Day 22 of 30

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.

¹Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."

²The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the Law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"

⁴Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

⁵Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"

⁷When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

⁹A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?"

¹⁰When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."

¹²When it was day, the Judeans banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

¹⁴They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."

¹⁶But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."

¹⁸So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."

¹⁹The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

²⁰He said, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

²¹Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."

²²So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."

²³He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night."

²⁴He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

²⁵He wrote a letter like this:

²⁶"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

²⁷"This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

²⁹I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

³⁰When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you."

³¹So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

³³When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

³⁴When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

³⁵"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.

¹After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.

²When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that by your foresight reforms are coming to this nation,

³we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

⁴But, that I do not delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.

⁵For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

⁶He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.

⁷No text for this verse number in this edition.

⁸By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."

⁹The Judeans also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.

¹⁰When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, "Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,

¹¹seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.

¹²In the temple they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.

¹³Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.

¹⁴But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the Law, and which are written in the Prophets;

¹⁵having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust.

¹⁶Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

¹⁷Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

¹⁸amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.

¹⁹They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me.

²⁰Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,

²¹unless it is for this one thing that I shouted out standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'"

²²But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case."

²³He ordered the centurion that he should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

²⁴But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you."

²⁶Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him.

²⁷But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, Felix left Paul in bonds.

¹Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

²Then the high priest and the principal men of the Judeans informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

³asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

⁴However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

⁵"Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

⁶When he had stayed among them more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷When he had come, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

⁸while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

⁹But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?"

¹⁰But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you also know very well.

¹¹For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

¹³Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

¹⁴As they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

¹⁵about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

¹⁶To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

¹⁷When therefore they had come together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought.

¹⁸Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed;

¹⁹but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar."

²²Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

²³So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

²⁴Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Judeans petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

²⁶Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write.

²⁷For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him."

¹Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

²"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Judeans,

³especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

⁴"Indeed, all Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

⁵having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁶Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

⁷which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Judeans, O King!

⁸Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?

⁹"I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

¹¹Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

¹³at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

¹⁴When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

¹⁵"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

¹⁶But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

¹⁷delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

¹⁸to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

¹⁹"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

²⁰but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

²¹For this reason Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

²²Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said would happen,

²³how the Messiah must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles."

²⁴As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

²⁵But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.

²⁶For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."

²⁸Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"

²⁹Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."

³⁰The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

³¹When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds."

³²Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

¹When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.

²Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

³The next day, we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.

⁴Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

⁵When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

⁶There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.

⁷When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

⁸With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,

¹⁰and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."

¹¹But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.

¹²Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.

¹³When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.

¹⁴But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euraquilo.

¹⁵When the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.

¹⁶Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.

¹⁷After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.

¹⁸As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.

¹⁹On the third day, they threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands.

²⁰When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

²¹When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.

²²Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

²³For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,

²⁴saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

²⁵Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

²⁶But we must run aground on a certain island."

²⁷But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.

²⁸They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.

²⁹Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

³⁰As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,

³¹Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."

³²Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

³³While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

³⁴Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads."

³⁵When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.

³⁶Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

³⁷In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.

³⁸When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

³⁹When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

⁴⁰Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

⁴¹But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.

⁴²The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.

⁴³But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

⁴⁴and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.

¹When we had escaped, then we learned that the island was called Malta.

²The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

³But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and placed them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

⁴When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live."

⁵However he shook off the creature into the fire, and was not harmed.

⁶But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

⁷Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days.

⁸It happened that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

⁹Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured.

¹⁰They also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.

¹¹After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was "The Twin Brothers."

¹²Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

¹³From there we weighed anchor and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,

¹⁴where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

¹⁵From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.

¹⁶When we entered into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

¹⁷It happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the Jewish leaders. When they had come together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

¹⁸who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

¹⁹But when the Judeans spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

²⁰For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."

²¹They said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.

²²But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against."

²³When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about the Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.

²⁴Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

²⁵When they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to your fathers,

²⁶saying, 'Go to this people, and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

²⁷For this people's heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.'

²⁸"Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations. They will also listen." [

²⁹When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.]

³⁰Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him,

³¹proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.