Acts 13-27

Tree of Life Version

Sent Out from Antioch

13 Now in the Antioch community, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (brought up since childhood with Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul. ² While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off.

⁴ So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John^[a] as a helper.

⁶ When they had gone throughout the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a man who was a magician—a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Yeshua. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, fixed his gaze on him ¹⁰ and said, “O you, full of all deceit and trickery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness—will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ^{[b] 11} Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you,^[c] and you shall be blind and not see the sun for awhile.” Immediately, cloudiness and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² When he saw what had happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Paul’s Message in Diaspora Synagogues

¹³ Setting sail from Paphos, Paul’s company came to Perga in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ But they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. Entering the synagogue on the Shabbat, they sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”

¹⁶ So Paul, standing up and motioning with his hand, said, “Men of Israel and God-fearers, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt,^[d] and with an outstretched arm He led them out of there. ¹⁸ For about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. ^{[e] 19} And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land as an inheritance^[f]— ²⁰ all of this took about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will.’^[g]

²³ “From this man’s seed, in keeping with His promise, God brought to Israel a Savior^[h]—Yeshua. ²⁴ Before His coming, John had proclaimed an immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his service, he said, ‘What do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who are God-fearers, it is to us the message of this salvation has been sent. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers—not recognizing Him or the sayings of the Prophets that are read every Shabbat—fulfilled these words by condemning Him. ²⁸ Though they found no charge worthy of a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised Him from the dead! ³¹ For many days He appeared to those who had come up from the Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

³² “And we proclaim to you Good News—the promise to the fathers has arrived! ³³ For God has fulfilled this promise to the children—to us—by raising up Yeshua, as it is also written in the second psalm:

³⁴ “But since He raised Him up from the dead, never to return to decay, He has spoken in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure mercies of David.’ ^{[j] 35} Therefore He also says in another psalm, ‘You will not permit Your Holy One to see decay.’ ^{[k] 36} For after David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he went to sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay. ³⁷ But the One whom God raised up did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One is proclaimed to you the removal of sins, including all those from which you could not be set right by the Torah of Moses. ³⁹ Through this One everyone who keeps trusting is made righteous.

⁴⁰ “Be careful, then, so that what is said in the Prophets may not come upon you:

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging them to speak these things to them the next Shabbat. ⁴³ When the synagogue meeting broke up, many of the Jewish people and God-fearing inquirers followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and trying to persuade them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ The following Shabbat, almost the entire city came together to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and tried to contradict what Paul was saying by reviling him. ⁴⁶ Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unfit for eternal life—behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were thrilled and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as had been inscribed for eternal life believed.^[n]

⁴⁹ Now the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they drove them out of their district. ⁵¹ But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them,^[o] and they went on to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and the Ruach ha-Kodesh.

Mixed Crowds Believe Amidst Persecution

14 Now in Iconium, the same thing happened—they entered as usual into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large number of Jewish and Greek people believed. ² But the Jewish people who would not believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

³ So they stayed there a considerable time, speaking boldly in the Lord—who was testifying to the message of His grace, granting signs and wonders to come about by their hands. ⁴ But the population of the city split; some were with the Jewish leaders and some were with the emissaries. ⁵ Now it happened that an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jewish people, along with their rulers, to abuse and stone them. ⁶ But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding countryside. ⁷ There they proclaimed the Good News.

⁸ Now a man was sitting in Lystra without strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul speaking. When Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰ he said with a loud voice, “Stand right up! On your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk around!

¹¹ Now the crowd, seeing what Paul had done, lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have become like men and come down to us!” ¹² And they began calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” (because he was the main speaker).

¹³ The priest of Zeus, whose temple was before the front gate of the city, brought bulls and garlands; he wanted to offer a sacrifice with the people. ¹⁴ But when the emissaries Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out among the crowd, crying out ¹⁵ and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are human, just like you! We proclaim the Good News to you, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ^{[p] 16} In past generations He allowed all the nations to go their own ways. ^{[q] 17} Yet He did not leave Himself without a witness—He did good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with joy and gladness.” ^{[r] 18} Even saying these things, they barely restrained the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ But Jewish people came from Antioch and Iconium; and after they won the crowd over and stoned Paul, they were dragging him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰ But while the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city. On the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ²¹ After proclaiming the Good News to that city and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. ²² They were strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in faith, and saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ When they had handpicked elders for them in every community, and prayed with fasting, they placed them in the care of the Lord—in whom they had put their trust.

