Acts 24-28

New American Standard Bible

Paul before Felix

24 Now after ^(A)five days the high priest ^(B)Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they ^[a]brought charges against Paul to ^(C)the governor. ² After ^[b]Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began accusing him, saying to the governor,

“Since we have attained great peace through you, and since reforms are being carried out for this nation by your foresight, ³ we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, ^(D)most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴ But, that I may not ^[c]weary you further, I beg you ^[d]to grant us a brief hearing, by your kindness. ⁵ For we have found this man a public menace and one who stirs up dissensions among all the Jews throughout ^[e]the world, and a ringleader of the ^(E)sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ And he even tried to ^(F)desecrate the temple, so indeed we arrested him.^{[f] 8} By interrogating him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be able to ascertain the things of which we are accusing him.” ^9 (G)The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

¹⁰ And when ^(H)the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ¹¹ since you can take note of the fact that no more than ^(I)twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ^12 (J)And neither in the temple did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or ^(K)causing ^[g]a riot, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself. ^13 (L)Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴ But I confess this to you, that in accordance with ^[h](M)the Way, which they call a ^(N)sect, I do serve ^(O)the God of our fathers, ^(P)believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and is written in the Prophets; ¹⁵ having a hope in God, which ^(Q)these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ In view of this ^(R)I also do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before other people, always. ¹⁷ Now ^(S)after several years I ^(T)came to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to present offerings, ¹⁸ in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been ^(U)purified, without any ^(V)crowd or uproar. But there were some ^(W)Jews from ^[i]Asia— ¹⁹ who ought to have been present before you and to have been ^(X)bringing charges, if they should have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else have these men themselves declare what violation they discovered when I stood before ^(Y)the ^[j]Council, ²¹ other than in regard to this one declaration which ^(Z)I shouted while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today!’”

²² But Felix, ^[k]having quite accurate knowledge about ^[l](AA)the Way, adjourned them, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ He gave orders to the centurion for ^[m]Paul to be ^(AB)kept in custody and yet ^(AC)have some freedom, and not to prevent any of ^(AD)his friends from providing for his needs.

²⁴ Now some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla his ^[n]wife, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^(AE)faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ But as he was discussing ^(AF)righteousness, ^(AG)self-control, and ^(AH)the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and responded, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will summon you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was also hoping that ^(AI)money would be given to him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and talk with him. ²⁷ But after two years had passed, Felix ^[o]was succeeded by Porcius ^(AJ)Festus; and Felix, ^(AK)wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul ^(AL)imprisoned.

Paul before Festus

25 Festus, then, after arriving in ^(AM)the province, went up to Jerusalem from ^(AN)Caesarea three days later. ² And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews ^(AO)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with ^[p]Festus, ³ requesting a ^[q]concession against ^[r]Paul, that he might ^[s]have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, ^(AP)setting an ambush to kill him on the way). ⁴ Festus then ^(AQ)answered that Paul ^(AR)was being kept in custody in ^(AS)Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. ⁵ “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you ^[t]go there with me, and if there is anything wrong ^[u]about the man, have them bring charges against him.”

⁶ After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to ^(AT)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on ^(AU)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. ⁷ After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing ^(AV)many, and serious, charges against him ^(AW)which they could not prove, ⁸ while Paul said in his own defense, “^(AX)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” ⁹ But Festus, ^(AY)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “^(AZ)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and ^[v]stand trial before me on these charges?” ¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^(BA)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. ¹¹ If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^(BB)appeal to Caesar.” ¹² Then when Festus had conferred with ^[w]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

¹³ Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in ^(BC)Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was ^(BD)left as a prisoner by Felix; ¹⁵ and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ^(BE)brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. ¹⁶ I ^(BF)replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before ^(BG)the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. ¹⁷ So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^(BH)the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges ^[x]against him of crimes that I suspected, ¹⁹ but they simply had some ^(BI)points of disagreement with him about their own ^[y](BJ)religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰ And ^(BK)being at a loss how to investigate ^[z]such matters, I ^[aa]asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. ²¹ But when Paul ^(BL)appealed to be held in custody for ^[ab]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” ²² Then ^(BM)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So, on the next day when ^(BN)Agrippa and ^(BO)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, ^[ac]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. ²⁴ And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom ^(BP)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that ^(BQ)he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had committed ^(BR)nothing deserving death; and since he himself ^(BS)appealed to ^[ad]the Emperor, I decided to send him. ^26 [ae]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 ^(BT)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

² “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, ^3 [af]especially because you are an expert in all ^(BU)customs and ^[ag]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “So then, all Jews know ^(BV)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, ⁵ since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a ^(BW)Pharisee ^(BX)according to the strictest ^(BY)sect of our religion. ⁶ And now I am standing trial ^(BZ)for the hope of ^(CA)the promise made by God to our fathers; ⁷ the promise ^(CB)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this ^(CC)hope, O king, I am being ^(CD)accused by Jews. ⁸ Why is it considered incredible among you people ^(CE)if God raises the dead?

