Paul at Jerusalem

¹⁵ After this we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to [the house of] Mnason, a man from Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

¹⁷ When we arrived in Jerusalem, the ^[a]brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly. ¹⁸ On the next day Paul went with us to [see] ^[b]James, and all the elders of the church were present. ¹⁹ After greeting them, Paul began to give a detailed account of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰ And when they heard it, they began glorifying and praising God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all enthusiastic supporters of the Law [of Moses]. ²¹ Now they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to turn away from [the Law of] Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or to live according to the [Mosaic] customs. ²² What then should be done? They will certainly hear that you have arrived. ²³ Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow; ²⁴ take these men and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses [for the temple offerings] so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also follow and keep the Law. ²⁵ But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed [in Christ], we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from [consuming] blood and from [the meat of] what has been strangled and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶ Then Paul took the [four] men, and the next day he purified himself along with them [by submitting to the ritual]. He went into the temple to give notice of [the time] when the days of purification [ending each vow] would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each one.

Paul Seized in the Temple

²⁷ When the seven days [required to complete the ritual] were almost over, [some] Jews from [the province of] Asia [Minor], caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up the crowd, and they seized him, ²⁸ shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul, and they assumed that he had brought the man into the temple [beyond the court of the Gentiles]. ³⁰ Then the whole city was provoked and confused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were closed. ³¹ Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commander of the [Roman] garrison that all Jerusalem was in a state of upheaval. ³² So he immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down among them. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the commander came up and arrested Paul, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others something else; and since he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken to the barracks [in the tower of Antonia]. ³⁵ When Paul got to the steps, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; ³⁶ for the majority of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him! [Kill him!]”

³⁷ Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” And the man replied, “Do you know Greek? ³⁸ Then you are not [as I assumed] the Egyptian who ^[c]some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” ³⁹ Paul said, “I am a Jew from ^[d]Tarsus in Cilicia (Mersin Province, Turkey), a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰ When the commander had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic), saying,

Paul’s Defense before the Jews

22 “Brethren and fathers (kinsmen), hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

² When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet. And he continued,

³ “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of ^[e]Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being ardent and passionate for God just as all of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted and pursued the followers of this ^[f]Way to the death, binding them with chains and putting [followers of Jesus] both men and women into prisons, ⁵ as the high priest and all the Council of the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) can testify; because from them I received letters to the brothers, and I was on my way to Damascus in order to bring those [believers] who were there to Jerusalem in chains to be punished.

⁶ “But as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a great blaze of light suddenly flashed from heaven and shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ And I replied, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Now those who were with me ^[g]saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ And I asked, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that is appointed and destined for you to do.’ ¹¹ But since I could not see because of the [glorious intensity and dazzling] brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.

¹² “And one Ananias, a devout man according to ^[h]the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, ¹³ came to [see] me, and standing near, he said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I [recovered my sight and] looked up at him. ¹⁴ And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth. ¹⁵ For you will be His witness to all men testifying of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ Now, why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name [for salvation].’

¹⁷ “Then it happened when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple [enclosure], that I fell into a trance (vision); ¹⁸ and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ ¹⁹ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know [without any doubt] that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You [and Your message of salvation]. ²⁰ And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby approving and consenting [to his death], and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.’ ²¹ And the Lord said to me, ‘Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

²² They listened to Paul until [he made] this [last] statement, but now they raised their voices and shouted, “Away with such a man from the earth! He is not fit to live!” ²³ And as they were shouting and throwing off their coats [getting ready to stone Paul] and tossing dust into the air [expressing their anger], ²⁴ the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he was to be ^[i]interrogated with a whip in order to learn why the people were shouting against him that way. ²⁵ But when they had stretched him out ^[j]with the leather straps [in preparation for the whip], Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned [without a trial]?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a ^[k]Roman!” ²⁷ So the commander came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The commander replied, “I ^[l]purchased this citizenship [of mine] for a large sum of money [so how did you acquire yours?].” Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” ²⁹ So those who were about to interrogate him by torture immediately let him go; and the commander was also afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman and he had put him in chains.

³⁰ But on the next day, wanting to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) to assemble; and brought Paul down and presented him before them.

