1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. 6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. 7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. 8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
Commentary
Vs. 1-6 1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. 6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
Leaving Miletus, the Apostle Paul and his entourage began their journey in haste for Jerusalem, setting sail on a cargo ship they came first to Cos, (an island in the Aegean Sea, which was an independent Greek city state, which had one of the most beautiful harbors in antiquity, it was also renowned for its school of medicine of which Hippocrates was a member, Eerdmans) and so being the ships first port of call they spent the night there. The next day they then arrived at Rhodes (a large island an important trading port and independent Greek city state in the southeastern portion of the Aegean Sea, southwest of modern-day Turkey), and after another short port of call their ship then departed and arrived at Patara (a short distance away and a major port city of Lycia, Patara was one of the six largest cities of the Lycian league, Eerdmans). And so, with their ship making port at just about every major port, the Apostle Paul and his entourage while harbored at Patara now find a ship taking a direct course over to Phoenicia (modern day Lebanon) and so they boarded it and set sail (vs. 2). As they made their way, they cited Cyprus, “The third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, 74 km. (46 mi.) south of Cilicia (modern Turkey) and about 96 km. (60 mi.) west of Syria. In the Old Testament it is called Kittim.”[1]) which they passed on the left while sailing onward to Syria, before landing at Tyre (the principal port city of ancient Phoenicia). And so there the ship was to unload her cargo, and so the Apostle Paul and his group found sanctuary with some disciples who had sought refuge there from the persecutions at Jerusalem, whom they stayed with seven days. Now while with them they told Paul through the Spirit of God not to go to Jerusalem. However, Paul’s mind was already set, and so when their ship was ready to depart, they, their wives, and their children accompanied them out of the city, and when they arrived at the shore, they all knelt down and prayed together. Again, we see the intimacy of the early church, of believers sharing hearts and opening their homes and lives to each other, because they all knew that they were not of this world, that is welcomed by it, or welcomed in it.
Vs. 7 “And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.”
From Tyre their journey now takes them southward down the Mediterranean Sea coast to Ptolemais which was between Tyre and Caesarea. Now Ptolemais was the Roman name given to the ancient city Acco, which God gave to the tribe of Asher as a part of their inheritance, though they failed to take possession of it, because of their disobedience to God, Judges 1:31). And so, when the Apostle Paul and his team arrived there, they greeted the brethren and stayed just one day with them, as they were still pressing onward for Jerusalem.
Vs. 8 “On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.”
On this final leg of their sea journey the Apostle and Paul and those who would continue on with him to Jerusalem now make the journey from Ptolemais to Caesarea, the city named after Caesar Augustus, which was built by Herod the Great between 22 to 9 B.C. And so, it was here where Philip the evangelist; (who was one of the original seven deacons at Jerusalem, and who went onto preach the Gospel in Samaria, and to the Ethiopian Eunuch after the persecutions arose at Jerusalem had settled (Acts 6:1-7; 8:4-8:26-40).
Vs. 9 “Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”
This means that Phillips four virgin daughters by the Holy Spirit were chosen woman who prophesied for God. However, this does not mean that they were either preachers, or teachers or held authority in the church over men and the leadership there, since nowhere does the Scripture permit (1 Cor. 11:3; 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-15 etc.). Even Deborah in her own victory song, sang of the joy when God’s leaders willingly lead (whether in God’s nation, or in His church, or in His home) and do not hesitate as Barak did, or forsake or abandon their God assigned role that they are to fulfill (Judges 5:1-2, 9; also consider Isaiah 3:12; 1 Peter 3:1).
Vs. 10-11 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
Now while Paul and those with him were staying with Philip, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea (this is the same Agabus who came from Jerusalem to Antioch to warn the church of an upcoming worldwide famine that later occurred during the days of Claudius, Acts 11:28). However, this time the prophet had a specific warning for a specific person, and that person was the Apostle Paul. And so, finding Paul at Philips house he took Paul’s belt and bound his own hands and feet with it and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” Vs. 11
Vs. 12-14 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
Upon hearing this, Paul’s companions then pleaded with not to go to Jerusalem, for they knew that the prophet’s words came to pass, and so not wanting to see him suffer like that they begged him not to go there (vs. 12). Now upon seeing and hearing them pleading and weeping with him not to go, the Apostle Paul was broken up inside, for he didn’t want to cause them to sorrow, but he also knew that he had to go, and so he says to them, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Vs. 13 There then could be no turning back for Paul, for he was duty bound to go and face whatever it was the Lord had already ordained for him to face. Therefore because of their sadness of heart at hearing this, the brethren when they saw that Paul would not be dissuaded ceased saying, “The will of the Lord be done”, regarding this matter (vs. 14).
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
Additional Resources Consulted
[1]
Myers, A. C. (1987). In The Eerdmans Bible
dictionary (p. 250). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
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