⁹ “So ^(CF)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to ^(CG)the name of Jesus ^[ah]of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is ^[ai]just what I ^(CH)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the ^[aj]saints in prisons, after ^(CI)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also ^(CJ)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. ¹¹ And ^(CK)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was ^(CL)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them ^(CM)even to ^[ak]foreign cities.

¹² “^[al]While so engaged, ^(CN)as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, ¹³ at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, ^[am]brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴ And when we had ^(CO)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the ^[an](CP)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ^[ao]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up and ^(CQ)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to ^(CR)appoint you as a ^(CS)servant and ^(CT)a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, ^17 (CU)rescuing you ^(CV)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, ¹⁸ to ^(CW)open their eyes so that they may turn from ^(CX)darkness to light, and from the ^[ap]power of ^(CY)Satan to God, that they may receive ^(CZ)forgiveness of sins and an ^(DA)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by ^(DB)faith in Me.’

¹⁹ “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but continually proclaimed ^(DC)to those in Damascus first, and ^(DD)in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even ^(DE)to the Gentiles, that they are to ^(DF)repent and turn to God, performing deeds ^(DG)consistent with repentance. ²¹ For these reasons some Jews ^(DH)seized me in the temple and tried ^(DI)to murder me. ²² So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day ^(DJ)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what ^(DK)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, ²³ as to ^(DL)whether the ^[aq]Christ was ^[ar]to suffer, and whether, as ^(DM)first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim ^(DN)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

²⁴ While ^[as]Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! ^[at]Your great ^(DO)learning is ^[au]driving you insane.” ²⁵ But Paul *said, “I am not insane, ^(DP)most excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with ^[av]truthful and rational words. ²⁶ For the king ^[aw](DQ)knows about these matters, and I also speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a ^[ax]corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ Agrippa replied to Paul, “^[ay]In a short time you are going to persuade me to ^[az]make a ^(DR)Christian of myself.” ²⁹ And Paul said, “I would ^[ba]wish to God that even ^[bb]in a short or long time not only you, but also all who hear me this day would become such as I myself am, except for these ^(DS)chains.”

^30 (DT)The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, ³¹ and when they had gone out, they began talking to one another, saying, “^(DU)This man is not doing anything deserving death or ^[bc]imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been ^(DV)set free if he had not ^(DW)appealed to Caesar.”

Paul Is Sent to Rome

27 Now when it was decided that ^(DX)we ^(DY)would sail for ^(DZ)Italy, they proceeded to turn Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan ^[bd](EA)cohort, named Julius. ² And we boarded an Adramyttian ship that was about to sail to the regions along the coast of ^[be](EB)Asia, and put out to sea accompanied by ^(EC)Aristarchus, a ^(ED)Macedonian of ^(EE)Thessalonica. ³ The next day we put in at ^(EF)Sidon; and Julius ^(EG)treated Paul with consideration and ^(EH)allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. ⁴ From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of ^(EI)Cyprus, because ^(EJ)the winds were contrary. ⁵ When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of ^(EK)Cilicia and ^(EL)Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an ^(EM)Alexandrian ship sailing for ^(EN)Italy, and he put us aboard it. ⁷ When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, ^(EO)since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of ^(EP)Crete, off Salmone; ⁸ and with difficulty ^(EQ)sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

⁹ When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even ^(ER)the ^[bf]fast was already over, Paul started admonishing them, ¹⁰ saying to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with ^(ES)damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ¹¹ But the centurion was more persuaded by the ^(ET)pilot and the ^[bg]captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. ¹² The harbor was not suitable for wintering, so the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of ^(EU)Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

^13 [bh]When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began ^(EV)sailing along ^(EW)Crete, closer to shore.

Shipwreck

¹⁴ But before very long a violent wind, called ^[bi]Euraquilo, ^(EX)rushed down from ^[bj]the land; ¹⁵ and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind. ¹⁶ Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s ^[bk]boat under control only with difficulty. ¹⁷ After they had hoisted it up, they used ^[bl]supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might ^(EY)run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the ^[bm]sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way. ¹⁸ The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, ^[bn]they began to ^(EZ)jettison the cargo; ¹⁹ and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was slowly abandoned.

