Bible in 90 Days

³⁸ The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. ³⁹ So they came and entreated them. And they brought them out, asking them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia. When they had seen the brothers, they exhorted them and departed.

The Uproar in Thessalonica

17 When they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² According to his custom, Paul went in, and on three Sabbaths he lectured to them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I preach to you, is the Christ.” ⁴ Some of them were persuaded and joined with Paul and Silas, including a great crowd of devout Greeks and many leading women.

⁵ But the Jews who did not believe became jealous and, taking some evil men from the marketplace, gathered a crowd, stirred up the city, and attacked the house of Jason, trying to bring them out to the mob. ⁶ But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers to the city officials, crying out, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, ⁷ and Jason has received them. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸ They troubled the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things. ⁹ When they had taken a bail payment from Jason and the rest, they released them.

The Apostles in Berea

¹⁰ The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the Scriptures, to find out if these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, including honorable Greek women and many Greek men.

¹³ But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also, stirring up the crowds. ¹⁴ The brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea. But Silas and Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and departed with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him quickly.

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ While Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to there. ¹⁸ Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What will this babbler say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection to them. ¹⁹ They took hold of him and led him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? ²⁰ For you are bringing strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ For all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing else, but either telling or hearing something new.

²² Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious. ²³ For as I passed by and looked up at your objects of worship, I found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Whom you therefore unknowingly worship, Him I proclaim to you.

²⁴ “God who made the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands. ²⁵ Nor is He served by men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives all men life and breath and all things. ²⁶ He has made from one blood every nation of men to live on the entire face of the earth, having appointed fixed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they should seek the Lord so perhaps they might reach for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ²⁸ ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

²⁹ “Therefore since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Deity is like gold or silver or stone or an engraved work of art or an image of the reflection of man. ³⁰ God overlooked the times of ignorance, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent. ³¹ For He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed, having given assurance of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

³² When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed. But others said, “We will hear you again concerning this matter.” ³³ So Paul departed from them. ³⁴ However, some men joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul in Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ² He found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to them. ³ And because he was of the same trade, he remained with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. ⁴ He lectured in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

⁵ When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul was pressed by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ⁶ But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your heads. I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁷ Then he departed from there and entered the house of a man named Justus, one who worshipped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians, who heard, believed and were baptized.

⁹ The Lord spoke to Paul in the night through a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one shall attack you and hurt you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So for a year and six months he sat among them, teaching the word of God.

¹² When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews in unity attacked Paul and brought him to court, ¹³ saying, “This man is persuading men to worship God contrary to the law.”

¹⁴ When Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “O Jews, if it were a matter of a misdemeanor or serious crime, I would rightly bear with you. ¹⁵ But if it is a question of words and names and your law, look into it yourselves. For I do not intend to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶ So he drove them out of court. ¹⁷ Then all the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But none of these things mattered to Gallio.

Paul’s Return to Antioch

¹⁸ Yet Paul remained many days. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. Then, bidding farewell to the brothers, he sailed to Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. ¹⁹ He arrived at Ephesus and left them there. But he himself went into the synagogue and lectured the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to remain for a while longer, he did not consent, ²¹ but, bidding farewell, said, “I must by all means attend this upcoming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return to you if God wills.” And he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

²³ After spending some time there, he departed and passed through the entire region of Galatia and Phrygia in sequence, strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Preaches in Ephesus

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, who was an eloquent man and powerful in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. ²⁵ This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John, but being fervent in spirit, he accurately spoke and taught the things concerning the Lord. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him and explained the way of God more accurately.

²⁷ When Apollos intended to pass into Achaia, the brothers wrote to encourage the disciples to welcome him. On arriving, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace. ²⁸ For he vehemently refuted the Jews publicly, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Ephesians Receive the Holy Spirit

19 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples ² and said to them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”

They said to him, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ He said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

⁴ Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

⁸ He went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, lecturing and persuading concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and took the disciples, lecturing daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

The Sons of Sceva

¹¹ God worked powerful miracles by the hands of Paul. ¹² So handkerchiefs or aprons he had touched were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

¹³ Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists invoked the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We command you to come out in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” ¹⁴ There were seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva doing this. ¹⁵ The evil spirit answered, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

¹⁷ This became known to all Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus. And fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ¹⁸ Many who believed came confessing and telling their deeds. ¹⁹ Many who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them before everyone. They calculated their value, which equaled fifty thousand drachmas.^{[a] 20} So the word of the Lord powerfully grew and spread.

The Riot in Ephesus

²¹ After these things happened, Paul determined in his spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² He sent two who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, but he delayed in Asia for a time.

