16:1 He also came to Derbe 1 and to Lystra. 2 A disciple 3 named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, 4 but whose father was a Greek. 5 16:2 The brothers in Lystra 6 and Iconium 7 spoke well 8 of him. 9 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy 10 to accompany him, and he took 11 him and circumcised 12 him because of the Jews who were in those places, 13 for they all knew that his father was Greek. 14 16:4 As they went through the towns, 15 they passed on 16 the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem 17 for the Gentile believers 18 to obey. 19 16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day. 20
16:6 They went through the region of Phrygia 21 and Galatia, 22 having been prevented 23 by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message 24 in the province of Asia. 25 16:7 When they came to 26 Mysia, 27 they attempted to go into Bithynia, 28 but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow 29 them to do this, 30 16:8 so they passed through 31 Mysia 32 and went down to Troas. 33 16:9 A 34 vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there 35 urging him, 36 “Come over 37 to Macedonia 38 and help us!” 16:10 After Paul 39 saw the vision, we attempted 40 immediately to go over to Macedonia, 41 concluding that God had called 42 us to proclaim the good news to them.
16:11 We put out to sea 43 from Troas 44 and sailed a straight course 45 to Samothrace, 46 the next day to Neapolis, 47 16:12 and from there to Philippi, 48 which is a leading city of that district 49 of Macedonia, 50 a Roman colony. 51 We stayed in this city for some days. 16:13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down 52 and began to speak 53 to the women 54 who had assembled there. 55 16:14 A 56 woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth 57 from the city of Thyatira, 58 a God-fearing woman, listened to us. 59 The Lord opened her heart to respond 60 to what Paul was saying. 16:15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, 61 “If 62 you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, 63 come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded 64 us.
16:16 Now 65 as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. 66 She 67 brought her owners 68 a great profit by fortune-telling. 69 16:17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, 70 “These men are servants 71 of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way 72 of salvation.” 73 16:18 She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed, 74 and turned 75 and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ 76 to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. 77 16:19 But when her owners 78 saw their hope of profit 79 was gone, they seized 80 Paul and Silas and dragged 81 them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When 82 they had brought them 83 before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. 84 They are 85 Jews 16:21 and are advocating 86 customs that are not lawful for us to accept 87 or practice, 88 since we are 89 Romans.”
16:22 The crowd joined the attack 90 against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes 91 off Paul and Silas 92 and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 93 16:23 After they had beaten them severely, 94 they threw them into prison and commanded 95 the jailer to guard them securely. 16:24 Receiving such orders, he threw them in the inner cell 96 and fastened their feet in the stocks. 97
16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying 98 and singing hymns to God, 99 and the rest of 100 the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds 101 of all the prisoners came loose. 16:27 When the jailer woke up 102 and saw the doors of the prison standing open, 103 he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, 104 because he assumed 105 the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul called out loudly, 106 “Do not harm yourself, 107 for we are all here!” 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer 108 rushed in and fell down 109 trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside 110 and asked, “Sirs, what must 111 I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, 112 “Believe 113 in the Lord Jesus 114 and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then 115 they spoke the word of the Lord 116 to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At 117 that hour of the night he took them 118 and washed their wounds; 119 then 120 he and all his family 121 were baptized right away. 122 16:34 The jailer 123 brought them into his house and set food 124 before them, and he rejoiced greatly 125 that he had come to believe 126 in God, together with his entire household. 127 16:35 At daybreak 128 the magistrates 129 sent their police officers, 130 saying, “Release those men.” 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, 131 “The magistrates have sent orders 132 to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” 133 16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, 134 “They had us beaten in public 135 without a proper trial 136 – even though we are Roman citizens 137 – and they threw us 138 in prison. And now they want to send us away 139 secretly? Absolutely not! They 140 themselves must come and escort us out!” 141 16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas 142 were Roman citizens 143 16:39 and came 144 and apologized to them. After 145 they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly 146 to leave the city. 16:40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then 147 departed.
17:1 After they traveled through 148 Amphipolis 149 and Apollonia, 150 they came to Thessalonica, 151 where there was a Jewish synagogue. 152 17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, 153 as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed 154 them from the scriptures, 17:3 explaining and demonstrating 155 that the Christ 156 had to suffer and to rise from the dead, 157 saying, 158 “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 159 17:4 Some of them were persuaded 160 and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group 161 of God-fearing Greeks 162 and quite a few 163 prominent women. 17:5 But the Jews became jealous, 164 and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, 165 they formed a mob 166 and set the city in an uproar. 167 They attacked Jason’s house, 168 trying to find Paul and Silas 169 to bring them out to the assembly. 170 17:6 When they did not find them, they dragged 171 Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, 172 screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble 173 throughout the world 174 have come here too, 17:7 and 175 Jason has welcomed them as guests! They 176 are all acting against Caesar’s 177 decrees, saying there is another king named 178 Jesus!” 179 17:8 They caused confusion among 180 the crowd and the city officials 181 who heard these things. 17:9 After 182 the city officials 183 had received bail 184 from Jason and the others, they released them.