Paul before the Council

23 Then Paul, looking intently at the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), said, “Kinsmen, I have lived my life before God with a perfectly good conscience until this very day.” ² [At this] the high priest ^[m]Ananias ordered those who stood beside him to strike Paul on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you ^[n]whitewashed wall! Do you actually sit to judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” ⁴ But those who stood near Paul said, “Are you insulting the high priest of God?” ⁵ Paul said, “I was not aware, brothers, that he was ^[o]high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”^(A)

⁶ But recognizing that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began affirming loudly in the Council chamber, “Kinsmen, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” ⁷ When he said this, an angry dispute erupted between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the [whole crowded] assembly was divided [into two factions]. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no [such thing as a] resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees [speak out freely and] acknowledge [their belief in] them all. ⁹ Then a great uproar occurred, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and began to argue heatedly [in Paul’s favor], saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has [really] spoken to him?” ¹⁰ And as the dissension became even greater, the commander, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered the troops to go down and forcibly take him from them, and bring him to the barracks.

¹¹ On the following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Be brave; for as you have solemnly and faithfully witnessed about Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

¹² Now when day came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath (curse), saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty [men] who formed this plot [and swore this oath]. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath not to taste anything [neither food nor drink] until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So now you, along with the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), notify the commander to bring Paul down to you, as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near [the place].”

¹⁶ But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their [planned] ambush, and he went to the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul, calling in one of the centurions, said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called for me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to ask him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” ²⁰ And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) tomorrow, as if they were going to interrogate him more thoroughly. ²¹ But do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, and they have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, just waiting for your promise.” ²² So the commander let the young man leave, instructing him, “Do not tell anyone that you have given me this information.”

Paul Moved to Caesarea Maritima

²³ Then summoning two of the centurions, he said, “Have two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night (9:00 p.m.) to go as far as ^[p]Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred ^[q]spearmen; ²⁴ also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to ^[r]Felix the governor.” ²⁵ And [after instructing the centurions] he wrote a letter to this effect:

²⁶ 

²⁷ 

³⁰ 

³¹ So the soldiers, in compliance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night. ³² And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. ³³ When these [horsemen] reached Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul to him. ³⁴ After reading the letter, he asked which province Paul was from, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia [an imperial province], ³⁵ he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers have arrived,” giving orders that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium (the governor’s official residence).

Paul before Felix

24 Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down [from Jerusalem to Caesarea] with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus [acting as spokesman and counsel]. They presented to the governor their [formal] charges against Paul. ² After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began the complaint [against him], saying to the governor:

“Since through you we have attained great peace, and since by your foresight reforms are being carried out for this nation, ³ in every way and in every place, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude. ⁴ But so that I do not weary you further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. ⁵ For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who ^[s]instigates dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the [heretical] ^[t]sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ He even tried to desecrate the temple, but we took him into custody ^[u][and we intended to judge him by our Law, ⁷ but Lysias the commander came, and with great force took him out of our hands, ⁸ and ordered his accusers to come before you.] By interrogating him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to determine [the truth about] these things with which we charge him.” ⁹ The Jews also joined in the attack, declaring and insisting that these things were so.

¹⁰ When the governor nodded for him to speak, Paul answered,

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I make my defense cheerfully and with good courage. ¹¹ As you can easily verify, it has been no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor elsewhere in the city did they find me carrying on a discussion or disputing with anybody or causing a crowd to gather. ¹³ Nor can they present evidence to you to prove what they now bring against me. ¹⁴ But I confess this to you, that according to ^[v]the Way, which they call a [divisive and heretical] sect, I do worship and serve the God of our fathers, [confidently] believing everything that is in accordance with the Law [of Moses] and that is written in the Prophets; ¹⁵ having [the same] hope in God which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of [the dead], both of the righteous and of the wicked. ¹⁶ In view of this, I also do my best and strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men. ¹⁷ Now after several years I came [to Jerusalem] to bring to my people charitable contributions and offerings. ¹⁸ They found me in the temple presenting these offerings, after I had undergone [the rites of] purification, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], ¹⁹ who ought to have been here before you to present their charges, if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else let these men tell what crime they found [me guilty of] when I stood before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), ²¹ other than for this one statement which I had shouted out as I stood among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’”

²² But Felix, having a rather accurate understanding about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ Then he ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to let him have some freedom, and [he told the centurion] not to stop any of his friends from providing for his needs.

