The Early Church

And as we taried there many dayes, there came a certaine Prophet from Iudea, named Agabus.

And when he was come vnto vs, he tooke Pauls girdle, and bound his owne hands and feete, and sayd, Thus sayth the holy Ghost, So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle, and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles.

And when we had heard these things, both we and other of the same place besought him that he would not go vp to Hierusalem.

Then Paul answered, and sayd, What doe ye weeping and breaking mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound onely, but also to die at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus.

So when he would not be perswaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

And after those dayes we trussed vp our fardels, and went vp to Hierusalem.

There went with vs also certaine of the disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an olde disciple, with whome we should lodge.

And when we were come to Hierusalem, the brethren receiued vs gladly.

And the next day Paul went in with vs vnto Iames: and all the Elders were there assembled.

And when he had embraced them, hee tolde by order all things, that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministration.

So when they heard it, they glorified God, and sayd vnto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousand Iewes there are which beleeue, and they are all zealous of the Law:

Now they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Iewes, which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their sonnes, neither to liue after the customes.

What is then to be done? the multitude must needes come together: for they shall heare that thou art come.

Doe therefore this that we say to thee. We haue foure men, which haue made a vowe,

Them take, and purifie thy selfe with them, and contribute with them, that they may shaue their heads: and all shall knowe, that those things, whereof they haue bene informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thy selfe also walkest and keepest the Lawe.

For as touching ye Gentiles, which beleeue, we haue written, and determined that they obserue no such thing, but that they keepe themselues from things offred to idoles, and from blood, and from that that is strangled, and from fornication.

Then Paul tooke the men, and the next day was purified with them, and entred into the Temple, declaring the accomplishment of the dayes of the purification, vntill that an offering should be offered for euery one of them.

And when the seuen dayes were almost ended, the Iewes which were of Asia (when they sawe him in the Temple) moued all the people, and laide hands on him,

Crying, Men of Israel, helpe: this is the man that teacheth all men euery where against the people, and the Lawe, and this place: moreouer, he hath brought Grecians into the Temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

For they had seene before Trophimus an Ephesian with him in the citie, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple.

Then all the citie was moued, and the people ran together: and they tooke Paul and drewe him out of the Temple, and forth with the doores were shut.

But as they went about to kill him, tydings came vnto the chiefe captaine of the band, that all Hierusalem was on an vproare.

Who immediately tooke souldiers and Centurions, and ran downe vnto them: and when they sawe the chiefe Captaine and the souldiers, they left beating of Paul.

Then the chiefe Captaine came neere and tooke him, and commanded him to be bound with two chaines, and demaunded who he was, and what he had done.

And one cryed this, another that, among the people. So when he could not know the certeintie for the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castell.