²³ About that time great trouble arose about the Way. ²⁴ For a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines for Artemis, brought much business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ He gathered them together with the workmen of similar trades and said, “Men, you know that by this trade we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear, not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, that this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that these things made by hands are not gods. ²⁷ Now not only is our trade in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis, whom all Asia and the world worship, may be discredited and her magnificence destroyed.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were full of anger and cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ The city was filled with confusion. And in unison they seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed into the theater. ³⁰ When Paul intended to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the rulers of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was confused. Therefore some cried out one thing and some another, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ The Jews pushed Alexander to the front as the crowd prompted him. Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make his defense to the mob. ³⁴ But when they learned that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Seeing then that these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of your goddess. ³⁸ So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. ³⁹ If you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the legal assembly. ⁴⁰ For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no reason we may give to account for this uproar.” ⁴¹ When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Paul’s Journey to Macedonia and Greece

20 After the uproar ceased, Paul summoned the disciples and embraced them and departed for Macedonia. ² When he had gone through that region and had greatly exhorted them, he arrived in Greece, ³ and stayed there three months. When the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. ⁴ Accompanying him to Asia were Sopater of Berea, and Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. ⁵ These men went forward and waited for us at Troas. ⁶ But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and after five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

Paul’s Farewell Visit to Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to leave the next day, preached to them and continued his message until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upper room where they were assembled. ⁹ A young man named Eutychus sat in the window, falling into a deep sleep as Paul spoke for a longer time. Being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third floor and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ Paul went down and leaned over him, and embracing him said, “Do not be troubled, for he is alive.” ¹¹ When he had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed for a long while until dawn and departed. ¹² They took the lad in alive and were greatly comforted.

The Voyage From Troas to Miletus

¹³ We went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. For he had arranged this, intending to go on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The day after sailing from there we arrived off Chios. And the next day we crossed over to Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the following day we came to Miletus. ¹⁶ Paul had decided to sail by Ephesus, to avoid spending time in Asia. For he was hurrying so he could be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said to them, “You know how I always lived among you from the first day that I came to Asia, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with many tears and trials which befell me through the plots of the Jews. ²⁰ I did not keep from declaring what was beneficial to you, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, ²¹ testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

²² “Now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what shall befall me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But none of these things deter me. Nor do I count my life of value to myself, so that I may joyfully finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵ “Now I know that all you, among whom I went proclaiming the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I did not keep from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Therefore take heed to yourselves and to the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ²⁹ For I know that after my departure, dreadful wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Even from among you men will arise speaking perverse things, to draw the disciples away after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease to warn everyone with tears.

³² “Now, brothers, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. ³³ I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴ Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities and for those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things I have shown you how, working like this, you must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ Having said these things, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. ³⁷ They all wept much and embraced Paul’s neck and kissed him, ³⁸ grieving most over the words he spoke, that they were to see his face no more. Then they escorted him to the ship.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem

21 When we had withdrawn from them and set sail, we went on a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. ² We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went aboard, and set sail. ³ Having come in sight of Cyprus, we passed to the south of it and sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship’s cargo was to be unloaded. ⁴ When we found the disciples, we remained there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. ⁵ But when our days were over, we parted and traveled on. Everyone, with wives and children, escorted us until we were outside the city. And we knelt on the shore and prayed. ⁶ After bidding farewell to one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.

⁷ We finished the voyage from Tyre when we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. ⁸ The next day we who were Paul’s companions departed, and arrived at Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. ⁹ He had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

¹⁰ While we stayed there many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ When he had arrived, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own hands and feet, saying, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this manner the Jews at Jerusalem shall 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 residents implored him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ When he would not be persuaded, we kept silent and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

¹⁵ After those days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

Paul Visits James

¹⁷ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. ¹⁸ On the next day Paul went with us to James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹ He greeted them and recounted one by one what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰ When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous for the law. ²¹ They have been informed concerning you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to observe the customs. ²² What then shall be done? The assembly will certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. ²³ Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. ²⁴ Take these men and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved. Then all will know that what they were told concerning you is nothing, but that you yourself live in observance of the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they should observe no such thing, except that they abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood.”

²⁶ Then on the next day, Paul took the men and purified himself with them. And he went into the temple, announcing when the days of purification would be complete and an offering would be given for each one of them.

Paul Arrested in the Temple

²⁷ When the seven days were nearly concluded, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man teaching all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place. He even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.

