Acts 21
Wycliffe's Bible
1And when it was done, that we should sail, and were passed away from them, with straight course we came to Coos, and the day (pur)suing to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara, and from thence to Myra. (And it was done, that we should set sail, and when we were gone away from them, with straight course we came to Cos, and the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara, and from there to Myra.) 2And when we found a ship passing over to Phenicia, we went up into it, and sailed forth. 3And when we appeared to Cyprus, we left it at the left half, and sailed into Syria, and came to Tyre. For there the ship should be uncharged. (And when Cyprus appeared to us, we left it on the left, or the port, side, and sailed unto Syria, and came to Tyre. For the ship was to be unloaded there.) 4And when we found (some) disciples, we dwelled there seven days; which said by (the Holy) Spirit to Paul, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 5And when the days were [ful]filled, we went forth, and all men with wives and children led forth us without the city; and we kneeled in the sea brink, and we prayed. (And when the days were fulfilled, we went forth, and all the men with their wives and children led us outside the city; and we kneeled on the seashore, and we prayed.) 6And when we had made farewell together, we went up into the ship; and they turned again into their own places (and they returned to their own homes).

7And when the ship sailing was filled from Tyre, we came down to Ptolemais, and when we had greeted well the brethren, we dwelled one day at them (and after we had warmly greeted the brothers, we stayed there one day with them). 8And another day we went forth, and came to Caesarea. And we entered into the house of Philip (the) evangelist, that was one of the seven, and dwelled at him (And the next day we went forth, and came to Caesarea. And we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.) 9And to him were four daughters, virgins, that prophesied. 10And when we dwelled there some days, a prophet, Agabus by name, came over from Judaea. 11This when he came to us, took (hold of) the girdle of Paul, and bound together his feet and hands, and said, The Holy Ghost saith these things, Thus [the] Jews shall bind in Jerusalem the man, whose is this girdle; and they shall betake him into heathen men's hands. (And when he came to us, he took hold of Paul’s belt, and then tied up his own hands and feet with it, and said, The Holy Spirit saith these things, Thus shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, whose belt this is; and they shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.) 12Which thing when we heard, we prayed, and they that were of that place, that he should not go up to Jerusalem (that he would not go up to Jerusalem). 13Then Paul answered, and said, What do ye, weeping and tormenting mine heart? (Why be ye weeping, and tormenting my heart so?) For I am ready, not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14And when we might not counsel him, we were still, and said, The will of the Lord be done.

15And after these days we were made ready [Soothly after these days we made ready], and went up to Jerusalem. 16And some of the disciples came with us from Caesarea, and led with them a man, Jason of Cyprus, an old disciple, at whom we should be harboured.

17And when we came to Jerusalem, brethren received us willfully (the brothers willingly, or gladly, received us). 18And in the day (pur)suing, Paul entered with us to James, and all the elder men were gathered (there). (And on the following day, Paul came with us to James, and all the elders were gathered there.) 19Which when he had greeted (them), he told by all things, what [things] God had done in heathen men, by the ministry of him. (And when he had greeted them, he told them everything that God had done among the Gentiles, through his ministry.) 20And when they heard, they magnified God, and said to him, Brother, thou seest how many thousands be in (the) Jews, that have believed to God, and all be lovers, (or pursuers), of the law (and all of them be devout followers of the Law). 21And they heard of thee, that thou teachest departing from Moses of those Jews that be by heathen men, that say, that they owe not to circumcise their sons, neither owe to enter by, (or after), custom. (But they have heard about thee, that thou teachest going away from Moses for those Jews who live among the Gentiles, and say, that they ought not to circumcise their sons, nor ought to go after, or to follow, our customs.) 22Therefore what is [this]? (And so, what is it?) It behooveth that the multitude come together; for they shall hear, that thou art come (here). 23Therefore do thou this thing, that we say to thee. There be to us four men, that have a vow on them. 24Take thou these men, and hallow thee with them; hang on them, that they shave their heads; and that all men know, that those things that they heard of thee be false, but that thou walkest, and thyself keepest the law. (Take these men, and purify thyself, along with them; yea, hang on them, so that they shave their heads; and so that all men know, that those things that they have heard about thee be false, and that thou walkest in, and thou obeyest, the Law.) 25But of these that believed of heathen men (But to those who believe among the Gentiles), we have written, deeming that they abstain them(selves) from thing(s) offered to idols, and from blood, and also from strangled thing(s), and from fornication. 26Then Paul took the men, and in the day (pur)suing (and on the following day), he was purified with them, and entered into the temple, and showed the [ful]filling of (the) days of purifying, till the offering was offered for each of them.

27And when seven days were ended, the Jews that were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred all the people, and laid hands on him, 28and cried, Men of Israel, help ye us. This is the man, that against the people and the law and this place teacheth everywhere all men, moreover and (he) hath led heathen men into the temple, and hath defouled this holy place. (and cried, Israelites, help us! This is the man, who teacheth everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place, and moreover he hath even led Gentiles into the Temple, and hath defiled this holy place.) 29For they saw Trophimus of Ephesus in the city with him, whom they guessed that Paul had brought into the temple. 30And all the city was moved, and a running together of the people was made. And they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple; and anon the gates were closed (and at once the Temple gates were closed). 31And when they sought to slay him, it was told to the tribune of the company of knights, that all Jerusalem is confounded. (And when they tried to kill him, it was told to the commander of the company of the soldiers stationed there, that all of Jerusalem was in an uproar.) 32Which anon took knights, and centurions, and ran to them. And when they had seen the tribune, and the knights, they ceased to smite Paul. (Who at once took some soldiers, and some centurions, and ran to them. And when they had seen the commander, and the soldiers, they ceased to strike Paul.) 33Then the tribune came, and caught (hold of) him, and commanded, that he were bound with two chains; and asked, who he was, and what he had done. 34But others cried other thing(s) among the people. And when he might know no certain thing for the noise/And when he might not know (any) certain thing for the noise, he commanded him to be led into the castles (he commanded that he be brought into the fortress). 35And when Paul came to the grees, it befell that he was borne of (the) knights, for (the) strength of the people. (And when Paul came to the steps, it befell that he had to be carried by the soldiers, because of the pressing of the people.) 36For the multitude of the people (pur)sued him (For the crowd followed him), and cried, Take him away.

37And when Paul began to be led into the castles, he said to the tribune, Whether it is leaveful to me, to speak anything to thee? And he said, Knowest thou Greek? (And as Paul was brought into the fortress, he said to the commander, Is it lawful for me, to say anything to thee? And he asked, Thou knowest how to speak Greek?) 38Whether thou art not the Egyptian, which before these days movedest a noise, and leddest out into desert four thousand of men, menslayers? (Art thou not that Egyptian, who before these days caused a commotion, and led out into the desert four thousand men, all murderers?) 39And Paul said to him, For I am a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen, which city is not unknown. And I pray thee, suffer me to speak to the people (And I beseech thee, allow me to speak to the people). 40And when he suffered, Paul stood in the grees, and beckoned with the hand to the people (And then he allowed him to speak, and Paul stood on the steps, and beckoned with his hand to the people). And when a great silence was made, he spake in Hebrew tongue, and said,

WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE

Comprising of
Wycliffe’s Old Testament

and

Wycliffe’s New Testament
(Revised Edition)


Translated by

JOHN WYCLIFFE
and JOHN PURVEY


A modern-spelling edition of their
14TH century Middle English translation,
the first complete English vernacular version,
with an Introduction by

TERENCE P. NOBLE

Used by Permission

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