²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife ^[w]Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control [honorable behavior, personal integrity], and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I find [a convenient] time I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was also hoping to get money from Paul [as a bribe]; so he continued to send for him quite often and talked with him. ²⁷ But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded [in office] by ^[x]Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Paul before Festus

25 Now Festus arrived in the province, and three days later he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea [Maritima]. ² And [there in Jerusalem] the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul [before Festus], and they repeatedly pleaded with him, ³ asking as a concession against Paul, that he would have him brought to Jerusalem; (meanwhile planning an ambush to kill him on the way). ⁴ Festus answered that Paul was being held in custody in Caesarea [Maritima] and that he himself was about to leave shortly. ⁵ “So,” he said, “let those who are in a position of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything criminal about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

⁶ Now after Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal (the judicial bench), and ordered Paul to be brought [before him]. ⁷ After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him which they were not able to prove, ⁸ while Paul declared in his own defense, “I have done no wrong and committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” ⁹ But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul, “^[y]Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial there in my presence [before the Jewish Sanhedrin] on these charges?” ¹⁰ Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. ¹¹ Therefore, if I am guilty and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not try to escape death; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^[z]appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero).” ¹² Then Festus, after conferring with [the men who formed] his council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

¹³ Now several days later, ^[aa]Agrippa [II] the king and ^[ab]Bernice [his sister] arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus [the new governor]. ¹⁴ While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man here who was left as a prisoner by Felix. ¹⁵ When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews [told me about him and] brought charges against him, petitioning for a sentence of condemnation against him. ¹⁶ I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man [for punishment] before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has the opportunity to defend himself against the charges. ¹⁷ So after they arrived together here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my place on the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought before me. ¹⁸ When his accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of crimes that I was expecting [neither civil nor criminal actions], ¹⁹ instead they had some points of disagreement with him about their own ^[ac]religion and about one Jesus, a man who had died, but whom Paul kept asserting and insisting [over and over] to be alive. ²⁰ And I, being at a loss as to how to investigate these things, asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. ²¹ But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for a decision by the Emperor [Nero], I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.” ²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” Festus replied, “you will hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So the next day Agrippa and [his sister] Bernice came with great pageantry, and they went into the auditorium accompanied by the military commanders and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man [Paul] about whom all the Jewish people appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly insisting that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had done nothing worthy of death; however, since he appealed to the Emperor [Nero], I decided to send him [to Rome]. ²⁶ But I have nothing specific about him to write to my lord. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I will have something to put in writing. ²⁷ For it seems absurd and unreasonable to me to send a prisoner [to Rome] without indicating the charges against him.”

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are [now] permitted to speak on your own behalf.” At that, Paul stretched out his hand [as an orator] and made his defense [as follows]:

² “I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, since it is before you that I am to make my defense today regarding all the charges brought against me by the Jews, ³ especially because you are an expert [fully knowledgeable, experienced and unusually conversant] in all the Jewish customs and controversial issues; therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation [the Jewish people], and in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify to it, that according to the ^[ad]strictest sect of our religion, I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶ And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.^{(B) 7} Which hope [of the Messiah and the resurrection] our twelve tribes [confidently] expect to realize as they serve and worship God in earnest night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews! ⁸ Why is it thought incredible by [any of] you that God raises the dead?

⁹ “So then, I [once] thought to myself that it was my duty to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only locked up many of the saints (God’s people) in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being condemned to death, I ^[ae]cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And I often punished them [making them suffer] in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme; and in my extreme rage at them, I kept hunting them even to foreign cities [harassing and persecuting them].

¹² “While so engaged, as I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission and full power of the chief priests, ¹³ at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven surpassing the brightness of the sun, shining all around me and those who were traveling with me. ¹⁴ And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic) saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ^[af]It is hard for you to kick [repeatedly] against the ^[ag]goads [offering pointless resistance].’ ¹⁵ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ Get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you [to serve] as a minister and as a witness [to testify, with authority,] not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷ [choosing you for Myself and] rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,^{(C) 18} to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’^(D)

¹⁹ “So, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but I openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent [change their inner self—their old way of thinking] and turn to God, doing deeds and living lives which are consistent with repentance. ²¹ Because of this some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² But I have had help from God to this day, and I stand [before people] testifying to small and great alike, stating nothing except what the Prophets and Moses said would come to pass— ²³ that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to suffer, and that He by being the first to rise from the dead [with an incorruptible body] would proclaim light (salvation) both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

²⁴ While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness.” ²⁵ But Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent and noble Festus, but [with a sound mind] I am uttering rational words of truth and reason. ²⁶ For [your majesty] the king understands these things, and [therefore] I am also speaking to him with confidence and boldness, since I am convinced that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner [hidden from view, in secret]. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the [writings of the] Prophets [their messages and words]? I know that you do.” ²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time [and with so little effort] you [almost] persuade me to become a Christian.” ²⁹ And Paul replied, “Whether in a short time or long, I wish to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

³⁰ Then the king stood up, and [with him] the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them; ³¹ and after they had gone out, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or [even] of imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to ^[ah]Caesar (Emperor Nero).”