The journey to Jerusalem - N. T. - Acts 21:1-14 -

When we had at last torn ourselves away from them and put to sea, we set a straight course and arrived at Cos; the next day we reached Rhodes, and from there went on to Patara. Here we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, so we went on board and sailed in her. After sighting Cyprus and leaving it to port, we sailed to Syria and put in at Tyre, since the ship was to unload her cargo there. We sought out the disciples and stayed there a week. Speaking in the Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem, but when our time was up we set off. Together with women and children they all escorted us on our way till we were out of the town. When we reached the beach, we knelt down and prayed; then, after saying good-bye to each other, we went abroad and they returned home.

The end of our voyage from Tyre came when we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them. The next day we left and came to Caesarea. Here we called on Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four virgin daughters who were prophets. When we had been there several days a prophet called Agabus arrived from Judaea to see us. He took Paul's girdle, and tied up his own feet and hands, and said, 'This is what the Holy Spirit says, "The man this girdle belongs to will be bound like this by the Jews in Jerusalem, and handed over to the pagans". When we heard this, we and everybody there implored Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. To this he replied, 'What are you trying to do - weaken my resolution by your tears? For my part, I am ready not only to be tied up but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' And so, as he would not be persuaded, we gave up the attempt, saying, 'The Lord's will be done'.

Cf. - Acts 11:19; 15:3; 20:23; 21:11; 20:36-38; 21:12; 15:3 -

Cf. - Acts 6:5; 8:4f,40; 2:4+,17; 11:27-28; 1:8+; 20:23; 21:33; 21:4; 9:15-16; 20:24+ -

Cf. - Matthew 6:10 - N. T. - Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Cf. - Luke 22:42 - N. T. - 'Father,' he said 'if you are willing, take this cup away from me,'

Paul's arrival in Jerusalem - Acts 21:15-26 - N. T. - 

After this we packed and went on up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and took us to the house of a Cypriot with whom we were to lodge; he was called Mnason and had been one of the earliest disciples. 

On our arrival in Jerusalem the brothers gave us a very warm welcome. The next day Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were present. After greeting them he gave a detailed account of all that God had done among the pagans through his ministry. They gave glory to God when they heard this. 'But you see,' brother,' they said 'how thousands of Jews have now become believers, all of them upholders of the Law, and they have heard that you instruct all Jews living among the pagans to break away from Moses, authorising them not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices. What is to be done? Inevitably there will be a meeting of the whole body, since they are bound to hear that you have come. So do as we suggest. We have four men here who are under a vow; take these men along and be purified with them and pay all the expenses connected with the shaving of their heads. This will let everyone know there is no truth in the reports they have heard about you and that you still regularly observe the Law. The pagans who have become believers, as we wrote when we told them our decisions, must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication.

So the next day Paul took the men along and was purified with them, and he visited the Temple to give notice of the time when the period of purification would be over and the offering would have to be presented on behalf of each of them.

Cf. - Acts 1:15+; 12:17+; 14:27; 15:4,12; 11:18+ -

Cf. - Romans 15:31 - N. T. - Pray that I may escape the unbelievers in Judaea, and that the aid I carry to Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints.

Cf. - Acts 6:11,14; 15:1; 28:17 - 

Cf. - Mark 7:1-13 - N. T. - The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round him, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, 'Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands? 

He answered, 'It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: This people honours me only in lip-service, while their hearts are far from me, The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations. You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.' And he said to them, 'How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. 

But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother". In this way you make God's word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.'  

Cf. - 18:18+; 24:17; 15:19f,28f; 15:1+ -

                                                          -  PAGE  134  -

Paul's arrest

The seven days were nearly over when some Jews...  -  PAGE 135  -

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Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

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