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphyllia. ²⁵ After speaking the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From there they sailed back to Antioch (where they had been entrusted to the gracious care of God for the work now completed). ²⁷ When they arrived and gathered together Messiah’s community, they began to report all that God had done in helping them and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they stayed quite awhile with the disciples.

Jerusalem Council Rules on Circumcision

15 Now some men coming down from Judea were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² When Paul and Barnabas had a big argument and debate with them, the brothers appointed Paul and Barnabas with some others from among them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this issue.

³ So they were sent on their way by the Antioch community. They were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters. ⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the community and the emissaries and the elders. They reported all that God had done in helping them.

⁵ But some belonging to the party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses.”

⁶ The emissaries and elders were gathered together to examine this issue. ⁷ After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Good News and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Ruach ha-Kodesh—just as He also did for us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts through faith. ¹⁰ Why then do you put God to the test by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples—which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But instead, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, in the same way as they are.”

¹² Then the whole group became silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were describing in detail all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon has described how God first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for His Name. ¹⁵ The words of the Prophets agree, as it is written:

¹⁹ Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God— ²⁰ but to write to them to abstain from the contamination of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood. ^{[u] 21} For Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, since he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat.”

Letter to Diaspora Communities

²² Then it seemed good to the emissaries and elders, with the whole community, to choose men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judah (also called Barsabbas) and Silas, leading men among the brethren, ²³ and this letter along with them:

²⁴ Since we have heard that some from among us have troubled you with words disturbing to your souls,^[v] although we gave them no such authorization, ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ²⁷ We therefore have sent to you Judah and Silas, who themselves will report to you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ It seemed good to the Ruach ha-Kodesh and to us not to place on you any greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹ that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping away from these things, you will do well.

Shalom!”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and when they had gathered the whole group together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and rejoiced over its encouragement. ³² Judah and Silas, prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters with a long message and strengthened them.

³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off with shalom by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. ^{34  [w] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord with many others.

New Teams Strengthen Communities

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul was insisting that they shouldn’t take him along—the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, not accompanying them in the work. ³⁹ A sharp disagreement took place, so that they split off from one another. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul selected Silas and went out, being entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the gracious care of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the communities.

16 Now Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. There was a disciple there named Timothy, son of a woman who was a Jewish believer and a Greek father, ² who was well-spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted this man to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him for the sake of the Jewish people in those places—for they all knew that his father was Greek.

⁴ As they were traveling through the cities, they were handing down the rulings that had been decided upon by the emissaries and elders in Jerusalem, for them to keep. ⁵ So Messiah’s communities were strengthened in the faith and kept increasing daily in number.

Going West to Macedonia

⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to speak the word in Asia. ^{[x] 7} When they came to Mysia, they were trying to proceed into Bithynia, but the Ruach of Yeshua would not allow them. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

⁹ Now a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man from Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ As soon as he had seen the vision, immediately we tried to go to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

¹¹ So we put out to sea from Troas and made a straight course for Samothrace, the next day on to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi—which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia as well as a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days.

¹³ On Yom Shabbat, we went outside the gate to the river, where we expected a place of prayer to be. We sat down and began speaking with the women who had gathered. ¹⁴ A woman named Lydia—a seller of purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearer—was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

¹⁵ When she was immersed, along with her household, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she insisted.^[y]

¹⁶ It so happened that as we were going to prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, who was bringing her masters much profit from her fortune-telling. ^{[z] 17} Following after Paul and us, she kept shouting, saying, “These men are servants of El Elyon, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ She kept doing this for many days. But Paul was irritated and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Messiah Yeshua to come out of her!” And it came out of her that very moment.

¹⁹ But when her masters saw that the hope of profit was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. ²⁰ And when they brought them to the chief authorities, they said, “These men are throwing our city into an uproar! Being Jewish, ²¹ they advocate customs which are not permitted for us to accept or practice,^[aa] being Romans.”

