Acts 27 - Romans 4

English Standard Version

Paul Sails for Rome

27 And when it was decided ^(A)that ^(B)we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan ^(C)Cohort named Julius. ² And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by ^(D)Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. ³ The next day we put in at Sidon. And ^(E)Julius ^(F)treated Paul kindly and ^(G)gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. ⁴ And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. ⁵ And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found ^(H)a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. ⁷ We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. ⁸ Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

⁹ Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even ^(I)the Fast^[a] was already over, Paul advised them, ¹⁰ saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with ^(J)injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ¹¹ But the centurion paid more attention to ^(K)the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. ¹² And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

The Storm at Sea

¹³ Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. ¹⁴ But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, ^(L)struck down from the land. ¹⁵ And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda,^[b] we managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. ¹⁷ After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would ^(M)run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear,^[c] and thus they were driven along. ¹⁸ Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day ^(N)to jettison the cargo. ¹⁹ And on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

²¹ Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, ^(O)you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this ^(P)injury and loss. ²² Yet now I urge you to ^(Q)take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For this very night ^(R)there ^(S)stood before me ^(T)an angel of the God ^(U)to whom I belong and ^(V)whom I worship, ²⁴ and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; ^(W)you must stand before Caesar. And behold, ^(X)God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. ²⁶ But ^(Y)we must ^(Z)run aground on some island.”

²⁷ When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. ²⁸ So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms.^[d] A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms.^{[e] 29} And fearing that we might ^(AA)run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. ³⁰ And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered ^(AB)the ship's boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, ³¹ Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.

³³ As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. ³⁴ Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength,^[f] for ^(AC)not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” ³⁵ And when he had said these things, he took bread, and ^(AD)giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ Then they all ^(AE)were encouraged and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ (We were in all 276^{[g] (AF)}persons in the ship.) ³⁸ And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, ^(AG)throwing out the wheat into the sea.

The Shipwreck

³⁹ Now when it was day, ^(AH)they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. ⁴⁰ So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. ⁴¹ But striking a reef,^{[h] (AI)}they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. ^42 (AJ)The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. ⁴³ But the centurion, ^(AK)wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, ⁴⁴ and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that ^(AL)all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28 After we were brought safely through, ^(AM)we then learned that ^(AN)the island was called Malta. ^2 (AO)The native people^[i] showed us unusual ^(AP)kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. ³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴ When ^(AQ)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(AR)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(AS)Justice^[j] has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ He, however, ^(AT)shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, ^(AU)they changed their minds and ^(AV)said that he was a god.

⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and ^(AW)prayed, and ^(AX)putting his hands on him, healed him. ⁹ And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. ¹⁰ They also honored us greatly,^[k] and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹ After three months we set sail in ^(AY)a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods^[l] as a figurehead. ¹² Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³ And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found ^(AZ)brothers^[m] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ And ^(BA)the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, ^(BB)Paul thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ And when we came into Rome, ^(BC)Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul in Rome

¹⁷ After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, ^(BD)though I had done nothing against our people or ^(BE)the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸ When they had examined me, they ^(BF)wished to set me at liberty, ^(BG)because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. ¹⁹ But because the Jews objected, I was compelled ^(BH)to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against ^(BI)my nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is ^(BJ)because of ^(BK)the hope of Israel that I am wearing ^(BL)this ^(BM)chain.” ²¹ And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of ^(BN)the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this ^(BO)sect we know that everywhere ^(BP)it is spoken against.”

²³ When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening ^(BQ)he expounded to them, testifying to ^(BR)the kingdom of God and ^(BS)trying to convince them about Jesus ^(BT)both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. ²⁴ And ^(BU)some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. ²⁵ And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: ^(BV)“The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁸ Therefore let it be known to you that ^(CA)this ^(CB)salvation of God ^(CC)has been sent to the Gentiles; ^(CD)they will listen.”^[n]

³⁰ He lived there two whole years at his own expense,^[o] and ^(CE)welcomed all who came to him, ^31 (CF)proclaiming ^(CG)the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ^(CH)with all boldness and ^(CI)without hindrance.

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(CJ)a servant^[p] of Christ Jesus, ^(CK)called to be an apostle, ^(CL)set apart for the gospel of God, ² which ^(CM)he promised beforehand ^(CN)through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, ^(CO)who was descended from David^{[q] (CP)}according to the flesh ⁴ and ^(CQ)was declared to be the Son of God ^(CR)in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom ^(CS)we have received grace and ^(CT)apostleship ^(CU)to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name ^(CV)among all the nations, ⁶ including you who are ^(CW)called to belong to Jesus Christ,

⁷ To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

^(CX)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Longing to Go to Rome

⁸ First, ^(CY)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, ^(CZ)because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ^9 (DA)For God is my witness, ^(DB)whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, ^(DC)that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰ always in my prayers, asking that somehow ^(DD)by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ¹¹ For ^(DE)I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— ¹² that is, that we may be mutually encouraged ^(DF)by each other's faith, both yours and mine. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[r] that ^(DG)I have often intended to come to you (but ^(DH)thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some ^(DI)harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ^14 (DJ)I am under obligation both to Greeks and to ^(DK)barbarians,^[s] both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵ So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

¹⁶ For ^(DL)I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is ^(DM)the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew ^(DN)first and also to ^(DO)the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it ^(DP)the righteousness of God is revealed ^(DQ)from faith for faith,^{[t] (DR)}as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”^[u]

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

¹⁸ For ^(DS)the wrath of God ^(DT)is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be ^(DU)known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, ^(DV)have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,^[v] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they ^(DW)became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ^22 (DX)Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and ^(DY)exchanged the glory of ^(DZ)the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

²⁴ Therefore ^(EA)God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to ^(EB)the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for ^(EC)a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, ^(ED)who is blessed forever! Amen.

