1 AND it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we [ Luke rejoined Paul's company in 20:6. ] came with a straight course unto Coos, [ An island in the Archipelago, or Aegean Sea, one of those called the Sporades. It was famous for the worship of AEsculapius and Juno; and for being the birthplace of Hippocrates, the most eminent of physicians, and Apelles, the most celebrated of painters.] and the day following unto Rhodes,[ Another island in the same sea, celebrated for its Colossus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. This was a brazen statue of Apollo, so high that ships in full sail could pass between its legs. It was the work of Chares, a pupil of Lysippus, who spent twelve years in making it. It was 106 feet high, and so great that few people could fathom its thumb. It was thrown down by an earthquake about 224 years before Christ, after having stood sixty-six years. When the Saracens took possession of this island, they sold this prostrate image to a Jew, who loaded 900 camels with the brass of it; this was about A.D. 660, nearly 900 years after it had been thrown down. ] and from thence unto Patara:

2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. [ The "who" here are the disciples that they found here. So "They said to Paul that the Spirit had told them that he should not go up to Jerusalem." So he's saying, "The Spirit's telling me to go to Jerusalem." See Acts 20:22 They're saying, "The Spirit's telling us, you shouldn't go to Jerusalem." Interesting conflicts here, two different understandings from the spirit. ]

5 And when we had accomplished those days, [ That is, the seven days mentioned in the preceding verse. Since Luke is the one who is recording this it appears that Luke is with Paul here, hence the "we". ] we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

6 And when we had taken our leave [ Having given each other the kiss of peace, as was the constant custom of the Jews and primitive Christians. ] one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. [ In other words "four prophetesses". ]

10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, [ The ancient prophets, who often accompanied their predictions with significant emblems. Jeremiah was commanded to bury his girdle by the river Euphrates, to mark out the captivity of the Jews. ] and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. [ Or the Roman's. So Agabus is prophesying that Paul will be bound shortly and delivered into the hands of the Roman's. ]

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? [ Or are you trying to break ny heart. Notice how he responds to this. You guys are making it harder for me. I know what I need to do and I am ready to die if I need to, so you pulling at my heart strings does not help me. ] for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14  And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, [ When the people realized that Paul was going to do what he thought was right and go to Jerusalem, they stopped asking him to stay. ] saying, The will of the Lord be done.

15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 And the day following Paul went in with us [ Luke would have been included in the us. ] unto James; [ The Brother of Jesus who is now an apostle Gal 1:19. James seems to be kind of the presiding authority in Jerusalem at the time. ] and all the elders were present.

19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. [ This is Pauls mission report of sorts. ]

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; [ Meaning that's awesome what's been happening among the Gentiles. You probably noticed as you've come back to Jerusalem, there are a ton of Jews. There are a lot of Jews that believe, Jewish Christians. ] and they are all zealous of the law: [ Zealous of the law, this is a warning of sorts suggesting that they have righteous indignation for God's honor for the unbreakable law of Moses. They consider Christianity to be a break off of the Jewish religion, not a new one, so old laws still needed to apply. Why is this a problem - them still keeping the law of Moses?These are the Judaizers, and as such are trying as hard as they can to keep things the same, but belong. A quarter of a century has passed since the death of the Savior, the law has been fulfilled; circumcision is no longer an approved part of worship; peculiar customes and practices of the Jews are false and damning; the Nazarite system of vows and sacrifices is destructive of the faith which is centered in Christ, which leads to life and salvation.. How often do we try to keep some of our old habits but say we are true believers. Keeping the Sabbath day holy... ]

21  And they are informed of thee, [ This is why it was dangerous for Paul to come back to Jerusalem. ] that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, [ Paul's in the dog house. There's been rumors about him they've been spreading about him by fellow believers. So we got to just try to capture this. These are Jewish Christians. These are people who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah, and they've got it out for Paul. Because apparently, according to the rumor mill, he's been teaching people to forsake Moses. ] saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. [ So the rumors are that Paul is teaching that you do not need to take Moses seriously. Now, is that accurate? No, that's not accurate. That's not what he's been teaching them. But that's the scuttlebutt. That's what's made it back to Jerusalem. And they're ticked. If they find him, they want to do him harm. So what is Paul really teaching? He's saying that the law was useful as a school master, like he says in the Galatians letter, "It was a school master to prepare us for Messiah to come. The Davidic son has come, the true seed of Abraham has come, and so we ought to rejoice. He's not destroying the law of Moses. He fulfilled it. He is the hope of Israel. He is everything we've been wanting and everything that has come before has been good. Everything that's come before has been right. It's been true. It's been from God. And now that Messiah has come, there is a new covenant. There is a new covenant with his people and it looks different." How would that go over in our church today? [ It would be a hard pill to swallow just as it was for them. If you look you can see how misunderstanding crept in, to the point where people are saying, "He wants to destroy the Jewish way of life." Paul is our enemy. What does it mean to be a servant of Christ and a messenger of Christ? And as we see with Paul, he was a victim of false assumptions. He's a victim of false assumptions. As Jesus's disciples, I think we can expect that to some degree or another. When some people learn that your convictions about Jesus and His teachings disagree with something that they hold dear or conflicts with a lifestyle that they're committed to, as we see here, the Jewish way of living, that's when the defensive false assumptions come rushing in. It's a human tendency. We all do it. It's a psychological self-defense tactic to tell ourselves horrible stories about people we disagree with and who threaten our status quo, and to ascribe to them the worst possible motives. This is what the Jewish believers are doing in Jerusalem. We would call them church members. It wasn't quite the way it's set up today, but these are church members who have it out for an apostle who's teaching stuff they disagree with. Can we just let that sink in for a second? It's actually dangerous for him. They almost kill him. We're about to get to those verses. But they were angry with him. It's hard as a messenger of God, as a servant, anyone who's ever tried, it's hard to not be misunderstood. To try to teach the truth so clearly that you're not misunderstood, but also compassionately, so people know you're not trying to wreck things that they hold dear. ] There is some of this today especially when you try to discuss the LGBT issues. You hold up the standard man/woman marriage as the only God ordained way of marriage, however humbly you approach it, however thoughtfully and gently and sincerely, and watch out. some are not going to be able to resist hurling terms like, "Homophobic," or, "Hateful bigot," or, "Anti-love," or whatever. Even if you're an apostle, nobody's exempt from the hate machine here. Assumptions will be made and accusations will be leveled. ]