²² Then the crowd joined in the attack on them. So the chief authorities ripped their clothes off them and commanded them to be beaten with rods. ²³ After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them securely. ²⁴ Having received this charge, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.^[ab]

Salvation for a Jailer’s Household

²⁵ But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors were unlocked, and everyone’s chains came loose.

²⁷ When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights and rushed in; and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ After he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ They said, “Put your trust in the Lord Yeshua^[ac] and you will be saved—you and your household!”

³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with everyone in his household. ³³ He took them that very hour and washed their wounds, and at once he was immersed—he and all his household. ³⁴ The jailer brought them to his house and set food before them, and he was overjoyed that he with his entire household had put their trust in God.

³⁵ When day came, the chief authorities sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.”

³⁶ But the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief authorities have sent orders to release you. So come out now, and go in shalom.”

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial—men who are Roman citizens—and have thrown us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? No! Let them come themselves and lead us out!”

³⁸ The police officers reported these words to the chief authorities. They became afraid when they heard they were Romans, ³⁹ so they came and apologized to them. After they escorted them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ When Paul and Silas went out of the prison, they visited Lydia’s house. And when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then departed.

Synagogue Responses Vary

17 After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As was his custom, Paul went to the Jewish people; and for three Shabbatot, he debated the Scriptures with them. ³ He opened them and gave evidence that Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, saying, “This Yeshua, whom I declare to you, is the Messiah.” ⁴ Some of them were convinced and became attached to Paul and Silas, as were a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and no small number of the leading women.

⁵ But some of the Jewish people became jealous. Taking some wicked fellows of the marketplace and gathering a crowd, they stirred the city into an uproar. They attacked Jason’s house, trying to bring Paul and Silas out to the mob. ⁶ When they did not find them, they instead began dragging Jason and some of the brethren before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here too, ⁷ and Jason has welcomed them! They are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Yeshua.” ⁸ Hearing these things, the crowd and the city officials were confused. ⁹ But after receiving bail from Jason and the rest, they released them.

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. Upon arrival, they made their way to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, because they received the message with goodwill, searching the Scriptures each day to see whether these things were true. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, as well as quite a few prominent Greek women and men.

¹³ But when the Jewish people of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there too, agitating and inciting the people. ¹⁴ Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Those escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens. After receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.

An Unknown God in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was aroused within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was debating in the synagogue with the Jewish people and the God-fearers, as well as in the marketplace every day with all who happened to be there. ¹⁸ Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What’s this babbler trying to say?” while others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities”—because he was proclaiming the Good News of Yeshua and the resurrection. ¹⁹ So they took Paul to the Aereopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are talking about? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears, so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ Now all the Athenians and foreigners visiting there used to pass their time doing nothing but telling or hearing something new.

²² So Paul stood in the middle of the Aereopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in all ways you are very religious. ²³ For while I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth,^[ad] does not live in temples made by hands. ^{[ae] 25} Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything,^[af] since He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and all things. ^{[ag] 26} From one He made every nation of men to live on the face of the earth, having set appointed times and the boundaries of their territory. ^{[ah] 27} They were to search for Him, and perhaps grope around for Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us, ^{[ai] 28} for ‘In Him we live and move and have our being.’

As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ ^{[aj] 29} Since we are His offspring, we ought not to suppose the Deity is like gold or silver or stone, an engraved image of human art and imagination. ^{[ak] 30} Although God overlooked the periods of ignorance, now He commands everyone everywhere to repent. ³¹ For He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed.^[al] He has brought forth evidence of this to all men, by raising Him from the dead.” ³² Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began scoffing. But others said, “We will hear from you again about this.” ³³ So Paul left from their midst. ³⁴ But some men joined with him and believed—among them Dionysius (a member of the council of the Aereopagus), a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Many Respond in Corinth

18 After these things, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ² There he found a Jewish man named Aquila—a native of Pontus having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see them; ³ and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and began working, for by trade they were tent-makers. ⁴ And he was debating every Shabbat in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jewish and Greek people.

