About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible::

About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible: I was uncertain of how to accomplish this, mindful of Revelation 22:18-19, which says that nobody is to add to, or to take away from what was written in the Bible. After lots of prayerful contemplation, the Lord had it on my heart that I’m not to change the meaning of what is written in the Bible. He has also shown ways to add to people’s understating of that meaning, without altering the meaning, by putting that info within [brackets]. This is primarily accomplished with the KJV Bible and lots of prayers, but at times, BibleGateway.com, Biblehub.com, NIV Bible, Webster Dictionary, and other internet resources, as needed. Debra Seiling

About Understanding the Bible:

Understanding the Bible: After reading Isaiah 28:10 many times over the years and not totally understanding it, it recently became apparent to me that the Lord God has this passage as the means for understanding the Bible. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isaiah 28:10 KJV. Being prayerful about this passage, and looking up 'precept' in the Webster's Dictionary, it gave this passage a whole new meaning, once 'commandment' is substituted for 'precept'. Within brackets are additional words the Lord had on my heart to aid in understanding the meaning. For commandment must be [built up] upon commandment; commandment upon commandment; line upon line, line upon line; [developing understanding] here a little, and there a little.

The Table Format:

The Table Format: I was overwhelmed with how to explain the process for determining if someone had leprosy in Leviticus 13, which seemed very complicated. After praying, "Lord, if this is difficult for me to understand after reading it many times, how can this be explained to others?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was for me to put it into a vertical chart to visually see the process. This made it much easier for me to follow the progression. After doing so, I prayed, "Lord, how can this be conveyed to readers, so that they can understand this process?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was to put it within the lines of a table. Being a stiff-necked, stubborn person, as it's often called in the Bible, I prayed, asking the Lord God if He's sure that's really what He wanted me to do? I reluctantly put Leviticus 13 into a table format. When I read this difficult leprosy process within a table format, it suddenly became easier for me to understand. That's because it builds line upon line, as explained in the Understanding the Bible section. Shortly after that, the Lord God had it on my heart, to put all of The Books of the Bible in Smaller Chunks within a table format, to aid in understanding, line upon line.

9/24/2025

Acts 21:1-40 Paul Criticized for Telling the Gentiles, They Don't Have to be Circumcised

 

Paul Criticized for Telling the Gentiles, They Don't Have to be Circumcised 

Acts 21:1-40                    The Acts of the Apostles [in Smaller Chunks]

And after we had [left] from them, & had launched, it [happened,] that we [went] with a straight course to Coos, [a.k.a. Cos,] & the following day to Rhodes. And from [there] [we went] to Patara. 

And finding a ship sailing to Phenicia, [a.k.a. Phoenicia,] we went aboard & set [out.] Now, when we had [located] Cyprus, we [passed] [by] it on the left hand [side,] & sailed [on to] Syria, & landed at Tyre. For the ship was to [unload its cargo] there. And finding [the] disciples, we [stayed] there & days.

Paul. who, through the Spirit said, that he shouldn't go up to Jerusalem. [Acts 20:23-24 [Except] that the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit] witnessed [to me] in every city, saying, [what] bonds & afflictions [awaited] me. But none of these things [discourage] me. Neither [do] I [consider] my life dear to [me,] so that I might [continue to] finish my [ministry's] course with joy. And the ministry that I have received [from] the Lord Jesus [is] to testify [about] the Gospel, [through] the grace of God.] 

And when those days [were finished] we [left] & went [on] our way. And they all, with wives & children, brought us on our way, [until] we were out of the city. And we kneeled down on the shore & prayed. And when we had [said our good-byes,] [to] one another, we [boarded the] ship. And they returned home again. 

And when we had finished our [voyage,] from Tyre we came to Ptolemais, & [greeted] the brethren, [a.k.a. fellow-believers,] & [sayed] with them 1 day. And the next day, we, [who] were of Paul's company, [a.k.a. group,] departed, & came to Caesarea. 

And we entered in the house of Philip, the evangelist, [who] was 1 of the 7, And [stayed] with him. [Acts 6:2-5 Then, the 12 called the multitude of disciples to them, & said, It isn't [reasonable] that we would leave [preaching] the Word of God, & serve tables. [For this reason,] brethren, [a.k.a. fellow believers,] look out among [yourselves] [& find] 7 men [reported] [to be] honest, & full of the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit,] & wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give, [a.k.a. focus,] ourselves continually to prayer, & to the ministry of the Word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith & [full] of the Holy Ghost; and Philip; Prochorus; Nicanor;Timon; Parmenas; & Nicolas, a [convert from] Antioch.] 

And [Philip] had 4 [virgin] daughters, [who prophesied.] And a certain prophet, named Agabus, came down from Judaea, [a.k.a. Judea, while] we [stayed] there many days. And when [Agabus had] come to us, he took Paul's [belt] & bound his own hands & feet. And said, the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit, says this,] The Jews [in] Jerusalem, shall [also] bind the man, [who owns] this [belt,] & shall deliver him into the hand of the Gentiles. 