²⁶ For this reason ^(EE)God gave them up to ^(EF)dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, ^(EG)men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, ^(EH)God gave them up to ^(EI)a debased mind to do ^(EJ)what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³² Though they know ^(EK)God's righteous decree that those who practice such things ^(EL)deserve to die, they not only do them but ^(EM)give approval to those who practice them.

God's Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you have ^(EN)no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For ^(EO)in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. ² We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. ³ Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you presume on ^(EP)the riches of his kindness and ^(EQ)forbearance and ^(ER)patience, ^(ES)not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are ^(ET)storing up ^(EU)wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

^6 (EV)He will render to each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who ^(EW)by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; ⁸ but for those who are self-seeking^[w] and ^(EX)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. ⁹ There will be tribulation and distress ^(EY)for every human being who does evil, the Jew ^(EZ)first and also the Greek, ¹⁰ but glory and honor and ^(FA)peace for everyone who does good, ^(FB)the Jew first and also the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(FC)God shows no partiality.

God's Judgment and the Law

¹² For all who have sinned ^(FD)without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For ^(FE)it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, ^(FF)by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law is ^(FG)written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ^16 (FH)on that day when, ^(FI)according to my gospel, God judges ^(FJ)the secrets of men ^(FK)by Christ Jesus.

¹⁷ But if you call yourself a Jew and ^(FL)rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸ and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; ¹⁹ and if you are sure that you yourself are ^(FM)a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law ^(FN)the embodiment of ^(FO)knowledge and truth— ^21 (FP)you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you ^(FQ)rob temples? ²³ You who ^(FR)boast in the law ^(FS)dishonor God by breaking the law. ²⁴ For, ^(FT)as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed ^(FU)among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵ For circumcision indeed is of value ^(FV)if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. ²⁶ So, if ^(FW)a man who is uncircumcised keeps ^(FX)the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded^[x] as circumcision? ²⁷ Then he who is physically^[y] uncircumcised but keeps the law ^(FY)will condemn you who have ^(FZ)the written code^[z] and circumcision but break the law. ²⁸ For ^(GA)no one is a Jew ^(GB)who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹ But a Jew is one ^(GC)inwardly, and ^(GD)circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. ^(GE)His praise is not from man but from God.

God's Righteousness Upheld

3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? ² Much in every way. To begin with, ^(GF)the Jews were entrusted with ^(GG)the oracles of God. ^3 (GH)What if some were unfaithful? ^(GI)Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ⁴ By no means! ^(GJ)Let God be true though ^(GK)every one were a liar, as it is written,

⁵ But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict ^(GN)wrath on us? (^(GO)I speak in a human way.) ⁶ By no means! For then how could ^(GP)God judge the world? ⁷ But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, ^(GQ)why am I still being condemned as a sinner? ⁸ And why not ^(GR)do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

No One Is Righteous

⁹ What then? Are we Jews^[aa] any better off?^[ab] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both ^(GS)Jews and ^(GT)Greeks, are ^(GU)under sin, ¹⁰ as it is written:

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever ^(HD)the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, ^(HE)so that every mouth may be stopped, and ^(HF)the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰ For ^(HG)by works of the law no human being^[ac] will be justified in his sight, since ^(HH)through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

²¹ But now ^(HI)the righteousness of God ^(HJ)has been manifested apart from the law, although ^(HK)the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God ^(HL)through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. ^(HM)For there is no distinction: ²³ for ^(HN)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ^24 (HO)and are justified ^(HP)by his grace as a gift, ^(HQ)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God ^(HR)put forward as ^(HS)a propitiation ^(HT)by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in ^(HU)his divine forbearance he had passed over ^(HV)former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

^27 (HW)Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith ^(HX)apart from works of the law. ²⁹ Or ^(HY)is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since ^(HZ)God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and ^(IA)the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, ^(IB)our forefather according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but ^(IC)not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(ID)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(IE)to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but ^(IF)believes in^[ad] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Is this blessing then only for ^(II)the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? ^(IJ)For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ^11 (IK)He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was ^(IL)to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, ¹² and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

The Promise Realized Through Faith

¹³ For ^(IM)the promise to Abraham and his offspring ^(IN)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ^14 (IO)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For ^(IP)the law brings wrath, but ^(IQ)where there is no law ^(IR)there is no transgression.

¹⁶ That is why it depends on faith, ^(IS)in order that the promise may rest on grace and ^(IT)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, ^(IU)who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ as it is written, ^(IV)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, ^(IW)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence ^(IX)the things that do not exist. ¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ^(IY)“So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was ^(IZ)as good as dead (^(JA)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered ^(JB)the barrenness^[ae] of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that ^(JC)God was able to do what he had promised. ²² That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” ²³ But ^(JD)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be counted to us ^(JE)who believe in ^(JF)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ^25 (JG)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised ^(JH)for our justification.