Chronological
4 Sopater of Berea, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; as well as Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica; Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. [a] 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Days of Matzah. In five days we came to them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
7 Now on the first day of the week, we gathered to break bread. Paul was talking with them, intending to leave the next day, so he prolonged his speech till midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper chamber where we were meeting. 9 Now a young man named Eutychus was sitting in a windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep as Paul kept on talking. Overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up—dead.
10 But Paul went down, fell on him and threw his arms around him. He said, “Don’t be upset, for his life is within him.”[b]
11 After he went back up and broke the bread and ate, he talked with them a long while until daybreak and then left. 12 So they took the boy away alive, greatly relieved.
Prophetic Warnings
13 But we went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there—for so he had arranged, intending himself to travel there by land. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios; the next day we crossed over to Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he might not spend much time in Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Shavuot.
17 From Miletus, dispatching someone to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the community. 18 When they came to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know how I behaved among you all the time from the first day I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials which fell upon me through the plots of the Jewish leaders. 20 I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly as well as from house to house, 21 testifying to both Jewish and Greek people repentance to God and trust in our Lord Yeshua.
22 “And now, look, bound by the Ruach, I am going to Jerusalem—not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Ruach ha-Kodesh bears witness to me from city to city, saying that bondage and afflictions await me. 24 However, I don’t consider my life of any value, except that I might finish my course and the office I received from the Lord Yeshua, to declare the Good News of the grace of God.
25 “Now, look! I know that none of you, among whom I have gone proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all. 27 For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
28 “Take care of yourselves and all the flock of which the Ruach ha-Kodesh has made you overseers, to shepherd the community of God—which He obtained with the blood of His own. [c] 29 I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. [d] 30 Even from among yourselves will arise men speaking perversions, to draw the disciples away after themselves. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning you with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and the word of His grace, which is strong to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who have been made holy. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my own needs as well as for those with me. 35 In all things I have shown you an object lesson—that by hard work one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”[e]
36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 They all began weeping and falling upon Paul’s neck and kissing him, 38 grieving most of all over the statement he made that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Going to Jerusalem Despite Warnings
21 After tearing ourselves away from them and setting sail, we set a straight course to Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 Finding a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we came in sight of Cyprus, passing it by on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre—for there the ship was to unload the cargo. 4 We looked up the disciples and stayed there seven days. They kept telling Paul through the Ruach not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 When our days there were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. After kneeling down on the shore and praying, 6 we said farewell to one another. Then we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the trip from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered the home of Philip, the proclaimer of Good News, who was one of the seven, and we stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10 While we stayed there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet, and said, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh says this: ‘In this way shall the Jewish people in Jerusalem 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 local people urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but to die for the name of the Lord Yeshua!”
14 Since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying only, “May the Lord’s will be done.”
15 After these days, we packed and started going up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus—one of the early disciples by whom we might be hosted.
Advice from Jacob and the Elders
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly. 18 On the next day, Paul went in with us to Jacob; all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he reported to them in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his service. 20 And when they heard, they began glorifying God.
They said, “You see, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jewish people who have believed—and they are all zealous for the Torah. 21 They have been told about you—that you teach all the Jewish people among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs. 22 What’s to be done then? No doubt they will hear that you have come.
23 “So do what we tell you. We have four men who have a vow on themselves. [f] 24 Take them, and purify yourself[g] along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. That way, all will realize there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself walk in an orderly manner, keeping the Torah.
25 “As for Gentiles who have believed, however, we have written by letter what we decided—for them to abstain from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men, purifying himself along with them. He went into the Temple, announcing when the days of purification would be completed and the sacrifice would be offered for each one of them.
Trouble at the Temple
27 When the seven days were about to be completed, the Jewish leaders from Asia[h] saw Paul in the Temple and began stirring up the whole crowd. They grabbed him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against our people and the Torah and this place. Besides, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled[i] this holy place!”
29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the Temple. 30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the Temple, and the gates were shut at once.
31 As they were trying to kill him, news came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in chaos. 32 Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and rushed down to them. Upon seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up, arrested Paul, ordered him to be bound with two chains, and began investigating what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another. As he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into headquarters.
35 When he came to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. 36 For the multitude of people that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the headquarters, he said to the commander, “Can I say something to you?”
