Acts 21:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

NIV: Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

NASB: Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to stay.

CSB: Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us and brought us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.

NLT: Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early believers.

KJV: There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

NKJV: Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.

Paul is on the 64-mile journey from Caesarea Maritima to Jerusalem along with Luke, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus (Acts 20:4), as well as a contingent from Philip's church in Caesarea. It's unclear if Mnason lives in Jerusalem or somewhere along the way.

This is the end of Paul's third missionary journey, which is the last recorded in the book of Acts. He will reach Jerusalem and report to James and the elders of the church. They will rejoice over the establishment of the church in Ephesus as well as the news Paul brings of the faithfulness of the churches in Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. But they bear troubling news, as well. A rumor has spread that Paul is teaching Jewish Christians they no longer have to follow the Mosaic law. To prove them wrong, Paul agrees to help a group of men complete their Nazirite vow. Before they can finish the ceremony, however, another rumor flies that he has brought a Gentile—Trophimus—into the temple. The issue escalates quickly and results in Paul being under house arrest for five years (Acts 21:17–36).

Even as Paul faces these challenges, the Holy Spirit surrounds him with support. Some of his traveling companions have been with him for years, others for months. Those from Caesarea accompany him because they're concerned about him. Staying with Mnason—who apparently has followed Jesus since that first Pentecost or even earlier—must be more comforting than staying in an inn. Soon, Paul will be back in Caesarea—under house arrest but able to visit with the church members (Acts 24:23). And Luke and Aristarchus will travel with him to Rome (Acts 27:2).

Initially, when the Holy Spirit warned Paul's friends that he would be arrested, they thought they were supposed to prevent him from going to Jerusalem. Soon, they learn the Holy Spirit is preparing them to support Paul.

Acts 21:7–16 records Paul and his companions stopping in Caesarea Maritima. They are there briefly with the evangelist Philip before finally arriving in Jerusalem. For months, now, the Holy Spirit has warned Paul that when he reaches Jerusalem, he will be imprisoned and afflicted (Acts 20:22–23). The church in Tyre tried to stop him from going; the church in Caesarea will beg him. Paul reorients their concerns: Jesus comes first and if Jesus wants him to be imprisoned, he will serve his Savior in prison. The Holy Spirit's influence is meant to prepare Paul, not discourage him.

In Acts 21, Paul returns to Judea from his third missionary journey and promptly gets arrested. He begins by visiting Philip in Caesarea Maritima. Church elders in Jerusalem ask Paul to help men fulfill a Nazirite vow, to dispel rumors he has apostatized his Jewishness. While doing so, Ephesian Jews accuse Paul of bringing one of his Gentile Ephesian companions into the temple. The Roman military tribune keeps the enraged crowd from tearing Paul limb from limb by arresting him.

Acts 21 fulfills the fears of many of Paul's friends. Throughout the last part of his third missionary journey the Holy Spirit has been telling him he will be arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 20:23–25). When Paul reacts to dire personal prophecy, the Jesus-followers in Caesarea Maritima try to stop him from going on (Acts 21:8–14). Through a complicated trail of rumors, lies, and wrong assumptions, things go according to the Holy Spirit's foreknowledge and Roman soldiers arrest Paul. He will face the next 5 years in custody in Caesarea and Rome, but he will spread Jesus' story the entire time (Acts 22—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.