And when we heard these things, we & [those from] that place, both [begged Paul,] not to go up to Jerusalem. Then, Paul answered, What [do] you mean [by weeping] & [breaking] my heart? For I am ready, not only to be bound, but also to die [in] Jerusalem, for the Name of the Lord Jesus. 

And when [Paul] wouldn't be persuaded, we [stopped] & [said,] The will of the Lord be done. And after those days, we [packed] up our carriages, & went up to Jerusalem. Also [some] of the disciples from Caesarea, went with us there & brought with them, an old disciple, one Mnason [from] Cyprus, with whom we should lodge. 

And when we [had] come to Jerusalem, the brethren gladly received, [a.k.a. welcomed,] us. And the following day, Paul went in with us to James; & all the elders were present. And when [James] had [greeted] them, he [especially] declared what things God had [brought about] among the Gentiles, [through Paul's] ministry. [Acts 26:22-23 Therefore, having [received] help [from] God, I continue [until] this day, witnessing to both [the:] [powerless & powerful,] saying, [only those] things [that] the prophets, & Moses [said] should [happen.] That Christ [would] suffer, & that He [would] be the 1st, [Who would] rise from the dead, & [would show] Light to the people, & to the Gentiles.] 

And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, & said to [Paul,] You [see] brother, how many 1,000's of Jews there are, [who] believe; & they are all zealous [about] the Law. 

And they [were informed through] you. [In] that, you [taught] all the Jews, [who were] among the Gentiles to [abandon] [the Laws of] Moses, saying that they [shouldn't] circumcise their children, & neither to walk, [a.k.a. follow, according] [to their] customs. 

Therefore, what is [to be done?]  For the multitude will hear that [you've] come, & [it's certain,] they [will gather] together. Therefore, do [what] we say to you. We have 4 men, [who] have [taken] a vow. Take [these 4 men] [with you] & purify yourself with them. And be [responsible for] them, [so] that they may [fulfill their vow &] shave their heads. Numbers 6:5 All the days of the vow [of a Nazarite,] [during] his separation, there shall be no razor [to] come upon his head, &  he shall be holy & shall let the locks of his hair [on] his head grow, until the days [of his vow] [are] fulfilled, [a.k.a. finished,] in which he [separated] himself to the Lord. ] 

And all may know that those things are nothing, [which] they were informed [of] [about] you. But that you, yourself, also walk, [a.k.a. follow,] orderly, & [keep] the Law. 

We have [decided about] the Gentiles [who] believe, & written that they observe, [a.k.a. keep] no such [things, except] only that they keep themselves from: things offered to idols; blood; strangled [animals;] & from fornication, [a.k.a. adultery.] 

Then the next day, Paul took the men, & [purified] himself with them, & entered into the temple, to signify the [completion] of the days of purification, until an offering should be offered [by] everyone of them. 

And when the 7 days were almost [over,] the Jews, [who] were [from] Asia, stirred up all the people, & when they saw [Paul] in the temple, [they] laid hands upon, [a.k.a. seized,] him. Crying out, Men of Israel, help. This is the man, [who teaches,] against the people [of the Jews,] & the Law [of Moses, to] all men, everywhere. 

[Furthermore,] [he has] also brought the Greeks, [a.k.a. Gentiles,] into the temple, & has [defiled] this Holy Place. (For they had [previously] seen [Paul] in the city [of] Trophimus, with an Ephesian, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.) 

And all the city was moved, [a.k.a agitated,] & the people ran together. And they took Paul, & [pulled] him out of the temple, & [immediately] the doors were shut. And as they [plotted] to kill [Paul, news] that all Jerusalem was in an uproar, came to the chief captain, [a.k.a. commander] of the [battalion.] Who immediately took soldiers, & Centurions, & ran down to them. 

And when they saw the [commander] & the soldiers, they [stopped] beating Paul. Then, the commander came [close] & took [Paul.] And commanded [Paul] to be bound with two chains, & demanded [to know] who he was, & what he had done. 

And among the multitude, some cried [out] 1 thing, & some another. And when [the commander,] couldn't know [for] [certain,] because of the [riot,] he commanded [that] [Paul] be carried into the castle [barracks.] 

And [because] [of] the violence of the people, when [Paul] came upon the stairs, it was that he was [carried] [in by] the soldiers. For the multitude of people followed after [Paul,] crying [out,] Away with him. 

And as Paul was [about] to be led into the castle, he said to the [commander,] May I speak to you? Who [in return] said, [Can] you speak Greek? [Aren't] you that Egyptian, [who prior] to these days [made] an uproar, & led 4,000 men, [who] were murderers out into the wilderness? 

But Paul said, I am a man, [who is] a Jew [from] Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, & a citizen of no mean city. And I [urge] you, [to] [allow] me to speak to the people. And when [the commander,] had given [Paul permission,] Paul stood on the stairs & [motioned] to the people with his hand. And when [it] was made [silent,] there, [Paul spoke] to them in the Hebrew tongue, [a.k.a. language.] [Acts 22:1 Saying, You men, brethren, & fathers, hear my defence, [that] I make to you now.]