17:10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea 185 at once, during the night. When they arrived, 186 they went to the Jewish synagogue. 187 17:11 These Jews 188 were more open-minded 189 than those in Thessalonica, 190 for they eagerly 191 received 192 the message, examining 193 the scriptures carefully every day 194 to see if these things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few 195 prominent 196 Greek women and men. 17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica 197 heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God 198 in Berea, 199 they came there too, inciting 200 and disturbing 201 the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast 202 at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. 203 17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, 204 and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. 205
17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, 206 his spirit was greatly upset 207 because he saw 208 the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing 209 the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles 210 in the synagogue, 211 and in the marketplace every day 212 those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean 213 and Stoic 214 philosophers were conversing 215 with him, and some were asking, 216 “What does this foolish babbler 217 want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” 218 (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 219 17:19 So they took Paul and 220 brought him to the Areopagus, 221 saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? 17:20 For you are bringing some surprising things 222 to our ears, so we want to know what they 223 mean.” 17:21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time 224 in nothing else than telling 225 or listening to something new.) 226
17:22 So Paul stood 227 before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious 228 in all respects. 229 17:23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship, 230 I even found an altar with this inscription: 231 ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, 232 this I proclaim to you. 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, 233 who is 234 Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, 235 17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, 236 because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. 237 17:26 From one man 238 he made every nation of the human race 239 to inhabit the entire earth, 240 determining their set times 241 and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, 242 17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around 243 for him and find him, 244 though he is 245 not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about 246 and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 247 17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity 248 is like gold or silver or stone, an image 249 made by human 250 skill 251 and imagination. 252 17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked 253 such times of ignorance, 254 he now commands all people 255 everywhere to repent, 256 17:31 because he has set 257 a day on which he is going to judge the world 258 in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, 259 having provided proof to everyone by raising 260 him from the dead.”
17:32 Now when they heard about 261 the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, 262 but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 17:33 So Paul left the Areopagus. 263 17:34 But some people 264 joined him 265 and believed. Among them 266 were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, 267 a woman 268 named Damaris, and others with them.
18:1 After this 269 Paul 270 departed from 271 Athens 272 and went to Corinth. 273 18:2 There he 274 found 275 a Jew named Aquila, 276 a native of Pontus, 277 who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius 278 had ordered all the Jews to depart from 279 Rome. 280 Paul approached 281 them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them 282 (for they were tentmakers 283 by trade). 284 18:4 He addressed 285 both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue 286 every Sabbath, attempting to persuade 287 them.
18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived 288 from Macedonia, 289 Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming 290 the word, testifying 291 to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 292 18:6 When they opposed him 293 and reviled him, 294 he protested by shaking out his clothes 295 and said to them, “Your blood 296 be on your own heads! I am guiltless! 297 From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul 298 left 299 the synagogue 300 and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, 301 whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, 302 believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it 303 believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision 304 in the night, 305 “Do not be afraid, 306 but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault 307 you to harm 308 you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there 309 a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 310
18:12 Now while Gallio 311 was proconsul 312 of Achaia, 313 the Jews attacked Paul together 314 and brought him before the judgment seat, 315 18:13 saying, “This man is persuading 316 people to worship God in a way contrary to 317 the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, 318 Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, 319 I would have been justified in accepting the complaint 320 of you Jews, 321 18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement 322 about words and names and your own law, settle 323 it yourselves. I will not be 324 a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away 325 from the judgment seat. 326 18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, 327 and began to beat 328 him in front of the judgment seat. 329 Yet none of these things were of any concern 330 to Gallio.
18:18 Paul, after staying 331 many more days in Corinth, 332 said farewell to 333 the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by 334 Priscilla and Aquila. 335 He 336 had his hair cut off 337 at Cenchrea 338 because he had made a vow. 339 18:19 When they reached Ephesus, 340 Paul 341 left Priscilla and Aquila 342 behind there, but he himself went 343 into the synagogue 344 and addressed 345 the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, 346 18:21 but said farewell to 347 them and added, 348 “I will come back 349 to you again if God wills.” 350 Then 351 he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived 352 at Caesarea, 353 he went up and greeted 354 the church at Jerusalem 355 and then went down to Antioch. 356 18:23 After he spent 357 some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia 358 and Phrygia, 359 strengthening all the disciples.
18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. 360 He was an eloquent speaker, 361 well-versed 362 in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in 363 the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm 364 he spoke and taught accurately the facts 365 about Jesus, although he knew 366 only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly 367 in the synagogue, 368 but when Priscilla and Aquila 369 heard him, they took him aside 370 and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos 371 wanted to cross over to Achaia, 372 the brothers encouraged 373 him 374 and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he 375 assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously 376 in public debate, 377 demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ 378 was Jesus. 379
19:1 While 380 Apollos was in Corinth, 381 Paul went through the inland 382 regions 383 and came to Ephesus. 384 He 385 found some disciples there 386 19:2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” 387 They replied, 388 “No, we have not even 389 heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 19:3 So Paul 390 said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. 391 19:4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, 392 that is, in Jesus.” 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 19:6 and when Paul placed 393 his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came 394 upon them, and they began to speak 395 in tongues and to prophesy. 396 19:7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.) 397
19:8 So Paul 398 entered 399 the synagogue 400 and spoke out fearlessly 401 for three months, addressing 402 and convincing 403 them about the kingdom of God. 404 19:9 But when 405 some were stubborn 406 and refused to believe, reviling 407 the Way 408 before the congregation, he left 409 them and took the disciples with him, 410 addressing 411 them every day 412 in the lecture hall 413 of Tyrannus. 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, 414 both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. 415
19:11 God was performing extraordinary 416 miracles by Paul’s hands, 19:12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body 417 were brought 418 to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 419 19:13 But some itinerant 420 Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name 421 of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by 422 evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn 423 you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 19:14 (Now seven sons of a man named 424 Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) 425 19:15 But the evil spirit replied to them, 426 “I know about Jesus 427 and I am acquainted with 428 Paul, but who are you?” 429 19:16 Then the man who was possessed by 430 the evil spirit jumped on 431 them and beat them all into submission. 432 He prevailed 433 against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 19:17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, 434 both Jews and Greeks; fear came over 435 them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 436 19:18 Many of those who had believed came forward, 437 confessing and making their deeds known. 438 19:19 Large numbers 439 of those who had practiced magic 440 collected their books 441 and burned them up in the presence of everyone. 442 When 443 the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. 444 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord 445 continued to grow in power 446 and to prevail. 447
19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, 448 Paul resolved 449 to go to Jerusalem, 450 passing through Macedonia 451 and Achaia. 452 He said, 453 “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 454 19:22 So after sending 455 two of his assistants, 456 Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, 457 he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. 458
19:23 At 459 that time 460 a great disturbance 461 took place concerning the Way. 462 19:24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines 463 of Artemis, 464 brought a great deal 465 of business 466 to the craftsmen. 19:25 He gathered 467 these 468 together, along with the workmen in similar trades, 469 and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 470 comes from this business. 19:26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded 471 and turned away 472 a large crowd, 473 not only in Ephesus 474 but in practically all of the province of Asia, 475 by saying 476 that gods made by hands are not gods at all. 477 19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, 478 but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis 479 will be regarded as nothing, 480 and she whom all the province of Asia 481 and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” 482
19:28 When 483 they heard 484 this they became enraged 485 and began to shout, 486 “Great is Artemis 487 of the Ephesians!” 19:29 The 488 city was filled with the uproar, 489 and the crowd 490 rushed to the theater 491 together, 492 dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 19:30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, 493 the disciples would not let him. 19:31 Even some of the provincial authorities 494 who were his friends sent 495 a message 496 to him, urging him not to venture 497 into the theater. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. 498 19:33 Some of the crowd concluded 499 it was about 500 Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. 501 Alexander, gesturing 502 with his hand, was wanting to make a defense 503 before the public assembly. 504 19:34 But when they recognized 505 that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, 506 “Great is Artemis 507 of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. 508 19:35 After the city secretary 509 quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person 510 is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper 511 of the temple of the great Artemis 512 and of her image that fell from heaven? 513 19:36 So because these facts 514 are indisputable, 515 you must keep quiet 516 and not do anything reckless. 517 19:37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers 518 nor blasphemers of our goddess. 519 19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint 520 against someone, the courts are open 521 and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. 522 19:39 But if you want anything in addition, 523 it will have to be settled 524 in a legal assembly. 525 19:40 For 526 we are in danger of being charged with rioting 527 today, since there is no cause we can give to explain 528 this disorderly gathering.” 529 19:41 After 530 he had said 531 this, 532 he dismissed the assembly. 533
20:1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging 534 them and saying farewell, 535 he left to go to Macedonia. 536 20:2 After he had gone through those regions 537 and spoken many words of encouragement 538 to the believers there, 539 he came to Greece, 540 20:3 where he stayed 541 for three months. Because the Jews had made 542 a plot 543 against him as he was intending 544 to sail 545 for Syria, he decided 546 to return through Macedonia. 547 20:4 Paul 548 was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, 549 Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, 550 Gaius 551 from Derbe, 552 and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 553 20:5 These had gone on ahead 554 and were waiting for us in Troas. 555 20:6 We 556 sailed away from Philippi 557 after the days of Unleavened Bread, 558 and within five days 559 we came to the others 560 in Troas, 561 where we stayed for seven days. 20:7 On the first day 562 of the week, when we met 563 to break bread, Paul began to speak 564 to the people, and because he intended 565 to leave the next day, he extended 566 his message until midnight. 20:8 (Now there were many lamps 567 in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) 568 20:9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, 569 was sinking 570 into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak 571 for a long time. Fast asleep, 572 he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 20:10 But Paul went down, 573 threw himself 574 on the young man, 575 put his arms around him, 576 and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” 577 20:11 Then Paul 578 went back upstairs, 579 and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them 580 a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 20:12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly 581 comforted.
20:13 We went on ahead 582 to the ship and put out to sea 583 for Assos, 584 intending 585 to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. 586 He 587 himself was intending 588 to go there by land. 589 20:14 When he met us in Assos, 590 we took him aboard 591 and went to Mitylene. 592 20:15 We set sail 593 from there, and on the following day we arrived off Chios. 594 The next day we approached 595 Samos, 596 and the day after that we arrived at Miletus. 597 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus 598 so as not to spend time 599 in the province of Asia, 600 for he was hurrying 601 to arrive in Jerusalem, 602 if possible, 603 by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus 604 he sent a message 605 to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. 606
20:18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I lived 607 the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot 608 in the province of Asia, 609 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility 610 and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me because of the plots 611 of the Jews. 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming 612 to you anything that would be helpful, 613 and from teaching you publicly 614 and from house to house, 20:21 testifying 615 to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. 616 20:22 And now, 617 compelled 618 by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem 619 without knowing what will happen to me there, 620 20:23 except 621 that the Holy Spirit warns 622 me in town after town 623 that 624 imprisonment 625 and persecutions 626 are waiting for me. 20:24 But I do not consider my life 627 worth anything 628 to myself, so that 629 I may finish my task 630 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news 631 of God’s grace.
20:25 “And now 632 I know that none 633 of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom 634 will see me 635 again. 20:26 Therefore I declare 636 to you today that I am innocent 637 of the blood of you all. 638 20:27 For I did not hold back from 639 announcing 640 to you the whole purpose 641 of God. 20:28 Watch out for 642 yourselves and for all the flock of which 643 the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, 644 to shepherd the church of God 645 that he obtained 646 with the blood of his own Son. 647 20:29 I know that after I am gone 648 fierce wolves 649 will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group 650 men 651 will arise, teaching perversions of the truth 652 to draw the disciples away after them. 20:31 Therefore be alert, 653 remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning 654 each one of you with tears. 20:32 And now I entrust 655 you to God and to the message 656 of his grace. This message 657 is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 20:33 I have desired 658 no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine 659 provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 20:35 By all these things, 660 I have shown you that by working in this way we must help 661 the weak, 662 and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 663
20:36 When 664 he had said these things, he knelt down 665 with them all and prayed. 20:37 They all began to weep loudly, 666 and hugged 667 Paul and kissed him, 668 20:38 especially saddened 669 by what 670 he had said, that they were not going to see him 671 again. Then they accompanied 672 him to the ship.
21:1 After 673 we 674 tore ourselves away 675 from them, we put out to sea, 676 and sailing a straight course, 677 we came to Cos, 678 on the next day to Rhodes, 679 and from there to Patara. 680 21:2 We found 681 a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, 682 went aboard, 683 and put out to sea. 684 21:3 After we sighted Cyprus 685 and left it behind on our port side, 686 we sailed on to Syria and put in 687 at Tyre, 688 because the ship was to unload its cargo there. 21:4 After we located 689 the disciples, we stayed there 690 seven days. They repeatedly told 691 Paul through the Spirit 692 not to set foot 693 in Jerusalem. 694 21:5 When 695 our time was over, 696 we left and went on our way. All of them, with their wives and children, accompanied 697 us outside of the city. After 698 kneeling down on the beach and praying, 699 21:6 we said farewell 700 to one another. 701 Then 702 we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their own homes. 703 21:7 We continued the voyage from Tyre 704 and arrived at Ptolemais, 705 and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day. 21:8 On the next day we left 706 and came to Caesarea, 707 and entered 708 the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, 709 and stayed with him. 21:9 (He had four unmarried 710 daughters who prophesied.) 711
21:10 While we remained there for a number of days, 712 a prophet named Agabus 713 came down from Judea. 21:11 He came 714 to us, took 715 Paul’s belt, 716 tied 717 his own hands and feet with it, 718 and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over 719 to the Gentiles.’” 21:12 When we heard this, both we and the local people 720 begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking 721 my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, 722 but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 21:14 Because he could not be persuaded, 723 we said no more except, 724 “The Lord’s will be done.” 725
21:15 After these days we got ready 726 and started up 727 to Jerusalem. 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea 728 came along with us too, and brought us to the house 729 of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, 730 with whom we were to stay. 21:17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 731 21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. 732 21:19 When Paul 733 had greeted them, he began to explain 734 in detail 735 what God 736 had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 21:20 When they heard this, they praised 737 God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews 738 there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers 739 of the law. 740 21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living 741 among the Gentiles to abandon 742 Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children 743 or live 744 according to our customs. 21:22 What then should we do? They will no doubt 745 hear that you have come. 21:23 So do what 746 we tell you: We have four men 747 who have taken 748 a vow; 749 21:24 take them and purify 750 yourself along with them and pay their expenses, 751 so that they may have their heads shaved. 752 Then 753 everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told 754 about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with 755 the law. 756 21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided 757 that they should avoid 758 meat that has been sacrificed to idols 759 and blood and what has been strangled 760 and sexual immorality.” 21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, 761 and after he had purified himself 762 along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice 763 of the completion of the days of purification, 764 when 765 the sacrifice would be offered for each 766 of them. 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, 767 the Jews from the province of Asia 768 who had seen him in the temple area 769 stirred up the whole crowd 770 and seized 771 him, 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, 772 help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, 773 and this sanctuary! 774 Furthermore 775 he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple 776 and made this holy place ritually unclean!” 777 21:29 (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and 778 they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) 779 21:30 The whole city was stirred up, 780 and the people rushed together. 781 They seized 782 Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts, 783 and immediately the doors were shut. 21:31 While they were trying 784 to kill him, a report 785 was sent up 786 to the commanding officer 787 of the cohort 788 that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 789 21:32 He 790 immediately took 791 soldiers and centurions 792 and ran down to the crowd. 793 When they saw 794 the commanding officer 795 and the soldiers, they stopped beating 796 Paul. 21:33 Then the commanding officer 797 came up and arrested 798 him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; 799 he 800 then asked who he was and what 801 he had done. 21:34 But some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else, 802 and when the commanding officer 803 was unable 804 to find out the truth 805 because of the disturbance, 806 he ordered Paul 807 to be brought into the barracks. 808 21:35 When he came to the steps, Paul 809 had to be carried 810 by the soldiers because of the violence 811 of the mob, 21:36 for a crowd of people 812 followed them, 813 screaming, “Away with him!” 21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, 814 he said 815 to the commanding officer, 816 “May I say 817 something to you?” The officer 818 replied, 819 “Do you know Greek? 820 21:38 Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion 821 and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ 822 into the wilderness 823 some time ago?” 824 21:39 Paul answered, 825 “I am a Jew 826 from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. 827 Please 828 allow me to speak to the people.” 21:40 When the commanding officer 829 had given him permission, 830 Paul stood 831 on the steps and gestured 832 to the people with his hand. When they had become silent, 833 he addressed 834 them in Aramaic, 835
22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense 836 that I now 837 make to you.” 22:2 (When they heard 838 that he was addressing 839 them in Aramaic, 840 they became even 841 quieter.) 842 Then 843 Paul said, 22:3 “I am a Jew, 844 born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up 845 in this city, educated with strictness 846 under 847 Gamaliel 848 according to the law of our ancestors, 849 and was 850 zealous 851 for God just as all of you are today. 22:4 I 852 persecuted this Way 853 even to the point of death, 854 tying up 855 both men and women and putting 856 them in prison, 22:5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders 857 can testify about me. From them 858 I also received 859 letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way 860 to make arrests there and bring 861 the prisoners 862 to Jerusalem 863 to be punished. 22:6 As 864 I was en route and near Damascus, 865 about noon a very bright 866 light from heaven 867 suddenly flashed 868 around me. 22:7 Then I 869 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 22:8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 22:9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand 870 the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 22:10 So I asked, 871 ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up 872 and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything 873 that you have been designated 874 to do.’ 22:11 Since I could not see because of 875 the brilliance 876 of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of 877 those who were with me. 22:12 A man named Ananias, 878 a devout man according to the law, 879 well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, 880 22:13 came 881 to me and stood beside me 882 and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ 883 And at that very moment 884 I looked up and saw him. 885 22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors 886 has already chosen 887 you to know his will, to see 888 the Righteous One, 889 and to hear a command 890 from his mouth, 22:15 because you will be his witness 891 to all people 892 of what you have seen and heard. 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? 893 Get up, 894 be baptized, and have your sins washed away, 895 calling on his name.’ 896 22:17 When 897 I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 898 22:18 and saw the Lord 899 saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 22:19 I replied, 900 ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues 901 who believed in you. 22:20 And when the blood of your witness 902 Stephen was shed, 903 I myself was standing nearby, approving, 904 and guarding the cloaks 905 of those who were killing him.’ 906 22:21 Then 907 he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22:22 The crowd 908 was listening to him until he said this. 909 Then 910 they raised their voices and shouted, 911 “Away with this man 912 from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” 913 22:23 While they were screaming 914 and throwing off their cloaks 915 and tossing dust 916 in the air, 22:24 the commanding officer 917 ordered Paul 918 to be brought back into the barracks. 919 He told them 920 to interrogate Paul 921 by beating him with a lash 922 so that he could find out the reason the crowd 923 was shouting at Paul 924 in this way. 22:25 When they had stretched him out for the lash, 925 Paul said to the centurion 926 standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen 927 without a proper trial?” 928 22:26 When the centurion 929 heard this, 930 he went to the commanding officer 931 and reported it, 932 saying, “What are you about to do? 933 For this man is a Roman citizen.” 934 22:27 So the commanding officer 935 came and asked 936 Paul, 937 “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” 938 He replied, 939 “Yes.” 22:28 The commanding officer 940 answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” 941 “But I was even 942 born a citizen,” 943 Paul replied. 944 22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away 945 from him, and the commanding officer 946 was frightened when he realized that Paul 947 was 948 a Roman citizen 949 and that he had had him tied up. 950
22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 951 wanted to know the true reason 952 Paul 953 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 954 to assemble. He then brought 955 Paul down and had him stand before them.
23:1 Paul looked directly 956 at the council 957 and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience 958 before God to this day.” 23:2 At that 959 the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near 960 Paul 961 to strike 962 him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! 963 Do 964 you sit there judging me according to the law, 965 and in violation of the law 966 you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him 967 said, “Do you dare insult 968 God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied, 969 “I did not realize, 970 brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” 971
23:6 Then when Paul noticed 972 that part of them were Sadducees 973 and the others Pharisees, 974 he shouted out in the council, 975 “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection 976 of the dead!” 23:7 When he said this, 977 an argument 978 began 979 between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 23:8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 980 23:9 There was a great commotion, 981 and some experts in the law 982 from the party of the Pharisees stood up 983 and protested strongly, 984 “We find nothing wrong 985 with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 23:10 When the argument became 986 so great the commanding officer 987 feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, 988 he ordered the detachment 989 to go down, take him away from them by force, 990 and bring him into the barracks. 991
23:11 The following night the Lord 992 stood near 993 Paul 994 and said, “Have courage, 995 for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, 996 so you must also testify in Rome.” 997
23:12 When morning came, 998 the Jews formed 999 a conspiracy 1000 and bound themselves with an oath 1001 not to eat or drink anything 1002 until they had killed Paul. 23:13 There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. 1003 23:14 They 1004 went 1005 to the chief priests 1006 and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath 1007 not to partake 1008 of anything until we have killed Paul. 23:15 So now you and the council 1009 request the commanding officer 1010 to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine 1011 his case 1012 by conducting a more thorough inquiry. 1013 We are ready to kill him 1014 before he comes near this place.” 1015
23:16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, 1016 he came and entered 1017 the barracks 1018 and told Paul. 23:17 Paul called 1019 one of the centurions 1020 and said, “Take this young man to the commanding officer, 1021 for he has something to report to him.” 23:18 So the centurion 1022 took him and brought him to the commanding officer 1023 and said, “The prisoner Paul called 1024 me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 23:19 The commanding officer 1025 took him by the hand, withdrew privately, and asked, “What is it that you want 1026 to report to me?” 23:20 He replied, 1027 “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council 1028 tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him. 23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, 1029 because more than forty of them 1030 are lying in ambush 1031 for him. They 1032 have bound themselves with an oath 1033 not to eat or drink anything 1034 until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” 1035 23:22 Then the commanding officer 1036 sent the young man away, directing him, 1037 “Tell no one that you have reported 1038 these things to me.” 23:23 Then 1039 he summoned 1040 two of the centurions 1041 and said, “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea 1042 along with seventy horsemen 1043 and two hundred spearmen 1044 by 1045 nine o’clock tonight, 1046 23:24 and provide mounts for Paul to ride 1047 so that he may be brought safely to Felix 1048 the governor.” 1049 23:25 He wrote 1050 a letter that went like this: 1051
23:26 Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor 1052 Felix, 1053 greetings. 23:27 This man was seized 1054 by the Jews and they were about to kill him, 1055 when I came up 1056 with the detachment 1057 and rescued him, because I had learned that he was 1058 a Roman citizen. 1059 23:28 Since I wanted to know 1060 what charge they were accusing him of, 1061 I brought him down to their council. 1062 23:29 I found he 1063 was accused with reference to controversial questions 1064 about their law, but no charge against him deserved death or imprisonment. 1065 23:30 When I was informed 1066 there would be a plot 1067 against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges 1068 against him before you.
23:31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, 1069 took 1070 Paul and brought him to Antipatris 1071 during the night. 23:32 The next day they let 1072 the horsemen 1073 go on with him, and they returned to the barracks. 1074 23:33 When the horsemen 1075 came to Caesarea 1076 and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented 1077 Paul to him. 23:34 When the governor 1078 had read 1079 the letter, 1080 he asked 1081 what province he was from. 1082 When he learned 1083 that he was from Cilicia, 1084 23:35 he said, “I will give you a hearing 1085 when your accusers arrive too.” Then 1086 he ordered that Paul 1087 be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. 1088
24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias 1089 came down with some elders and an attorney 1090 named 1091 Tertullus, and they 1092 brought formal charges 1093 against Paul to the governor. 24:2 When Paul 1094 had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, 1095 saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time 1096 of peace through your rule, 1097 and reforms 1098 are being made in this nation 1099 through your foresight. 1100 24:3 Most excellent Felix, 1101 we acknowledge this everywhere and in every way 1102 with all gratitude. 1103 24:4 But so that I may not delay 1104 you any further, I beg 1105 you to hear us briefly 1106 with your customary graciousness. 1107 24:5 For we have found 1108 this man to be a troublemaker, 1109 one who stirs up riots 1110 among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader 1111 of the sect of the Nazarenes. 1112 24:6 He 1113 even tried to desecrate 1114 the temple, so we arrested 1115 him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] 1116 24:8 When you examine 1117 him yourself, you will be able to learn from him 1118 about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” 1119 24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, 1120 claiming 1121 that these things were true.
24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know 1122 that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. 1123 24:11 As you can verify 1124 for yourself, not more than twelve days ago 1125 I went up to Jerusalem 1126 to worship. 24:12 They did not find me arguing 1127 with anyone or stirring up a crowd 1128 in the temple courts 1129 or in the synagogues 1130 or throughout the city, 1131 24:13 nor can they prove 1132 to you the things 1133 they are accusing me of doing. 1134 24:14 But I confess this to you, that I worship 1135 the God of our ancestors 1136 according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law 1137 and that is written in the prophets. 24:15 I have 1138 a hope in God (a hope 1139 that 1140 these men 1141 themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 1142 24:16 This is the reason 1143 I do my best to always 1144 have a clear 1145 conscience toward God and toward people. 1146 24:17 After several years 1147 I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor 1148 and to present offerings, 1149 24:18 which I was doing when they found me in the temple, ritually purified, 1150 without a crowd or a disturbance. 1151 24:19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia 1152 who should be here before you and bring charges, 1153 if they have anything against me. 24:20 Or these men here 1154 should tell what crime 1155 they found me guilty of 1156 when I stood before the council, 1157 24:21 other than 1158 this one thing 1159 I shouted out while I stood before 1160 them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” 1161
24:22 Then Felix, 1162 who understood the facts 1163 concerning the Way 1164 more accurately, 1165 adjourned their hearing, 1166 saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” 1167 24:23 He ordered the centurion 1168 to guard Paul, 1169 but to let him have some freedom, 1170 and not to prevent any of his friends 1171 from meeting his needs. 1172
24:24 Some days later, when Felix 1173 arrived with his wife Drusilla, 1174 who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak 1175 about faith in Christ Jesus. 1176 24:25 While Paul 1177 was discussing 1178 righteousness, self-control, 1179 and the coming judgment, Felix 1180 became 1181 frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, 1182 I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, 1183 and for this reason he sent for Paul 1184 as often as possible 1185 and talked 1186 with him. 24:27 After two years 1187 had passed, Porcius Festus 1188 succeeded Felix, 1189 and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. 1190
25:1 Now 1191 three days after Festus 1192 arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem 1193 from Caesarea. 1194 25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men 1195 of the Jews brought formal charges 1196 against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, 1197 they urged Festus 1198 to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush 1199 to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus 1200 replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, 1201 and he himself intended to go there 1202 shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders 1203 go down there 1204 with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, 1205 they may bring charges 1206 against him.”
25:6 After Festus 1207 had stayed 1208 not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, 1209 and the next day he sat 1210 on the judgment seat 1211 and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, 1212 bringing many serious 1213 charges that they were not able to prove. 1214 25:8 Paul said in his defense, 1215 “I have committed no offense 1216 against the Jewish law 1217 or against the temple or against Caesar.” 1218 25:9 But Festus, 1219 wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried 1220 before me there on these charges?” 1221 25:10 Paul replied, 1222 “I am standing before Caesar’s 1223 judgment seat, 1224 where I should be tried. 1225 I have done nothing wrong 1226 to the Jews, as you also know very well. 1227 25:11 If then I am in the wrong 1228 and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, 1229 but if not one of their charges against me is true, 1230 no one can hand me over to them. 1231 I appeal to Caesar!” 1232 25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, 1233 Festus 1234 replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; 1235 to Caesar 1236 you will go!” 1237
25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa 1238 and Bernice arrived at Caesarea 1239 to pay their respects 1240 to Festus. 1241 25:14 While 1242 they were staying there many days, Festus 1243 explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, 1244 saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, 1245 the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed 1246 me about him, 1247 asking for a sentence of condemnation 1248 against him. 25:16 I answered them 1249 that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone 1250 before the accused had met his accusers face to face 1251 and had been given 1252 an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. 1253 25:17 So after they came back here with me, 1254 I did not postpone the case, 1255 but the next day I sat 1256 on the judgment seat 1257 and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge 1258 him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. 1259 25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement 1260 with him about their own religion 1261 and about a man named Jesus 1262 who was dead, whom Paul claimed 1263 to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss 1264 how I could investigate these matters, 1265 I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried 1266 there on these charges. 1267 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 1268 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 1269 25:22 Agrippa 1270 said to Festus, 1271 “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, 1272 “you will hear him.”
25:23 So the next day Agrippa 1273 and Bernice came with great pomp 1274 and entered the audience hall, 1275 along with the senior military officers 1276 and the prominent men of the city. When Festus 1277 gave the order, 1278 Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus 1279 said, “King Agrippa, 1280 and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace 1281 petitioned 1282 me both in Jerusalem 1283 and here, 1284 shouting loudly 1285 that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, 1286 and when he appealed 1287 to His Majesty the Emperor, 1288 I decided to send him. 1289 25:26 But I have nothing definite 1290 to write to my lord 1291 about him. 1292 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 1293 so that after this preliminary hearing 1294 I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating 1295 the charges against him.”
26:1 So Agrippa 1296 said to Paul, “You have permission 1297 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 1298 and began his defense: 1299
26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 1300 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially 1301 familiar with all the customs and controversial issues 1302 of the Jews. Therefore I ask 1303 you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived 1304 from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people 1305 and in Jerusalem. 1306 26:5 They know, 1307 because they have known 1308 me from time past, 1309 if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party 1310 of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 1311 26:6 And now I stand here on trial 1312 because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 1313 26:7 a promise 1314 that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God 1315 night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, 1316 Your Majesty! 1317 26:8 Why do you people 1318 think 1319 it is unbelievable 1320 that 1321 God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, 1322 I myself was convinced 1323 that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received 1324 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 1325 against them when they were sentenced to death. 1326 26:11 I punished 1327 them often in all the synagogues 1328 and tried to force 1329 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 1330 at them, I went to persecute 1331 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 1332 as I was going 1333 to Damascus with authority and complete power 1334 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 1335 I saw a light from heaven, 1336 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 1337 me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 1338 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 1339 by kicking against the goads.’ 1340 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 1341 ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance 1342 as a servant and witness 1343 to the things 1344 you have seen 1345 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 1346 you from your own people 1347 and from the Gentiles, to whom 1348 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 1349 from darkness to light and from the power 1350 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 1351 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 1352 I was not disobedient 1353 to the heavenly 1354 vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 1355 and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 1356 performing deeds consistent with 1357 repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts 1358 and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced 1359 help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except 1360 what the prophets and Moses said 1361 was going to happen: 26:23 that 1362 the Christ 1363 was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people 1364 and to the Gentiles.” 1365
26:24 As Paul 1366 was saying these things in his defense, Festus 1367 exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, 1368 Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, 1369 “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, 1370 but am speaking 1371 true and rational 1372 words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely 1373 to him, 1374 because I cannot believe 1375 that any of these things has escaped his notice, 1376 for this was not done in a corner. 1377 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, 1378 King Agrippa? 1379 I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa 1380 said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” 1381 26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time 1382 not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” 1383
26:30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 26:31 and as they were leaving they said to one another, 1384 “This man is not doing anything deserving 1385 death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa 1386 said to Festus, 1387 “This man could have been released 1388 if he had not appealed to Caesar.” 1389
27:1 When it was decided we 1390 would sail to Italy, 1391 they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion 1392 of the Augustan Cohort 1393 named Julius. 27:2 We went on board 1394 a ship from Adramyttium 1395 that was about to sail to various ports 1396 along the coast of the province of Asia 1397 and put out to sea, 1398 accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian 1399 from Thessalonica. 1400 27:3 The next day we put in 1401 at Sidon, 1402 and Julius, treating Paul kindly, 1403 allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed. 1404 27:4 From there we put out to sea 1405 and sailed under the lee 1406 of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed across the open sea 1407 off Cilicia and Pamphylia, 1408 we put in 1409 at Myra 1410 in Lycia. 1411 27:6 There the centurion 1412 found 1413 a ship from Alexandria 1414 sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly 1415 for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. 1416 Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, 1417 we sailed under the lee 1418 of Crete off Salmone. 1419 27:8 With difficulty we sailed along the coast 1420 of Crete 1421 and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. 1422
27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous 1423 because the fast 1424 was already over, 1425 Paul advised them, 1426 27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end 1427 in disaster 1428 and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 1429 27:11 But the centurion 1430 was more convinced 1431 by the captain 1432 and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. 1433 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided 1434 to put out to sea 1435 from there. They hoped that 1436 somehow they could reach 1437 Phoenix, 1438 a harbor of Crete facing 1439 southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought 1440 they could carry out 1441 their purpose, so they weighed anchor 1442 and sailed close along the coast 1443 of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force 1444 wind called the northeaster 1445 blew down from the island. 1446 27:15 When the ship was caught in it 1447 and could not head into 1448 the wind, we gave way to it and were driven 1449 along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of 1450 a small island called Cauda, 1451 we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat 1452 under control. 27:17 After the crew 1453 had hoisted it aboard, 1454 they used supports 1455 to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground 1456 on the Syrtis, 1457 they lowered the sea anchor, 1458 thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, 1459 they began throwing the cargo overboard, 1460 27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear 1461 overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent 1462 storm continued to batter us, 1463 we finally abandoned all hope of being saved. 1464
27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, 1465 Paul 1466 stood up 1467 among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me 1468 and not put out to sea 1469 from Crete, thus avoiding 1470 this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise 1471 you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. 1472 27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong 1473 and whom I serve 1474 came to me 1475 27:24 and said, 1476 ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before 1477 Caesar, 1478 and God has graciously granted you the safety 1479 of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God 1480 that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must 1481 run aground on some island.”
27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven 1482 across the Adriatic Sea, 1483 about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. 1484 27:28 They took soundings 1485 and found the water was twenty fathoms 1486 deep; when they had sailed a little farther 1487 they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms 1488 deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid 1489 that we would run aground on the rocky coast, 1490 they threw out 1491 four anchors from the stern and wished 1492 for day to appear. 1493 27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending 1494 that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion 1495 and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you 1496 cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes 1497 of the ship’s boat and let it drift away. 1498
27:33 As day was about to dawn, 1499 Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense 1500 and have gone 1501 without food; you have eaten nothing. 1502 27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important 1503 for your survival. 1504 For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul 1505 took bread 1506 and gave thanks to God in front of them all, 1507 broke 1508 it, and began to eat. 27:36 So all of them were encouraged and took food themselves. 27:37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six 1509 persons on the ship.) 1510 27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, 1511 they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat 1512 into the sea.
27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed 1513 a bay 1514 with a beach, 1515 where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped 1516 the anchors 1517 and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage 1518 that bound the steering oars 1519 together. Then they hoisted 1520 the foresail 1521 to the wind and steered toward 1522 the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents 1523 and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force 1524 of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners 1525 so that none of them would escape by swimming away. 1526 27:43 But the centurion, 1527 wanting to save Paul’s life, 1528 prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 1529 27:44 and the rest were to follow, 1530 some on planks 1531 and some on pieces of the ship. 1532 And in this way 1533 all were brought safely to land.
28:1 After we had safely reached shore, 1534 we learned that the island was called Malta. 1535 28:2 The local inhabitants 1536 showed us extraordinary 1537 kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain 1538 and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood 1539 and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 28:4 When the local people 1540 saw the creature hanging from Paul’s 1541 hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself 1542 has not allowed him to live!” 1543 28:5 However, 1544 Paul 1545 shook 1546 the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up 1547 or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited 1548 a long time and had seen 1549 nothing unusual happen 1550 to him, they changed their minds 1551 and said he was a god. 1552
28:7 Now in the region around that place 1553 were fields belonging to the chief official 1554 of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father 1555 of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him 1556 and after praying, placed 1557 his hands on him and healed 1558 him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick 1559 also came and were healed. 1560 28:10 They also bestowed many honors, 1561 and when we were preparing to sail, 1562 they gave 1563 us all the supplies we needed. 1564
28:11 After three months we put out to sea 1565 in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins” 1566 as its figurehead. 1567 28:12 We put in 1568 at Syracuse 1569 and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off 1570 and arrived at Rhegium, 1571 and after one day a south wind sprang up 1572 and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 1573 28:14 There 1574 we found 1575 some brothers 1576 and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. 1577 28:15 The brothers from there, 1578 when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius 1579 and Three Taverns 1580 to meet us. When he saw them, 1581 Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live 1582 by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
28:17 After three days 1583 Paul 1584 called the local Jewish leaders 1585 together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, 1586 although I had done 1587 nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, 1588 from Jerusalem 1589 I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. 1590 28:18 When 1591 they had heard my case, 1592 they wanted to release me, 1593 because there was no basis for a death sentence 1594 against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, 1595 I was forced to appeal to Caesar 1596 – not that I had some charge to bring 1597 against my own people. 1598 28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” 1599 28:21 They replied, 1600 “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there 1601 and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know 1602 that people 1603 everywhere speak against 1604 it.”
28:23 They set 1605 a day to meet with him, 1606 and they came to him where he was staying 1607 in even greater numbers. 1608 From morning until evening he explained things 1609 to them, 1610 testifying 1611 about the kingdom of God 1612 and trying to convince 1613 them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced 1614 by what he said, 1615 but others refused 1616 to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, 1617 unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors 1618 through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will keep on hearing, 1619 but will never understand,
and you will keep on looking, 1620 but will never perceive.
28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, 1621
and their ears are hard of hearing, 1622
and they have closed their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, 1623 and I would heal them.”’ 1624
28:28 “Therefore be advised 1625 that this salvation from God 1626 has been sent to the Gentiles; 1627 they 1628 will listen!”
28:29 [[EMPTY]] 162928:30 Paul 1630 lived 1631 there two whole years in his own rented quarters 1632 and welcomed 1633 all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ 1634 with complete boldness 1635 and without restriction. 1636