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,

⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.^(A)

²⁸ We know that all things work together^[a] for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.^(A)

The Church in Antioch

¹⁹ Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews.^{(A) 20} But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists^[a] also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.^{(B) 21} The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.^(C)

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us.^(A)

22 “Brothers^[a] and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you.”^(A)

² When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew,^[b] they became even more quiet. Then he said:^(B)

³ “I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.^{(C) 4} I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison,^{(D) 5} as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.^(E)

Paul Tells of His Conversion

⁶ “While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.^{(F) 7} I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth^[c] whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.^{(G) 10} I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’^{(H) 11} Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.^(I)

¹² “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,^{(J) 13} came to me, and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. ¹⁴ Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,^{(K) 15} for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.^{(L) 16} And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’^(M)

Paul Sent to the Gentiles

¹⁷ “After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance^{(N) 18} and saw Jesus^[d] 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 that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.^{(O) 20} And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’^{(P) 21} Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”^(Q)

Paul and the Roman Tribune

²² Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” ²³ And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air,^{(R) 24} the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. ²⁵ But when they had tied him up with straps,^[e] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman person who is uncondemned?”^{(S) 26} When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.” ²⁷ The tribune came and asked Paul,^[f] “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” ²⁹ Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.

Paul before the Council

³⁰ Since he wanted to find out what Paul^[g] was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.^(T)

Paul on the Island of Malta

28 After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta.^{(A) 2} The local people showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it.^{(B) 3} Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”^{(C) 5} He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.^{(D) 6} They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.^(E)

⁷ Now in the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him.^{(F) 9} After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. ¹⁰ They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹ Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.^{(G) 12} We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; ¹³ then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers and sisters and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.^{(H) 15} The brothers and sisters from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

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

Paul and Jewish Leaders in Rome

¹⁷ Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers,^[a] though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.^{(J) 18} When they had examined me, the Romans^[b] wanted to release me because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.^{(K) 19} But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charge to bring against my people.^{(L) 20} For this reason therefore I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”^{(M) 21} They replied, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you.^{(N) 22} But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”^(O)

Paul Preaches in Rome

²³ After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. ²⁴ Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. ²⁵ So they disagreed with each other, and as they were leaving Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,

²⁸ “Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles; they will listen.”^[c]

³⁰ He lived there two whole years at his own expense^[d] and welcomed all who came to him, ³¹ proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Philip Preaches in Samaria

⁴ Now those who were scattered went from place to place proclaiming the word.^(A)

Destruction of the Enemies of the Jews

9 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain power over them but that had been changed to a day when the Jews would gain power over their foes,^(A)