Acts · Chapter 21

[ edit] Soþeli whanne it was don, þat we ſchulden ſchippe, drawun awey fro hem, ſtreiȝt cours we camen to Choum, and þe day ſuynge to Rodum, and fro þennis to Patiram, fro þennis into Iram. And whanne we founden a ſchip paſſinge ouer into Fenyſe, we ſtiȝynge vp, ſchippeden, or ſeiliden. Soþli whanne we apperiden to Cypre, we leeuynge it at þe left half, ſchipiden into Cyrie, and camen to Tyre. Soþeli þere þe ſchip was to puttinge out þe charge. Soþli diſciplis foundun, we dwelliden þere ſeuene dayes; þe whiche ſeiden bi ſpirit to Poul, þat he ſchulde not ſtiȝe to Jeruſalem.

And þe dayes fulfillid, we goinge forþ wenten, alle men wiþ wyues and fre children ledinge forþ vs til to wiþoute þe citee; and þe knees putt in þe ſee brynke, we preieden. And whanne we hadden maad farwel to gidere, we wenten vp into þe ſchip; ſoþli þei turneden aȝen into her owne þingis. Soþli þe ſchip ſeiling fulfillid fro Tyre, we deſſendiden to Tolomayda, and þe breþeren gret wel, we dwelliden o day at hem. Forſoþe an oþer day we gon forþ, camen to Ceſarie. And we entringe into þe hous of Philip euangeliſt, þat was oon of þe ſeuene, dwelliden at him. Soþli to þis weren foure douȝtris, virgyns, propheſiynge.

And whanne we dwelliden þere bi ſum dayes, ſum man prophete, Agabus by name, cam ouer fro Judee. Þis whanne he cam to vs, took þe girdil of Poul, and byndynge to gidere to him þe feet and hondis, ſeide, Þe Hooli Goſt ſeiþ þes þingis, Þus Jewis ſchulen bynde in Jeruſalem þe man, whos is þis girdil; and þei ſchulen bitake into heþene mennis hondis. Which þing whanne we herden, we preieden, and þei þat weren of þat place, þat he ſchulde not ſtiȝe to Jeruſalem. Þanne Poul anſweride, and ſeide, What do ȝe, wepinge and turmentynge myn herte? Soþli I am redy, not onli for to be boundun, but and to deie in Jeruſalem for þe name of þe Lord Jheſu.

And whanne we myȝten not councele him, we weren ſtille, or reſtiden, ſeyinge, Þe wille of þe Lord be don. Soþeli aftir þes dayes we maad redy, ſtiȝeden to Jeruſalem. Soþli ſumme of diſciplis camen wiþ vs fro Ceſarie, ledinge wiþ hem ſum man, Jaſon of Cypre, an old diſciple, at whom we ſchulden be herborid. And whanne we camen to Jeruſalem, breþeren reſceyueden vs wilfulli. Soþli in þe day ſuynge Poul entride wiþ vs to James, and alle þe eldere men ben gederid. Whom whanne he hadde grett, he tolde bi alle þingis, what þingis God hadde don in heþene men, by þe myniſterie of him.

And þei whanne þei herden, magnifieden God, and ſeiden to him, Þou, broþir, ſeeſt how manye þouſandis ben in Jewis, þat han bileuyd to God, and alle ben ſueris, or loueris, of þe lawe. Soþli þei herden of þee, for þou techiſt departing fro Moyſes of þe ilke Jewis þat ben by heþene men, ſeiynge, þat þei oweden not for to circumſide her ſones, neþer owen for to entre vp cuſtom. Þerfore what is? Soþli it bihoueþ a multitude come to gidere; forſoþe þei ſchulen heere þee, for to haue come ouer. Þerfore do þou þis þing, þat we ſeyn to þee. Þere ben to vs foure men, hauynge a vow on hem.

Þeſe takun to, halowe þee wiþ hem; and coſte in hem, þat þei ſchaue her heedis; and alle men wite, þat þe þingis þat þei herden of þee ben falſe, but þou walkiſt and þi ſilf kepinge þe lawe. Of þeſe ſoþli þat bileuyden of heþene men, we writen, demynge þat þei abſteyne hem fro þingis offrid to ydols, and blood, and ſtranglid þing, and fornicacioun. Þanne þe men takyn to, Poul in þe day ſuynge purified wiþ hem, entride into þe temple, ſchewinge þe fulfilling of dayes of purifiyng, til offring was offrid for ech of hem.

Soþli whanne ſeuene dayes weren endid, þe Jewis þat weren of Aſie, whanne þei ſyȝen hym in þe temple, ſtiriden al þe peple, and leiden hondis on him, criynge, Men of Iſrael, helpe ȝe vs. Þis is þe man, þat aȝens peple and lawe and þis place techinge euery where alle men, more ouer and haþ ledd yn heþen men into þe temple, and haþ defoulid þis hooly place. Forſoþe þei ſyȝen Trophimus of Epheſi in þe citee wiþ him, whom þei geſſiden for Poul hadde brouȝt into þe temple. And al þe citee is mouyd, and a rennynge to gidere of peple is maad. And þei catchinge Poul, drowyn him out of þe temple; and anoon þe ȝatis ben cloſid.

Soþli hem ſekynge for to ſle hym, it is toold to þe tribune of þe cumpanye of knyȝtis, for al Jeruſalem is confoundid. Þe which a noon knyȝtis takun to, and centuriouns, ran to hem. Whiche whanne þei hadden ſeyn þe tribune and knyȝtis, ceeſſiden for to ſmyte Poul. Þanne þe tribune comynge to, kauȝte him, and comaundide for to be boundyn wiþ twey chaynes; and axide, who it was, and what he hadde don. Soþli oþere crieden oþir þing in þe cumpanye. And whanne he myȝte not knowe certeyn þing for þe noyſe, he comaundide him for to be ledd into þe caſtels. And whanne Poul cam to grees, it bifel þat he was born of knyȝtis, for ſtrengþe of þe peple.

Forſoþe multitude of peple ſuede him, criynge, Take him awey. And whanne Poul bigan for to be ledd in to þe caſtels, he ſeiþ to þe tribune, If it is leefful to me, for to ſpeke ony þing to þee? Which ſeide, Þou Greek haſt þou knowun? Wher þou ert not þe Egipcian, þe which bifore þes dayes mouediſt a noyſe, and laddiſt out into deſert foure þouſand of men, menſleeris? And Poul ſeide to him, Soþli I am a man Jew, of Tarſe of Cilicie, a citeſeyn, or burgeys, of a citee not vnknowun. Forſoþ I preie þee, ſuffre me for to ſpeke to þe peple. And whanne he ſuffride, Poul ſtondinge in þe grees, bekenyde wiþ þe hond to þe peple. And a greet ſilence maad, he ſpak to in Ebrew tunge, ſeyinge,