22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. [ Now that you (Paul) are here personally - we know that you will straighten this all out for everyone. The brethren explain to Paul that this is a local problem , the people are divided because of this issue and it is causing problems. Judaizers within the ecclesia, probably associated with if not those referenced in 2 Cor. 3:1, have been slandering Paul in Jerusalem (cf. v. 21). The result is the leadership of the ecclesia are forced into a situation where the Jewish Christians who keep the Law are already predisposed against Paul. The potential for great contention within the ecclesia over this matter was probably extreme given the emphatic description given in v. 20. Hence the desire to avoid contention and Paul's subsequent acquiescence. And it apparently works, as there is no contention within the ecclesia over this matter. Hnce; the leaders of the ecclesia are caught in a bad situation, and the way they deal with it is to placate the present majority.]

23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: [the local elder are asking Paul to do the following in order to help reslove the notion that Paul still respects the Law. He is asked to humor the Jewish Christians - those who while converted still practice the false rites, those who still cling to the false ordinances; those who are giving lip serviceto Christ but continue to follow the Mosiac performances which Christ abolished. These are Chrsitians who while they have had the laying on of hand they have not obtained the level of spiritual maturity to gain the full companionship of the Holy Ghost.] We have four men which have a vow on them; [they want Paul to pay the expenses of the closing sacrifices of four Nazirites]

24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, [pay the expenses, the regulations for a Nazirite
appear in Num. 6, with the offerings at the end of the vow being detailed in Num. 6:13-21. Accessory regulations for redeeming one from votary vows appear in Lev. 27:1-8.] that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, [Remember Paul met with the brethern before he begain this journey and they all came to angreement that the Jews could still follow the Law of Moses, including circumcision; but that it was not required especially of the Gentiles. The idea was that why place all of the people under the 630 commandments included in the Law of Moses - to which almost no one could complete all of them. This denotes a fundamental chaneg for these christians, they have been used to being told everything that they need to do almost step by step. Now they are being taught correct principals and are required to govern themselves. This can be a hard thing - freedom.] save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

26 Then Paul took the men, [so why does Paul go along an humor the saints and the wishes of the local elders? He recognizes a few things 1) that it took him (Paul) a while to become fully converted. As a matter of fact it was not until after he was ordained an Apostle that he was fully converted. So he understands that conversion is a process not an event 2) He would rather inspire those who are beginning to believe to continue their seeking of the spirit, their willinginess to learn for that is how they will eventuall y become fully converted. 3) They are learning to act for themselves now and not just following blindly som epreset set of rituals - this is not easy. ] and the next day purifying himself [ Paul is in the temple purifying himself. ] with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, [ And Paul is teaching that you don't have to still live the law of Moses. ] and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, [ He is bringing these Gentile converts to the temple and we cannot have this, it is not right. ] and hath polluted this holy place.

29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, [ When the people saw the Roman soldiers come down the steps they stopped beating up on Paul. ] they left beating of Paul.

33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, [ Or the Antoine fortress. ] he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? [ As Pauls starts to go back up the stairs with the Roman's he says can I say something to this group of people gathered here? Paul actually asks permission of the Roman guard. He says, "Could I speak to these people?" The Roman guard's surprised that he can speak perfect, intelligent Greek. And he is like, "Oh, you speak Greek? Sure." ]

38  Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? [ Then the guard is like, "Aren't you that Egyptian guy that led an uproar and led 4,000 men who were murderers out of..." The Roman guards got a weird story about Paul. He's like, "Are you that guy?" And he is like, "No, I'm not that guy." Verse 39, he's like, "No, I'm a Jew of Tarsus from Cilicia." So what are people really saying about Paul? He's so misunderstood, so maligned. ]

39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen [ Or a Roman citizen. ] of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, [ But the guard says, "Okay, go ahead. Yeah, you can talk to these people." So he turns and he speaks to them in perfect Aramaic, and the people are stunned that he can speak Aramaic. "Quiet down, let's listen to this guy," See Acts 22:2. ]