³⁰ Then the whole city was provoked, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. And immediately the doors were shut. ³¹ While they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commander^[b] of the battalion of soldiers that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. ³² He at once took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. When they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

³³ Then the commander came and arrested him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. As he could not learn the truth because of the uproar, he commanded that he be brought into the barracks. ³⁵ When he came onto the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the people. ³⁶ For the mob of people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

Paul Defends Himself

³⁷ As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?”

He replied, “Do you know how to speak Greek? ³⁸ Are you not the Egyptian who in past days caused an uproar and led the four thousand men of the Sicarii^[c] out into the wilderness?”

³⁹ Paul said, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no common city. I beg of you, permit me to speak to the people.”

⁴⁰ When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was great silence, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying,

22 “Brothers and fathers, hear my defense which I now make to you.”

² When they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.

Then he said, ³ “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was trained in the strict tradition of the law of the fathers, being zealous toward God as you all are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and imprisoning both men and women, ⁵ as even the high priest and the council of elders bear witness of me. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, where I went to take even those who were there and lead them in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.

Paul Tells of His Conversion^(A)

⁶ “As I journeyed and came near Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven shone 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 Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Those who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who was speaking to me.

¹⁰ “I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’

“The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus. There you will be told what you have been appointed to do.’ ¹¹ Since I was blinded by the glory of that light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.

¹² “Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who was well spoken of by all the Jews living there, ¹³ came and stood by me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that moment I looked up at him.

¹⁴ “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Just One and to hear His voice, ¹⁵ for you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now why do you wait? Rise, be baptized and wash away your sins, and call on the name of the Lord.’

Paul Sent to the Gentiles

¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁸ and saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem immediately, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’

¹⁹ “I said, ‘Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You in every synagogue. ²⁰ And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I was standing by consenting to his death, guarding the clothes of those who killed him.’

²¹ “Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul and the Roman Commander

²² They listened to him up to this word, and then they lifted up their voices and said, “Away with such a man from the earth, for he is not fit to live!”

²³ As they shouted and threw off their garments and threw dust into the air, ²⁴ the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks and examined with scourging, so that he might learn what crime they were alleging against him. ²⁵ As they stretched him forward with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog an uncondemned Roman citizen?”

²⁶ On hearing this, the centurion reported to the commander, saying, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.”

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

He said, “Yes.”

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

So Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

²⁹ Therefore those who were about to examine Paul immediately backed away from him. And the commander feared, knowing that he was a Roman citizen and because he had bound him.

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

³⁰ On the next day, desiring to know exactly why he was accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble, and he brought Paul down to stand before them.

23 Paul looked at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” ² The high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the law, yet order me to be struck contrary to the law?”

⁴ Those who stood by said, “Do you criticize God’s high priest?”

⁵ Paul said, “Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’^[d]”

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that one sect were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out among the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee. I am being judged for my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” ⁷ When he had said this, dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit. But the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

⁹ There was a great outcry. The scribes that were from the sect of Pharisees stood up and argued, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” ¹⁰ When much dissension arose, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, the commander ordered the soldiers to go down and take him from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

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

The Plot Against Paul’s Life

¹² At daybreak some of the Jews conspired under oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty who had conspired. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under oath not to eat until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So now, with the Sanhedrin, tell the commander to bring him down to you tomorrow, pretending to inquire further concerning him. We are ready to kill him before he arrives.”

¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of the treachery, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions over and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent for me and asked me to bring you this young man who has something to tell you.”

¹⁹ Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside privately, and asked him, “What is it you have to tell me?”

²⁰ The boy said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, pretending to inquire further concerning him. ²¹ Do not trust them. More than forty men, who have bound themselves with an oath to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him, are waiting for him. And now they are ready, waiting for your promise.”

²² The commander dismissed the young man and ordered him, “Tell no one that you have reported these things to me.”

Paul Sent to Felix the Governor

²³ Then he summoned two centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred infantrymen, seventy mounted soldiers, and two hundred light infantrymen with spears to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night. ²⁴ And provide mounts so Paul may ride and take him safely to Felix the governor.”

²⁵ He wrote a letter that went like this:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency Governor Felix:

Greetings.

²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with soldiers and rescued him. ²⁸ Being minded to learn what crime they alleged, I took him to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found him being accused of controversial matters about their law, but charged with nothing worthy of death or imprisonment. ³⁰ When it was revealed to me that there was a plot against the man, at once I sent him to you and ordered the accusers to state before you their charges against him.

Farewell.

³¹ So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul by night to Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the cavalry depart with him and they returned to the barracks. ³³ When they arrived in Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also to him. ³⁴ Upon reading the letter, the governor asked what province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also arrive.” And he ordered that he be guarded in Herod’s Praetorium.

