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21 1 Paul goeth toward Jerusalem: 8 at Caesarea he talketh with Philip the Evangelist: 10 Agabus foretelleth him of his bonds. 17 After he came to Jerusalem, 26 and into the Temple, 27 The Jews laid hands on him: 32 Lysias the captain taketh him from them.
1 And [a]as we launched forth, and were departed from them, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the day following unto the Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara.
2 And we found a ship that went over unto Phoenicia, and went aboard, and set forth.
3 And when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed toward Syria, and arrived at Tyre: for there the ship unladed the burden.
4 And when we had found disciples, we tarried there seven days. And they told Paul through the [b]Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
5 But when the days were ended, we departed and went our way, and they all accompanied us with their wives and children, even out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, prayed.
6 Then when we had embraced one another, we took ship, and they returned home.
7 And when we had ended the course from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.
8 And the next day, Paul and we that were with him, departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of (A)Philip the Evangelist, which was one of the [c]seven Deacons, and abode with him.
9 Now he had four daughters, virgins, which did [d]prophesy.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came a certain Prophet from Judea, named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 And when we had heard these things, both we and others of the same place besought him that he would not go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, and said, What do ye weeping and breaking mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.
14 [e]So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
15 And after those days we trussed up our fardels, and went up to Jerusalem.
16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 And the next day Paul went in with us unto James: and all the Elders were there assembled.
19 [f]And when he had embraced them, he told by order all things, that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministration.
20 [g]So when they heard it, they glorified God, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousand Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous of the Law:
21 Now they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews, which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their sons, neither to live after the customs.
22 What is then to be done? the multitude must needs come together: for they shall hear that thou art come.
23 Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men, which have made a vow,
24 Them take, and [h]purify thyself with them, and [i]contribute with them, that they may (B)shave their heads: and all shall know, that those things, whereof they have been informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyself also walkest and keepest the Law.
25 For as touching the Gentiles, which believe, we have written, and determined that they observe no such thing, but that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from that that is strangled, and from fornication.
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day was purified with them, and entered into the Temple, [j]declaring the accomplishment of the days of the purification, until that an offering should be offered for everyone of them.
27 [k]And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia (when they saw him in the Temple) moved all the people, and laid hands on him,
28 Crying, Men of Israel, help: this is the man that teachest all men everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place: moreover, he hath brought Grecians into the Temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
29 For they had seen before Trophimus an Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple.
30 Then all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the Temple, and forthwith the doors were shut.
31 [l]But as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was on an uproar.
32 Who immediately took soldiers and Centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
33 Then the chief Captain came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
34 And one cried this, another that, among the people. So when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castle.
35 And when he came unto the grieces, it was so that he was borne of the soldiers, for the violence of the people.
36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
37 And as Paul should have been led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
38 Art not thou the [m]Egyptian who before these days raised a sedition, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
39 Then Paul said, Doubtless, I am a man which am a Jew, and citizen of Tarsus, a famous city of Cilicia, and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
40 And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the grieces, and beckoned with the hand unto the people, and when there was made great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
22 1 Paul yieldeth a reason of his faith, 22 and the Jews heard him awhile: 23 But so soon as they cried out, 24 He is commanded to be scourged and examined, 27 and so declareth that he is citizen of Rome.
1 Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear my defense now towards you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence, and he said,)
3 [n]I am verily a man, which am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the [o]feet of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the perfect manner of the Law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women.
5 As also the chief Priest doth bear me witness, and all the company of the Elders: of whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring them which were there, bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
6 ¶ And so it was, as I journeyed, and was come near unto Damascus about noon, that suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 So I fell unto the earth, and heard a voice, saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 Then I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 Moreover they that were with me, saw indeed a light and were afraid: but they heard not the voice of him that spake unto me.
10 Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus: and there it shall be told thee of all things, which are appointed for thee to do.
11 So when I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand of them that were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias a godly man, as pertaining to the Law, having good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight: and that same hour I looked upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and shouldest see that Just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 Now therefore why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, in calling on the Name of the Lord.
17 ¶ And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, and prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance,
18 And saw him, saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy witness concerning me.
19 Then I said, Lord, they know that I prisoned, and beat in every Synagogue them that believed in thee.
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by, and consented unto his death, and kept the clothes of them that [p]slew him.
21 Then he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22 ¶ [q]And they heard him unto this word, but then they lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not meet that he should live.
23 And as they [r]cried and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 [s]The chief captain commanded him to be led into the castle, and bade that he should be scourged, and examined, that he might know wherefore they cried so on him.
25 [t]And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge one that is a Roman, and not condemned?
26 Now when the Centurion heard it, he went, and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. Then Paul said, But I was so born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him, which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a [u]Roman, and that he had bound him.
30 On the next day, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bonds, and commanded the high Priests and all their Council to come together: and he brought Paul, and set him before them.
23 1 As Paul pleadeth his cause, 2 Ananias commandeth them to smite him. 7 Dissension among his accusers. 11 God encourageth him. 14 The Jews laying wait for Paul, 17 is declared unto the chief captain. 24 He sendeth him to Felix the Governor.
1 And [v]Paul beheld earnestly the Council, and said, Men and brethren, I have in all good conscience served God until this day.
2 [w]Then the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.
3 [x]Then said Paul to him, God [y]will smite thee, thou [z]whited wall: for thou sittest to judge me according to the Law, and [aa]transgressing the Law, commandest thou me to be smitten?
4 And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God’s high Priest?
5 [ab]Then said Paul, I knew not brethren, that he was the high Priest: for it is written, (C)Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 [ac]But when Paul perceived that the one part were of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, he cried in the Council, Men and brethren, (D)I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead.
7 [ad]And when he had said this, there was a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, so that the multitude was divided.
8 (E)[ae]For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither [af]Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 [ag]Then there was a great cry: and the [ah]Scribes of the Pharisees’ part rose up, and strove, saying, We find none evil in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10 [ai]And when there was a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 Now the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 [aj]And when the day was come, certain of the Jews made an assembly, and bound themselves [ak]with a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty, which had made this conspiracy.
14 And they came to the chief Priests and Elders, and said, We have bound ourselves with a solemn curse, that we will eat nothing, until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore, [al]ye and the Council, signify to the chief captain, that he bring him forth unto you tomorrow, as though you would know something more perfectly of him, and we, or ever he come near will be ready to kill him.
16 But when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their laying await, he went, and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17 [am]And Paul called one of the Centurions unto him, and said, Take this young man hence unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to show him.
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, which hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to show me?
20 And he said, The Jews have conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring forth Paul tomorrow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:
21 But let them not persuade thee: for there lie in wait for him of them, more than forty men, which have bound themselves with a curse, that they will neither eat nor drink, till they have killed him: and now are they ready, and wait for thy promise.
22 [an]The chief captain then let the young man depart, after he had charged him to utter it to no man, that he had [ao]showed him these things.
23 And he called unto him two certain Centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers, that they may go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and two hundred with darts, at the third hour of the night:
24 And let them make ready an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote an Epistle in this manner:
26 [ap]Claudius Lysias unto the most noble governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 As this man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them, I came upon them with a garrison, and rescued him, perceiving that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.
29 There I perceived that he was accused of questions of their Law, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bonds.
30 And when it was showed me, how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speak before thee the things that they had against him. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris,
32 And the next day, they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned into the Castle.
33 Now when they came to Caesarea, they delivered the Epistle to the governor, and presented Paul also unto him.
34 So when the Governor had read it, he asked of what province he was: and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
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