⁵ Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became occupied with the message, urgently testifying to the Jewish people that Yeshua is the Messiah. ⁶ But when they resisted and reviled him, he shook out his garments^[am] and said, “Your blood be upon your own heads—I am clean!^[an] From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁷ After leaving there, Paul went into the house of a man named Titius Justus, a God-fearer whose house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Crispus, the synagogue leader, put his faith in the Lord, along with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians, upon hearing, were believing and being immersed.

⁹ Now the Lord said to Paul through a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent! ¹⁰ For I am with you and no one shall attack you to harm you—many people in this city are for Me.” ¹¹ So he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders made a united attack against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, ¹³ saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the Torah.”

¹⁴ But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jewish people, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or a vicious crime, there would be a reason to put up with you, O Jews. ¹⁵ But since it is issues about words, names, and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of these.” ¹⁶ And he drove them from the judgment seat. ¹⁷ Then they all grabbed Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to these things.

Sailing East to Revisit Communities

¹⁸ Paul, having stayed many more days, said farewell to the brothers and set sail to Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchrea Paul had his hair cut off, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹ When they arrived at Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila there. But he himself went into the synagogue and debated with the Jewish people. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay longer, he declined, ²¹ instead taking leave of them while saying, “God willing, I’ll return to you again.”

He set sail from Ephesus. ²² After landing at Caesarea, he went up and greeted Messiah’s community; then he went down to Antioch. ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and went one place after another throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Discipling New Leaders

²⁴ Now a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, well versed in the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. With a fervent spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the facts about Yeshua—while only being acquainted with the immersion of John. ²⁶ This man began speaking out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. Upon arrival, he greatly helped those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he powerfully refuted the Jewish people in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that the Messiah was Yeshua.

19 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul traveled through the upper region and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples ² and said to them, “Did you receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh when you believed?”

They replied to him, “No, we’ve never even heard that there is a Ruach ha-Kodesh.

³ He said, “Into what were you immersed?”

They said, “Into John’s immersion.”

⁴ Paul said, “John immersed with an immersion of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him—that is, in Yeshua.”

⁵ When they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua. ⁶ And when Paul laid hands upon them, the Ruach ha-Kodesh came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. ⁷ In all, there were about twelve men.

God’s Power Displayed in Ephesus

⁸ Paul went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, debating and persuading them about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when they were hardening and refusing to believe, speaking evil of the Way before the whole group, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him, debating daily in the hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia^[ao] heard the word of the Lord—Jewish as well as Greek people.

¹¹ God was doing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

¹³ But some traveling Jewish exorcists also tried to invoke the name of the Lord Yeshua, saying, “I charge you by the Yeshua whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of a Jewish ruling kohen named Sceva were doing this. ¹⁵ But the evil spirit answered them, “I know Yeshua and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

¹⁶ Then the man with the evil spirit sprang at them, subduing and overpowering all of them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jewish and Greek people. Fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Yeshua was being magnified.

¹⁸ Many also of those who had believed came confessing and recounting their practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together in a heap, burning them before everyone. They totaled the value of the books and found it to be about fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord was growing in power and prevailing.

Idol-Makers Start a Riot

²¹ Now after these things were accomplished, Paul resolved in the Ruach to go to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² So after sending two who were assisting him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ Around that time, there arose no small uproar concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius—a silversmith, a maker of silver shrines of Artemis—was providing no small amount of business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ He gathered these together, along with those of related occupations, and he said, “Men, you know that our wealth is from this business. ²⁶ You see and hear that not only in Ephesus but also throughout all Asia, Paul has persuaded and perverted a considerable crowd, saying that handmade gods are not gods at all. ^{[ap] 27} Not only is there a danger that this trade of ours might come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis might be considered as nothing. She whom all Asia and the world worships might even be thrown down from her majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard, they were filled with fury and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with confusion. They rushed into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were travel companions of Paul. ³⁰ Paul was wishing to enter among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Some of the chiefs of Asia,^[aq] being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to surrender himself in the theater.

³² Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd solicited Alexander, whom the Jewish people put forward. Alexander motioned with his hand. He wished to offer a defense to the crowd. ³⁴ But recognizing that he was Jewish, for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ After the town clerk quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis and of her image fallen from heaven? ³⁶ Since these things are undeniable, you must be calm and do nothing reckless. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor revilers of our goddess. ³⁸ If Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse them. ³⁹ But if you seek anything further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly. ⁴⁰ For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, there being no reason which we are able to give to justify this mob.” Upon saying this, he dismissed the assembly.