^21 [bo]When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “^[bp](FA)Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from ^(FB)Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this ^(FC)damage and loss. ²² And yet now I urge you to ^(FD)keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For this very night ^(FE)an angel of the God to whom I belong, ^(FF)whom I also serve, ^(FG)came to me, ²⁴ saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; ^(FH)you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you ^(FI)all those who are sailing with you.’ ²⁵ Therefore, ^(FJ)keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that ^[bq]it will turn out exactly as I have been told. ²⁶ But we must ^(FK)run aground on a certain ^(FL)island.”

²⁷ But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that ^[br]they were approaching some land. ²⁸ And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. ²⁹ Fearing that we might ^(FM)run aground somewhere on the ^[bs]rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and ^[bt]prayed for daybreak. ³⁰ But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down ^(FN)the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, ³¹ Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” ³² Then the soldiers cut away the ^(FO)ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

³³ Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken in nothing. ³⁴ Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for ^(FP)not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” ³⁵ Having said this, he took bread and ^(FQ)gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ All ^(FR)of them ^[bu]were encouraged and they themselves also took food. ³⁷ We were 276 ^[bv](FS)people on the ship in all. ³⁸ When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by ^(FT)throwing the wheat out into the sea.

³⁹ Now when day came, ^(FU)they ^[bw]could not recognize the land; but they did notice a bay with a beach, and they resolved to run the ship onto it if they could. ⁴⁰ And casting off ^(FV)the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach. ⁴¹ But they struck a ^[bx]reef where two seas met and ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck firmly and remained immovable, while the stern started to break up due to the force of the waves. ⁴² The soldiers’ plan was to ^(FW)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; ⁴³ but the centurion, ^(FX)wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to ^[by]jump overboard first and get to land, ⁴⁴ and the rest were to follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that ^(FY)they all were brought safely to land.

Safe at Malta

28 When ^(FZ)they had been brought safely through, ^(GA)then we found out that ^(GB)the island was called ^[bz]Malta. ^2 (GC)The ^[ca]natives showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and ^(GD)took us all in because of the rain that had started and because of the cold. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out ^[cb]because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When ^(GE)the ^[cc]natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “^(GF)Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, ^[cd]justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ However, ^[ce](GG)Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ Now they were expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and ^(GH)began to say that he was a god.

⁷ Now in the neighboring parts of that place were lands belonging to the ^[cf]leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us warmly for three days. ⁸ And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with a recurring fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after he ^(GI)prayed, he ^(GJ)laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being cured. ¹⁰ They also showed us many honors, and when we were about to set sail, they ^[cg]supplied us with ^[ch]everything we needed.

Paul Arrives in Rome

¹¹ After three months we set sail on ^(GK)an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had ^[ci]the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. ¹² After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³ From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ^14 [cj]There we found some ^(GL)brothers and sisters, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and that is how we came to Rome. ¹⁵ And from there the ^(GM)brothers and sisters, when they heard about us, came as far as the ^[ck]Market of Appius and the ^[cl]Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was ^(GN)allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

¹⁷ After three days ^[cm]Paul called together those who were ^(GO)the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “^(GP)Brothers, ^(GQ)though I had done nothing against our people or ^(GR)the customs of our ^[cn]fathers, yet I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. ¹⁸ And when they had ^(GS)examined me, they ^(GT)were willing to release me because there were ^(GU)no grounds ^[co]for putting me to death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews ^[cp]objected, I was forced to ^(GV)appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I ^[cq]requested to see you and to speak with you, since I am wearing ^(GW)this chain for ^(GX)the sake of the hope of Israel.” ²¹ They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor has any of ^(GY)the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what ^[cr]your views are; for regarding this ^(GZ)sect, it is known to us that ^(HA)it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ When they had set a day for ^[cs]Paul, people came to him at ^(HB)his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly ^(HC)testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, ^(HD)from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ^24 (HE)Some were being persuaded by the things said by Paul, but others would not believe. ²⁵ And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul said one parting statement: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶ saying,

²⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you that ^(HI)this salvation of God has been sent ^(HJ)to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”^[cx]

³⁰ Now Paul stayed two full years ^[cy]in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, ^31 [cz](HK)preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ ^(HL)with all openness, unhindered.