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1After we had torn ourselves away from them we set out in our canoe and followed the shortest distance to the island of High Point (Kos) . On the next day we went to Rose Island (Rhodes) , and then to Walked Over (Patara) .
2From there we found a large canoe that was headed for Land of Palm Trees (Phoenicia) and traveled with them.
3We could see Island of Flowers (Cyprus) to our left as we traveled on toward Bright Sun (Syria) , and then went to shore at Rock Land (Tyre) to unload trading goods from the canoe.
4We looked for members of the sacred family who lived there and, after finding them, we stayed with them for seven days. Guided by the Spirit, they kept telling Small Man (Paul) not to go to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) .
5At the end of our time with them, as we were on our way to leave, the men of the sacred family, along with their wives and children, followed us outside the village. We all knelt down at the shoreline, sent our voice to the Great Spirit,
6and said our farewells. We then climbed into the canoe as they went back to their homes.
7From Rock Land (Tyre) we continued on to Village of War (Ptolemais) . We were welcomed by the sacred family and stayed the rest of the day with them.
8The next day we left and went to Chief Village (Caesarea) and lodged there at the home of Lover of Horses (Philip) , a teller of the good story and one of the seven.
9Lover of Horses (Philip) had four unmarried daughters who spoke words of prophecy from the Holy Spirit.
10We stayed there a number of days. During our stay a prophet named Grasshopper (Agabus) came to us from Land of Promise (Judea) .
11He took the sash from Small Man’s (Paul’s) waist and tied it around his own feet and hands.
“This is what the Holy Spirit is saying,” he prophesied. “‘The tribal leaders in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) will do the same to the owner of this sash. They will tie him up and turn him over to the People of Iron (Romans) .’”
12When we, along with the sacred family there, heard this, we all urged Small Man (Paul) not to go to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) .
13“Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?” he said to them. “I am representing our Honored Chief, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) . I am ready not only to be bound but even to die for him in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) .”
14Nothing we could say would change his mind. “Let Creator’s will be done,” we said and then remained silent.
15We then prepared to leave on our journey to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) .
16Some of the sacred family members from Chief Village (Caesarea) traveled with us, along with a longtime follower named He Will Remember (Mnason) , from Island of Flowers (Cyprus) , in whose house we would stay.
17When we arrived at Village of Peace (Jerusalem) , the sacred family welcomed us with glad hearts.
18The next day Small Man (Paul) went with us to meet with He Leads the Way (James) and the elders who were with him.
19After giving them a respectful greeting, he told them about all the things Creator had done as he had worked among the Outside Nations.
20When they heard this, they gave praise to the Great Spirit.
“Our brother,” they said to him, “you can see how many thousands of our Tribal Members have become followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) , and how our tribal law given by Drawn from the Water (Moses) burns like a fire in them!”
21“They have heard that you are teaching our Tribal Members who live among the Outside Nations to turn away from Drawn from the Water (Moses) . They have also heard that they should not perform the cutting of the flesh ceremony for their children or follow our tribal traditions.
22What will happen when they find out you are here? What can be done?”
23“Listen, and do what we say,” they said to him. “We have four men who have taken a solemn vow of dedication.
24Go and join with them in this vow and provide for the shaving of their heads. In this way you will show everyone that these rumors are false and that you still walk in our traditional tribal law.”[#21:24 Numbers 6:1-21]
25“As for the ones from the Outside Nations who have trusted in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) , we sent them a message with our decision that they should stay away from things offered to evil spirits, from drinking blood, from the meat of a strangled animal, and from sexual impurity.”[#21:25 Lit. idols]
26So the next day Small Man (Paul) went with the men to the sacred lodge. He purified himself with them and told them the number of days before the vow would be complete and the sacrifice that would be offered for them.
27Seven days later, when the time was complete, Small Man (Paul) returned to the sacred lodge . Some Tribal Members were there from Land of the Rising Sun (Asia) . When they saw him in the sacred lodge, they took hold of him and began to stir up the crowd against him.
28“Fellow Tribal Members!” they shouted out to the crowd. “Help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people, our tribal law, and this holy place! Even worse, he has brought Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) into the lodge and has defiled this holy place.”
29They said this because they had seen He Eats Well (Trophimus) from Village of Desire (Ephesus) with Small Man (Paul) in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) , and thought he had brought him into the sacred lodge.
30The village was in an uproar! A group of people came together, took hold of Small Man (Paul) , dragged him outside the lodge, closed the gates behind him, and tried to kill him.
31A messenger went from them and told the local head soldier of the People of Iron (Romans) that there was an uprising in the Village of Peace (Jerusalem) .
32At once he took some soldiers and their officers with him and ran to where they were attacking Small Man (Paul) . When the crowd saw the head soldier and his men, they stopped beating Small Man (Paul) .
33The head soldier arrested him and had him bound with two chains of iron. He then asked the crowd who this man was and what he had done.
34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. Since the head soldier could not figure out what happened, he decided to take Small Man (Paul) back to the soldiers’ lodge.
35The crowd became so violent that Small Man (Paul) had to be carried up the stairs.
36“Take him away!” they shouted over and over again as they pressed close, following behind the soldiers.
37Just before they got to the soldiers’ lodge, Small Man (Paul) turned to the head soldier.
“Is it permitted for me to speak to you?” he asked in the soldier’s language.
38“You speak the language of the Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) ,” he replied. “Then you are not the man from Black Land (Egypt) who some time ago caused an uprising and took four thousand assassins out into the desert wilderness.”
39“I am a Tribal Man of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) ,” Small Man (Paul) answered, “from Tree Village (Tarsus) in the territory of Turns Over (Cilicia) , a citizen of a well-known village.”
“I beg you,” he said to the head soldier, “let me speak to my people!”
40The head soldier gave him permission, so Small Man (Paul) stood on the steps overlooking the crowd and motioned his hand to the people. A great hush settled over them, so Small Man (Paul) , speaking in the language of his own people, took a deep breath and with respect began to speak to them.