¹⁶ Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but ^(A)Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

³ And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius ^(A)treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.

²³ So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and ^(A)told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, ^(A)called to be saints:

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

Desire to Visit Rome

⁸ First, ^(C)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that ^(D)your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ For ^(E)God is my witness, ^(F)whom I serve ^[a]with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that ^(G)without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰ making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that ^(H)I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— ¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by ^(I)the mutual faith both of you and me.

¹³ Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but ^(J)was hindered until now), that I might have some ^(K)fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

³⁰ Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, ^31 (A)preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw ^(A)is that great city ^(B)which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

^9 (A)“Here is the mind which has wisdom: ^(B)The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

Plan to Visit Rome

²² For this reason ^(A)I also have been much hindered from coming to you. ²³ But now no longer having a place in these parts, and ^(B)having a great desire these many years to come to you, ²⁴ whenever I journey to Spain, ^[a]I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, ^(C)and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may ^(D)enjoy your company for a while. ²⁵ But now ^(E)I am going to Jerusalem to ^[b]minister to the saints. ²⁶ For ^(F)it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. ²⁷ It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For ^(G)if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, ^(H)their duty is also to minister to them in material things. ²⁸ Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them ^(I)this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. ^29 (J)But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing ^[c]of the gospel of Christ.

⁴³ But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,