Escaping Death

20 After the uproar ended, Paul sent for the disciples; and when he had encouraged them and said farewell, he departed to go to Macedonia. ² When he had passed through these parts and given them a great word of encouragement, he came to Greece, ³ where he spent three months. When a plot was formed against him by the Jewish leaders as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return via Macedonia. ⁴ Sopater of Berea, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; as well as Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica; Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. ^{[ar] 5} These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. ⁶ But we sailed from Philippi after the Days of Matzah. In five days we came to them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

⁷ Now on the first day of the week, we gathered to break bread. Paul was talking with them, intending to leave the next day, so he prolonged his speech till midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upper chamber where we were meeting. ⁹ Now a young man named Eutychus was sitting in a windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. Overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up—dead.

¹⁰ But Paul went down, fell on him and threw his arms around him. He said, “Don’t be upset, for his life is within him.”^[as]

¹¹ After he went back up and broke the bread and ate, he talked with them a long while until daybreak and then left. ¹² So they took the boy away alive, greatly relieved.

Prophetic Warnings

¹³ But we went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there—for so he had arranged, intending himself to travel there by land. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. ¹⁵ Sailing from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios; the next day we crossed over to Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus. ¹⁶ For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he might not spend much time in Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Shavuot.

¹⁷ From Miletus, dispatching someone to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the community. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I behaved among you all the time from the first day I set foot in Asia, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials which fell upon me through the plots of the Jewish leaders. ²⁰ I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly as well as from house to house, ²¹ testifying to both Jewish and Greek people repentance to God and trust in our Lord Yeshua.

²² “And now, look, bound by the Ruach, I am going to Jerusalem—not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Ruach ha-Kodesh bears witness to me from city to city, saying that bondage and afflictions await me. ²⁴ However, I don’t consider my life of any value, except that I might finish my course and the office I received from the Lord Yeshua, to declare the Good News of the grace of God.

²⁵ “Now, look! I know that none of you, among whom I have gone proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all. ²⁷ For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.

²⁸ “Take care of yourselves and all the flock of which the Ruach ha-Kodesh has made you overseers, to shepherd the community of God—which He obtained with the blood of His own. ^{[at] 29} I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ^{[au] 30} Even from among yourselves will arise men speaking perversions, to draw the disciples away after themselves. ³¹ Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning you with tears.

³² “Now I commit you to God and the word of His grace, which is strong to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who have been made holy. ³³ I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my own needs as well as for those with me. ³⁵ In all things I have shown you an object lesson—that by hard work one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”^[av]

³⁶ When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ They all began weeping and falling upon Paul’s neck and kissing him, ³⁸ grieving most of all over the statement he made that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Going to Jerusalem Despite Warnings

21 After tearing ourselves away from them and setting sail, we set a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ² Finding a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. ³ When we came in sight of Cyprus, passing it by on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre—for there the ship was to unload the cargo. ⁴ We looked up the disciples and stayed there seven days. They kept telling Paul through the Ruach not to set foot in Jerusalem.

⁵ When our days there were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. After kneeling down on the shore and praying, ⁶ we said farewell to one another. Then we boarded the ship, and they returned home.

⁷ When we had finished the trip from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for one day. ⁸ On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered the home of Philip, the proclaimer of Good News, who was one of the seven, and we stayed with him. ⁹ Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

¹⁰ While we stayed there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet, and said, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh says this: ‘In this way shall the Jewish people in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

¹² When we heard these things, both we and the local people urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Yeshua!”

¹⁴ Since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying only, “May the Lord’s will be done.”

¹⁵ After these days, we packed and started going up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus—one of the early disciples by whom we might be hosted.

Advice from Jacob and the Elders

¹⁷ When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly. ¹⁸ On the next day, Paul went in with us to Jacob; all the elders were present. ¹⁹ After greeting them, he reported to them in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his service. ²⁰ And when they heard, they began glorifying God.

They said, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jewish people who have believed—and they are all zealous for the Torah. ²¹ They have been told about you—that you teach all the Jewish people among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs. ²² What’s to be done then? No doubt they will hear that you have come.

²³ “So do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on themselves. ^{[aw] 24} Take them, and purify yourself^[ax] along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. That way, all will realize there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in an orderly manner, keeping the Torah.

²⁵ “As for Gentiles who have believed, however, we have written by letter what we decided—for them to abstain from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from immorality.”

²⁶ The next day Paul took the men, purifying himself along with them. He went into the Temple, announcing when the days of purification would be completed and the sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.

Trouble at the Temple

²⁷ When the seven days were about to be completed, the Jewish leaders from Asia^[ay] saw Paul in the Temple and began stirring up the whole crowd. They grabbed him, ²⁸ shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against our people and the Torah and this place. Besides, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled^[az] this holy place!”

²⁹ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the Temple. ³⁰ The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the Temple, and the gates were shut at once.

³¹ As they were trying to kill him, news came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in chaos. ³² Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and rushed down to them. Upon seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the commander came up, arrested Paul, ordered him to be bound with two chains, and began investigating what he had done. ³⁴ Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another. As he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into headquarters.

³⁵ When he came to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. ³⁶ For the multitude of people that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”

³⁷ As Paul was about to be brought into the headquarters, he said to the commander, “Can I say something to you?”

The commander said, “You know Greek? ³⁸ Then you’re not the Egyptian who stirred up a rebellion some time ago—and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”

³⁹ Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, let me speak to the people.”

⁴⁰ When the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people with his hand. When there was a great hush, he spoke to them in Aramaic,^[ba] saying:

Paul’s Testimony on the Temple Stairs

22 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I now present to you.” ² When they heard that Paul was addressing them in Aramaic, they became even more quiet. Then he said, ³ “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, trained strictly according to the Torah of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prisons— ⁵ as the kohen gadol and all the council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers, and I went to Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem even those who were there in chains—to be punished.

⁶ “But it happened that as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly flashed all around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

⁸ “I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“He said to me, ‘I am Yeshua ha-Natzrati, whom you are persecuting.’

⁹ “Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’

“And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up, and go to Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

¹¹ “But since I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. ¹² Then a certain Ananias—a devout man according to the Torah, well spoken of by all the Jewish people living there— ¹³ came to me. Standing before me, he said to me, ‘Brother Saul, look up!’ In that very moment, I looked and saw him!

¹⁴ “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers handpicked you to know His will—to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. ¹⁵ For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ Now why are you waiting? Get up and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His Name.’

¹⁷ “It happened that when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance; ¹⁸ and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness about Me.’

¹⁹ “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another, I was imprisoning and beating those trusting in You. ²⁰ Even when the blood of Your witness Stephen was spilled, I too was standing by and approving, and guarding the clothing of those who were killing him.’

²¹ “And he said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

²² Up to this statement they listened to him. Then they raised their voices, saying, “Away from the earth with this fellow! For he’s not fit to live!”

The Romans Intervene

²³ As they were crying out and flinging off their cloaks and throwing dust into the air, ^{[bb] 24} the commander ordered Paul to be brought into headquarters. He said Paul should be examined by lashing, so that he might find out why they were shouting against him so. ²⁵ But when they stretched him out with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen without due process?”

²⁶ Now when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it, saying, “What are you going to do? For this man is Roman.”

²⁷ The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you Roman?”

And he said, “Yes.”

²⁸ The commander answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.”

Paul said, “But I was born so.”

²⁹ Therefore, those who were about to interrogate him instantly drew back from him. And the commander also was afraid when he found out that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.

Delivered to the Council

³⁰ But on the next day, desiring to know exactly why Paul had been accused by the Judeans, he released him and commanded the ruling kohanim and all the Sanhedrin to meet together. And he brought Paul and set him before them.

23 Paul, looking intently at the Sanhedrin, said, “Brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience for God up to this day.” ² But the kohen gadol Ananias ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.

³ Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you on the mouth, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Torah, and yet in violation of the Torah you order me to be struck?”^[bc]

⁴ Those standing nearby said, “Do you insult God’s kohen gadol?”

⁵ Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he is the kohen gadol. For it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”^[bd]

⁶ But recognizing that one group was Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”

⁷ When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all. ⁹ Then there was a great uproar. Some of the Torah scholars of the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?”

¹⁰ As a big dispute was developing, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and to bring him into headquarters.

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, “Take courage! For just as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome!”

Conspiracy to Kill Paul

¹² When it was day, the Judean leaders formed a conspiracy. They bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty who formed this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the ruling kohanim and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So now you and the Sanhedrin serve notice to the commander to bring him down to you—like you are about to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

¹⁶ But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush. He went into the headquarters and told Paul. ¹⁷ Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has a message for him.”

¹⁸ So the centurion took him and led him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”

¹⁹ The commander took him by the hand, stepped aside, and began asking him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?”

²⁰ And he said, “The Judean leaders have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow—as if they are about to investigate more thoroughly about him. ²¹ But do not give in to them, for more than forty of them have bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now, they are ready and waiting for your consent.”

²² So the commander dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me about these things.”

Escorted to Caesarea

²³ Calling two of his centurions, he said, “At the third hour of the night,^[be] prepare two hundred soldiers, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to proceed as far as Caesarea. ²⁴ Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, so that he might be brought safely to Felix the governor.”

²⁵ He wrote a letter to this effect:

²⁶ “Claudius Lysias,

To the Most Excellent Governor Felix:

Greetings!

²⁷ This man was seized by the Judean leaders and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman citizen. ²⁸ Desiring to know the charge of which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found that he was accused concerning issues of their law, but charged with nothing worthy of death or imprisonment. ³⁰ When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also ordering his accusers to state before you what they have against him.”

³¹ So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² On the next day, they returned to headquarters, leaving the horsemen to go on with him. ³³ When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him. ³⁴ Upon reading the letter, the governor asked what province he was from. When he learned that Paul was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers have arrived also.” Then he gave orders for Paul to be guarded in Herod’s Praetorium.

Defense Before Governor Felix

24 After five days, the kohen gadol Ananias came down with some of the elders and an attorney named Tertullus. They brought formal charges against Paul before the governor. ² When Paul was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “We are enjoying much peace through you, and reforms are introduced for this nation because of your foresight. ³ We acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, in every way and every place with all gratitude.

⁴ “But in order that I may not weary you any longer, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. ⁵ For we have found this man to be a pest, stirring up riots among all the Jewish people throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Natzratim. ⁶ He even tried to defile the Temple, but we seized him. ^{[bf] 8} By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn from him all these things about which we accuse him.”

⁹ The Judean leaders also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were true. ¹⁰ When the governor nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: “Knowing that you have been judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my own defense. ¹¹ As you can verify, it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² They did not find me arguing with anyone or inciting a riot—not in the Temple or in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ Nor can they prove to you the charges they now bring against me.

¹⁴ “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), I worship the God of our fathers,^[bg] believing everything written in the Torah and the Prophets. ¹⁵ In God I have a hope—which these men also wait for—that there will surely be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.^[bh]

¹⁶ “Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience before both God and men. ¹⁷ Now after several years, I came to bring tzedakah to my country for the poor and to present offerings. ¹⁸ As I was doing this, they found me in the Temple, having been purified—without any crowd or uproar. ¹⁹ But there were some Jewish people from Asia, who ought to be here before you to press charges if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or let these men themselves tell what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin— ²¹ except for this one cry I shouted out while standing among them: ‘It is about the resurrection of the dead that today I am on trial before you.’”

In Prison for Two Years

²² But Felix, having a rather extensive knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will rule on your case.” ²³ Then he gave the centurion orders for Paul to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from attending to his needs.

²⁴ Now some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Messiah Yeshua. ²⁵ But as he was arguing about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became afraid and said, “Go away for now! When I find time, I will summon you.”

²⁶ At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul; so he sent for him frequently and would talk with him. ²⁷ But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Judean leaders a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Appeal to Caesar

25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ² There the ruling kohanim and the leading Judeans brought charges against Paul. They were urging him, ³ asking a favor—to have Paul sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the road.

⁴ Festus then answered that Paul was being guarded at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. ⁵ “So then,” he said, “let the prominent men among you go down with me; and if there is any wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

⁶ After spending not more than eight to ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. ⁷ When he arrived, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many serious charges which they could not prove.

⁸ Paul said in his defense, “I have committed no offense against the Torah of the Jewish people, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.”

⁹ But Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me?”

¹⁰ But 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 very well know. ¹¹ If then I am in the wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

¹² Then when Festus had consulted with the council, he responded, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you shall go!”

Festus Seeks Agrippa’s Counsel

¹³ Now after several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ While they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left behind as a prisoner by Felix. ¹⁵ When I was in Jerusalem, the ruling kohanim and elders of the Judeans brought charges against him, asking for a judgment against him. ¹⁶ I answered them that it is not Roman practice to turn over anyone before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense concerning the charges. ¹⁷ So when they came together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing a charge of what crimes I suspected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had certain issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Yeshua, who had died, whom Paul claimed to be alive.

²⁰ “Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there in regard to them. ²¹ But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”

“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

²³ So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry. They entered the audience hall with the commanders and the most prominent men of the city. Then at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in.

²⁴ Festus said, “King Agrippa and all present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Judean population petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting out that he ought not live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and when he himself appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him. ²⁶ Yet I have nothing specific to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that after the investigation has taken place, I might have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems illogical to me when sending a prisoner, not to report also the charges against him.”

Defense Before King Agrippa

26 Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.”

Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense. ² “Concerning all I am accused of by the Judean leaders, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that it is before you that I am about to make my defense today— ³ since you are especially knowledgeable about all Jewish customs and issues. Therefore I beg you to listen patiently to me.

⁴ “Now all the Jewish people have known my manner of life ever since my youth, starting from the beginning in my own nation and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known about me for a long time—if they were willing to testify—that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

⁶ “Yet now I stand here being judged for the hope in the promise made by God to our fathers. ⁷ It is the promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jewish people, O King! ⁸ Why is it judged incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹ “In fact, I myself thought it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Yeshua ha-Natzrati. ¹⁰ And that is what I did in Jerusalem. Not only did I lock up many of the kedoshim in prisons by the authority I received from the ruling kohanim, but I cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. ¹¹ I tried to cause them to blaspheme by punishing them often in the synagogues. In furious rage against them, I persecuted them even in foreign cities.

¹² “While journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the ruling kohanim, ¹³ at midday, O King, I saw on the road a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. ¹⁴ When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against goads!’

¹⁵ “Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“And the Lord said, ‘I am Yeshua—whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up, and stand on your feet.^[bi] For I have appeared to you for this purpose—to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things you have seen as well as to the things I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will rescue you^[bj] from your own people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes—so they may turn from darkness to light^[bk] and from the power of satan to God, that they may receive release from sins as well as a place among those who are made holy through trusting in Me.’

¹⁹ “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. ²⁰ Rather, I kept declaring—first to those in Damascus, and then Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also the Gentiles—that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with that repentance.

²¹ “For this reason some Judeans seized me in the Temple and tried to put me to death. ²² Since I have had God’s help, to this day I have stood here testifying to both small and great. I am saying nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to happen— ²³ that the Messiah was to suffer and that, being first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light both to our people and to the nations.^[bl]”

²⁴ As Paul was thus making his defense, Festus says with a loud voice, “You’re crazy, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

²⁵ But Paul declares, “I am not insane, most noble Festus! Rather I am speaking the sober truth. ²⁶ For the king knows about these things, and I speak freely to him, since I am convinced that none of these things escape his notice—for this was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do believe!”

²⁸ Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you are trying to persuade me to be Messianic!”^[bm]

²⁹ And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would pray to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today would be such as I am—except for these chains!”

³⁰ Then the king stood up, as well as the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them. ³¹ When they had gone away, they began talking among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

³² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Sailing for Rome

27 When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan Cohort. ² So we boarded a ship from Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, and we set out to sea—accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.

³ The next day we set down at Sidon. Julius, treating Paul kindly, let him go to his friends to receive care. ⁴ Setting out to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. ⁵ When we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came down to Myra in Lysia. ⁶ There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board.

⁷ Sailing slowly for a number of days, with difficulty we made it to Cnidus. As the wind did not allow us to go further, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone. ⁸ Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹ Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was already dangerous because the Fast^[bn] had already gone by, Paul kept warning them,