¹² Then Festus, after he had conferred with his council, replied, “You have appealed to the emperor; to the emperor you will go.”

²⁰ It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way but that by my speaking with all boldness Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.^(A)

Paul’s Present Circumstances

¹² I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the progress of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard^[a] and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ, ¹⁴ and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word^[b] with greater boldness and without fear.

The Riot in Ephesus

²¹ Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have gone there, I must also see Rome.”^(A)

²⁸ So, when I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,^[a] I will set out by way of you to Spain, ²⁹ and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing^[b] of Christ.

¹⁶ When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.^(A)

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor.”^(A)

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius.^(B)

²¹ But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial Majesty, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to the emperor.”^(A)

¹¹ That night the Lord stood near him and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”^(A)