The commander said, “You know Greek? 38 Then you’re not the Egyptian who stirred up a rebellion some time ago—and led four thousand men of the Assassins out into the desert?”
39 Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, let me speak to the people.”
40 When the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people with his hand. When there was a great hush, he spoke to them in Aramaic,[j] saying:
Paul’s Testimony on the Temple Stairs
22 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I now present to you.” 2 When they heard that Paul was addressing them in Aramaic, they became even more quiet. Then he said, 3 “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, trained strictly according to the Torah of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prisons— 5 as the kohen gadol and all the council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers, and I went to Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem even those who were there in chains—to be punished.
6 “But it happened that as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly flashed all 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 Yeshua ha-Natzrati, whom you are persecuting.’
9 “Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’
“And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up, and go to Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 “But since I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. 12 Then a certain Ananias—a devout man according to the Torah, well spoken of by all the Jewish people living there— 13 came to me. Standing before me, he said to me, ‘Brother Saul, look up!’ In that very moment, I looked and saw him!
14 “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers handpicked you to know His will—to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15 For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why are you waiting? Get up and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His Name.’
17 “It happened that when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance; 18 and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness about Me.’
19 “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another, I was imprisoning and beating those trusting in You. 20 Even when the blood of Your witness Stephen was spilled, I too was standing by and approving, and guarding the clothing of those who were killing him.’
21 “And he said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Up to this statement they listened to him. Then they raised their voices, saying, “Away from the earth with this fellow! For he’s not fit to live!”
The Romans Intervene
23 As they were crying out and flinging off their cloaks and throwing dust into the air, [k] 24 the commander ordered Paul to be brought into headquarters. He said Paul should be examined by lashing, so that he might find out why they were shouting against him so. 25 But when they stretched him out with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen without due process?”
26 Now when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it, saying, “What are you going to do? For this man is Roman.”
27 The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you Roman?”
And he said, “Yes.”
28 The commander answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.”
Paul said, “But I was born so.”
29 Therefore, those who were about to interrogate him instantly drew back from him. And the commander also was afraid when he found out that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
Delivered to the Council
30 But on the next day, desiring to know exactly why Paul had been accused by the Judeans, he released him and commanded the ruling kohanim and all the Sanhedrin to meet together. And he brought Paul and set him before them.
23 Paul, looking intently at the Sanhedrin, said, “Brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience for God up to this day.” 2 But the kohen gadol Ananias ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you on the mouth, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Torah, and yet in violation of the Torah you order me to be struck?”[l]
4 Those standing nearby said, “Do you insult God’s kohen gadol?”
5 Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he is the kohen gadol. For it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”[m]
6 But recognizing that one group was Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”
7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all. 9 Then there was a great uproar. Some of the Torah scholars of the Pharisees’ party stood up and protested sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?”
10 As a big dispute was developing, the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and to bring him into headquarters.
11 The following night the Lord stood beside Paul and said, “Take courage! For just as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome!”
Conspiracy to Kill Paul
12 When it was day, the Judean leaders formed a conspiracy. They bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14 They went to the ruling kohanim and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 So now you and the Sanhedrin serve notice to the commander to bring him down to you—like you are about to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush. He went into the headquarters and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has a message for him.”
18 So the centurion took him and led him to the commander and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”
19 The commander took him by the hand, stepped aside, and began asking him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
20 And he said, “The Judean leaders have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow—as if they are about to investigate more thoroughly about him. 21 But do not give in to them, for more than forty of them have bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now, they are ready and waiting for your consent.”
22 So the commander dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me about these things.”
Escorted to Caesarea
23 Calling two of his centurions, he said, “At the third hour of the night,[n] prepare two hundred soldiers, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to proceed as far as Caesarea. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, so that he might be brought safely to Felix the governor.”
25 He wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “Claudius Lysias,
To the Most Excellent Governor Felix:
Greetings!
27 This man was seized by the Judean leaders and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 Desiring to know the charge of which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that he was accused concerning issues of their law, but charged with nothing worthy of death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also ordering his accusers to state before you what they have against him.”
31 So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 On the next day, they returned to headquarters, leaving the horsemen to go on with him. 33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul before him. 34 Upon reading the letter, the governor asked what province he was from. When he learned that Paul was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers have arrived also.” Then he gave orders for Paul to be guarded in Herod’s Praetorium.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.