مَعروفَةٌ جيّدًا. فأرجو مِنكَ أنْ تأذَنَ لي بأنْ أُخاطِبَ الشّعبَ». 40 فأذِنَ لَه، فوقَفَ بولُسُ على السُلّمِ وأشارَ بـيدِهِ إلى الشّعبِ. فلمّا سادَ السّكوتُ، خاطَبَهُم بولُسُ بالعِبرِيّةِ، قالَ:
