Day 37 of 365

¹After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

²When he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece.

³When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

⁴He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

⁵But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas.

⁶We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.

⁷On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.

⁸There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together.

⁹A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.

¹⁰Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him."

¹¹When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed.

¹²They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.

¹³But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land.

¹⁴When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene.

¹⁵Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we landed at Samos, and the day after we came to Miletus.

¹⁶For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

¹⁷From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the church.

¹⁸When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,

¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

²¹testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

²²Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;

²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.

²⁴But I make my life an account of nothing precious to myself, so that I may finish my race, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

²⁵"Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the Kingdom, will see my face no more.

²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men,

²⁷for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

²⁸Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

²⁹For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

³⁰Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

³¹Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

³²Now I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

³³I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing.

³⁴You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

³⁵In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

³⁶When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

³⁷They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,

³⁸sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

¹When it happened that we had parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

²Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.

³When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

⁴Having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

⁵When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

⁶After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.

⁷When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day.

⁸On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

⁹Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

¹⁰As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

¹¹Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Judeans at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

¹²When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, 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."

¹⁴When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

¹⁵After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁶Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

¹⁷When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

¹⁸The day following, Paul went in with us to Jacob; and all the elders were present.

¹⁹When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

²¹They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

²²What then? They will certainly hear that you have come.

²³Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow.

²⁴Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Law.

²⁵But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality."

²⁶Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

²⁷When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him,

²⁸crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!"

²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

³⁰All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

³¹As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

³²Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul.

³³Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

³⁴Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he could not find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.

³⁵When he came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

³⁶for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!"

³⁷As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I speak something to you?" He said, "Do you know Greek?

³⁸Are not you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?"

³⁹But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

⁴⁰When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

¹"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."

²When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

³"I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.

⁴I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

⁵As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

⁶It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.

⁷I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

⁸I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.'

⁹"Those who were with me indeed saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

¹⁰I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.'

¹¹When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

¹²One Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

¹³came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' In that very hour I looked up at him.

¹⁴He said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

¹⁵For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

¹⁶Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

¹⁷"It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

¹⁸and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'

¹⁹I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

²⁰When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'

²¹"He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.'"

²²They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he is not fit to live!"

²³As they yelled, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

²⁴the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they yelled at him like that.

²⁵When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"

²⁶When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman!"

²⁷The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."

²⁸The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."

²⁹Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

³⁰But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Judeans, he freed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

¹ALEPH Do not fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

³Trust in the Lord, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴Also delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

⁶he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

⁷Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

⁹For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there.

¹¹But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

¹²The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way.

¹⁵Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The Lord knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

¹⁹They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

²⁰But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the Lord shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish- vanish like smoke.

²¹The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

²²For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³A man's goings are established by the Lord. He delights in his way.

²⁴Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the Lord holds him up with his hand.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

²⁶All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His seed is blessed.

²⁷Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

²⁸For the Lord loves justice, and doesn't forsake his holy ones. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

³²The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.

³³The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

³⁴Wait for the Lord, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

³⁵I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

³⁶But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

³⁷Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

³⁸As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰The Lord helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him.

¹My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

²You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

³Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

⁴Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

⁷which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

⁹How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

¹¹so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

¹²A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

¹³who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers;

¹⁴in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

¹⁵Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

¹⁶There are six things which the Lord hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;

¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

²⁰My son, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

²¹Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

²²When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the Law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

²⁴to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife's tongue.

²⁵Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

²⁶For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

²⁷Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

²⁹So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

³¹but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

³²He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

³³He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won't spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵He won't regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.