Acts 21:13

From Paul’s response to their entreaty, he seems not to have known whether his arrest would result in his death or not.

Why did Paul avoid the possibility of death in Corinth (Acts 20:3) but not here? Paul’s purpose to deliver the collection and so strengthen the unity of the Gentile and Jewish believers would have failed if he had died on board a ship between Corinth and Jerusalem. However arrest in Jerusalem would not frustrate that purpose. For Paul, and eventually for his friends (Acts 21:14), the Lord’s will was more important than physical safety (cf. Luke 22:42). He believed the Spirit wanted him to go to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21; Acts 20:22) so he "set his face" to go there (cf. Luke 9:51).

"Paul, aware of the suffering and danger ahead, must make the same decision in Caesarea that Jesus made in the prayer scene before his crucifixion. In the prayer scene Jesus expressed the two options himself in internal debate: ’Take this cup from me; nevertheless, let not my will but yours be done’ (Luke 22:42). In Paul’s case his companions and friends express the option of escape and appeal to Paul to choose it. Paul chooses the other option. The conflict finally ends when Paul’s friends recognize that they cannot persuade him and say, ’Let the will of the Lord be done’ (Acts 21:14)." [Note: Tannehill, 2:264.]