The Case Against Paul

24 After five days Ananias the high priest arrived with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They brought before the governor their charges against Paul. ² When he was summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and your foresight is bringing reforms to this nation, ³ with all thankfulness, most excellent Felix, we always welcome it everywhere. ⁴ But not to detain you further, I beg you to briefly hear us in your patience.

⁵ “We have found this man a troublemaker, instigating riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ He even tried to profane the temple. So we seized him and wanted to judge him according to our law. ⁷ But the commander, Lysias, came to us and forcefully took him out of our hands, ⁸ ordering his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn about all these things concerning which we accuse him.”

⁹ The Jews assented, alleging these things to be true.

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

¹⁰ After the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully defend myself. ¹¹ You may verify that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² They did not find me in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd. ¹³ They cannot prove the things concerning which they now accuse me. ¹⁴ However, I affirm that in accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of my fathers and believe everything written in the Law and in the Prophets. ¹⁵ I have hope in God that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust, which they also expect. ¹⁶ In this do I always strive to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.

¹⁷ “Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, ¹⁸ when some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a crowd nor an uproar. ¹⁹ They ought to be here before you to accuse me if they have any charges. ²⁰ Or let these men say what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, ²¹ unless it is concerning this one statement which I cried out while standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead, I am being judged by you this day.’ ”

²² When Felix, who had more exact knowledge concerning the Way, had heard this, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander arrives, I will decide your case.” ²³ Then he ordered the centurion to guard Paul, and to let him have liberty, and to forbid none of his own people from attending to him.

Paul Held in Custody

²⁴ After several days, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ. ²⁵ As he lectured about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix was afraid and answered, “For now, leave! When time permits, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. So he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

²⁷ But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix. And Felix, desiring to do the Jews a favor, left Paul imprisoned.

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25 Now three days after Festus had come into the province, he went from Caesarea up to Jerusalem. ² The high priest and the elders of the Jews spoke to him against Paul. And they begged him, ³ asking as a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him along the way. ⁴ Festus said that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. ⁵ He also said, “Let the men in authority go down with me. If there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

⁶ Having stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in. ⁷ When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges against him which they could not prove, ⁸ while he defended himself, saying, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all.”

⁹ Desiring to do the Jews a favor, Festus answered, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be judged concerning these charges before me?”

¹⁰ Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you know very well. ¹¹ If I am doing wrong or have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if these are empty charges of which these men accuse me, no one may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

¹² When Festus had conferred with the council, he then answered, “To Caesar you have appealed. To Caesar you shall go.”

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

¹³ After several days King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. ¹⁴ When they had been there many days, Festus stated Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man left as a prisoner by Felix. ¹⁵ When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence against him.

¹⁶ “I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to die before he who is accused meets the accusers face to face and has the opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge brought against him.’ ¹⁷ So when they assembled here, without delay I sat on the judgment seat the next day and ordered that the man be brought in. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such crimes as I had supposed. ¹⁹ But they had disagreements with him about their own religion and about a Man named Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted was alive. ²⁰ Being perplexed about such questions, I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there concerning these charges. ²¹ But when Paul had appealed to be under guard for the decision of Caesar, I ordered that he be secured until I could send him to Caesar.”

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

He said, “Tomorrow you shall hear him.”

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the hall with the commanders and the leading men of the city. When Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all the men who are present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death. But when he himself appealed to Caesar, I decided to send him. ²⁶ But I have nothing to write to His Majesty concerning him. Therefore I have brought him before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that upon examination, I might have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without signifying the charges against him.”

Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”

So Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that today I shall make my defense before you against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ especially because you are an expert in all customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to patiently listen to me.

⁴ “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning in my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵ They knew me from the beginning and could testify, if they wished, how according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. ⁶ And now I stand on trial for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷ to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God day and night. Concerning this hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. ⁸ Why is it judged incredible by you that God raises the dead?

⁹ “I, too, thought that I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, ¹⁰ which I indeed did in Jerusalem and locked up many of the saints in prison by authority from the chief priests. And when they were killed, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. And being extremely enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Tells of His Conversion^(B)

¹² “So I went to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. ¹³ At midday, O King, I saw along the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴ When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’

“He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of what you have seen and of what I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will deliver you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I now send you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Paul’s Testimony to Jews and Gentiles

¹⁹ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do works proving their repentance. ²¹ For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² Therefore having obtained help from God, I continue to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: ²³ that the Christ must suffer, that He would be the first who would rise from the dead, and would announce light to His own people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul Appeals to Agrippa to Believe

²⁴ So as he made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are mad. Much learning is turning you to madness.”

²⁵ Paul said, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus. I speak the words of truth and reason. ²⁶ The king, before whom I also speak freely, knows about these things. For I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him, for this was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian.”

²⁹ Paul said, “I pray to God that not only you, but all who hear me this day, might become not only almost, but thoroughly and altogether, what I am, except for these chains.”

³⁰ When he had said this, the king rose, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. ³¹ When they had gone aside, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing deserving death or imprisonment.”

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

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we should sail into Italy, they handed Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan Regiment, named Julius. ² Boarding a ship from Adramyttium, we put out to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.

³ The next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be given care. ⁴ From there we put out to sea and sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. ⁵ Sailing across the sea off of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. ⁷ We sailed slowly for many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to proceed, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. ⁸ Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹ As much time had been lost and as the voyage was now dangerous, because the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul advised them, ¹⁰ saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives.” ¹¹ But the centurion was persuaded more by the captain and the owner of the ship than by what Paul said. ¹² Since the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on from there, if somehow we might reach Phoenix, a harbor in Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and winter there.

The Storm at Sea

¹³ When a south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained the necessary conditions, they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ But soon afterward a tempestuous wind swept through, called the Euroclydon.^{[e] 15} When the ship was overpowered and could not head into the wind, we let her drift. ¹⁶ Drifting under the lee of an island called Cauda, we could scarcely secure the rowboat. ¹⁷ When they had hoisted it aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship. And fearing that they might run aground on the sand of Syrtis, they let down the mast, and so were driven. ¹⁸ We were violently tossed by the storm. The next day they threw cargo overboard. ¹⁹ On the third day we threw the tackle of the ship overboard with our own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was upon us, all hope that we should be saved was lost.

²¹ After they had long abstained from food, Paul stood in their midst and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete, incurring this injury and loss. ²² But now I advise you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For there stood by me this night the angel of God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And, look! God has given you all those who sail with you.’ ²⁵ Therefore, men, take courage, for I believe God that it will be exactly as it was told to me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must be shipwrecked on a certain island.”

²⁷ When the fourteenth night came, while we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors supposed that they were approaching land. ²⁸ They took soundings and found the water to be one hundred and twenty feet deep.^[f] When they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be ninety feet deep.^{[g] 29} Fearing that we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. ³⁰ When the sailors strove to abandon ship and lowered the rowboat into the sea, under the pretext of lowering anchors out of the bow, ³¹ Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these sailors remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the rowboat and let her fall off.

³³ As day was about to dawn, Paul asked them all to eat, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have waited and continued without food, having eaten nothing. ³⁴ So I urge you to eat. This is for your preservation, for not a hair shall fall from your head.” ³⁵ When he had said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it he began to eat. ³⁶ Then they were all encouraged, and they also ate food themselves. ³⁷ In all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. ³⁸ When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw the wheat into the sea.

The Shipwreck

³⁹ When it was day, they did not recognize the land. But they noticed a bay with a shore, into which they were determined to run the ship if possible. ⁴⁰ Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while loosening the ropes that secured the rudders. Then they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. ⁴¹ But striking a sandbar where two seas met, they ran the ship aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was broken up by the violent surf.

⁴² The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. ⁴³ But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, prevented them from their intent and ordered those who could swim to abandon ship first and get to land, ⁴⁴ and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And in this way they all escaped safely to land.

Paul in Malta

28 When they had escaped, they learned that the island was called Malta. ² The natives showed extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because of the rain and the cold. ³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper driven out by the heat fastened on his hand. ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice does not allow him to live.” ⁵ But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They expected him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But while they waited and saw no harm befall him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

⁷ In that area was an estate of the chief man of the island, named Publius, who had welcomed us and courteously housed us for three days. ⁸ It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, placing his hands on him, prayed and healed him. ⁹ When this happened, the rest on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ They honored us in many ways. And when we sailed, they provided us with necessary supplies.

Paul Arrives in Rome

¹¹ After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. ¹² Landing at Syracuse, we waited there for three days. ¹³ From there we circled around and sailed to Rhegium. After one day the south wind blew, and the next day we arrived at Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers, and were invited to remain with them for seven days. And so we went to Rome. ¹⁵ From there, when the brothers heard of us, they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius^[h] and the Three Taverns^[i] to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we arrived at Rome, the centurion handed the prisoners over to the captain of the guard. But Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who guarded him.