014:011 So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds,
seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts
in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed
human form and have come down to us."
014:012 They called Barnabas `Zeus,' and Paul, as being the
principal speaker, `Hermes.'
014:013 And the priest of Zeus--the temple of Zeus being at the entrance
to the city--brought bullocks and garlands to the gates,
and in company with the crowd was intending to offer
sacrifices to them.
014:014 But the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it; and tearing
their clothes they rushed out into the middle of the crowd,
exclaiming, "Sirs, why are you doing all this?
014:015 We also are but men, with natures kindred to your own;
and we bring you the Good News that you are to turn from these
unreal things, to worship the ever-living God, the Creator
of earth and sky and sea and of everything that is in them.
014:016 In times gone by He allowed all the nations to go their own ways;
014:017 and yet by His beneficence He has not left His existence unattested--
His beneficence, I mean, in sending you rain from Heaven and
fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and joyfulness."
014:018 Even with words like these they had difficulty in preventing
the thronging crowd from offering sacrifices to them.
014:019 But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and,
having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him
out of the town, believing him to be dead.
014:020 When, however, the disciples had collected round him,
he rose and went back into the town. The next day he went
with Barnabas to Derbe;
014:021 and, after proclaiming the Good News to the people there
and gaining a large number of converts, they retraced their
steps to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.
014:022 Everywhere they strengthened the disciples by encouraging
them to hold fast to the faith, and warned them saying,
"It is through many afflictions that we must make our way
into the Kingdom of God."
014:023 And in every Church, after prayer and fasting, they selected
Elders by show of hands, and commended them to the Lord
on whom their faith rested.
014:024 Then passing through Pisidia they came into Pamphylia;
014:025 and after telling the Message at Perga they came down to Attaleia.
014:026 Thence they sailed to Antioch, where they had previously been
commended to the grace of God in connexion with the work
which they had now completed.
014:027 Upon their arrival they called the Church together and proceeded
to report in detail all that God, working with them, had done,
and how He had opened for the Gentiles the door of faith.
014:028 And they remained a considerable time in Antioch with the disciples.
015:001 But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried
to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised
in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved."
015:002 Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there was
no little disagreement and controversy, until at last it
was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren
should go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem
on this matter.
015:003 So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance
by some other members of the Church; and as they passed
through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story
of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren
with great joy.
015:004 Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially received
by the Church, the Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported
in detail all that God, working with them, had done.
015:005 But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees
but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said,
"Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered
to keep the Law of Moses."
015:006 Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the matter;
015:007 and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet.
"It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally
made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were
to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.
015:008 And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour
by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;
015:009 and He made no difference between us and them, in that He
cleansed their hearts by their faith.
015:010 Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying
on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our
forefathers nor we have been able to bear?
015:011 On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the
Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved."
015:012 Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened
to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all
the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles
through their instrumentality.
015:013 When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren,
listen to me.
015:014 Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles
to take from among them a People to be called by His name.
015:015 And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says:
015:016 "`"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again;
015:017 In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--
even all the nations which are called by My name,"
015:018 Says the Lord, who has been making these things known from
ages long past.'
015:019 "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected
annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God.
015:020 Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from
things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication,
from meat killed by strangling, and from blood.
015:021 For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers
in every town, being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath,
in the various synagogues."
015:022 Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and Elders,
with the approval of the whole Church, to choose suitable
persons from among themselves and send them to Antioch,
with Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas,
leading men among the brethren, were selected,
015:023 and they took with them the following letter: "The Apostles
and the elder brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren
throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.
015:024 As we have been informed that certain persons who have gone
out from among us have disturbed you by their teaching
and have unsettled your minds, without having received any
such instructions from us;
015:025 we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send them
to you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,
015:026 who have endangered their very lives for the sake of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
015:027 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselves
bringing you the same message by word of mouth.
015:028 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay
upon you no burden heavier than these necessary requirements--
015:029 You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication.
Keep yourselves clear of these things, and it will be well
with you. Farewell."
015:030 They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came down
to Antioch, where they called together the whole assembly
and delivered the letter.
015:031 The people read it, and were delighted with the comfort
it brought them.
015:032 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also Prophets,
gave them a long and encouraging talk, and strengthened them
in the faith.
015:033 After spending some time there they received an affectionate
farewell from the brethren to return to those who had sent them.
015:034 []
015:035 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and,
in company with many others, telling the Good News of
the Lord's Message.
015:036 After a while Paul said to Barnabas, "Suppose we now revisit
the brethren in the various towns in which we have made known
the Lord's Message--to see whether they are prospering!"
015:037 Barnabas, however, was bent on taking with them John,
whose other name was Mark,
015:038 while Paul deemed it undesirable to have as their companion
one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone
on with them to the work.
015:039 So there arose a serious disagreement between them, which resulted
in their parting from one another, Barnabas taking Mark
and setting sail for Cyprus.
015:040 But Paul chose Silas as his travelling companion; and set out,
after being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord;
015:041 and he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the Churches.
016:001 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. At Lystra he found
a disciple, Timothy by name--the son of a Christian Jewess,
though he had a Greek father.
016:002 Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium,
016:003 and Paul desiring that he should accompany him on his journey,
took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in those parts,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
016:004 As they journeyed on from town to town, they handed to the brethren
for their observance the decisions which had been arrived
at by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem.
016:005 So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and growing
in numbers from day to day.
016:006 Then Paul and his companions passed through Phrygia and Galatia,
having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Message
in the province of Asia.
016:007 When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about to
enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.
016:008 So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.
016:009 Here, one night, Paul saw a vision. There was a Macedonian
who was standing, entreating him and saying, "Come over into
Macedonia and help us."
016:010 So when he had seen the vision, we immediately looked
out for an opportunity of passing on into Macedonia,
confidently inferring that God had called us to proclaim
the Good News to the people there.
016:011 Accordingly we put out to sea from Troas, and ran a straight
course to Samothrace. The next day we came to Neapolis,
016:012 and thence to Philippi, which is a city in Macedonia,
the first in its district, a Roman colony. And there we
stayed some little time.
016:013 On the Sabbath we went beyond the city gate to the riverside,
where we had reason to believe that there was a place for prayer;
and sitting down we talked with the women who had come together.
016:014 Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods.
She belonged to the city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper
of the true God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave
attention to what Paul was saying.
016:015 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us,
saying, "If in your judgement I am a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my house." And she made us go there.
016:016 One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave
girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed
to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes.
016:017 She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us,
crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God,
and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."
016:018 This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul,
wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command
you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her."
And it came out immediately.
016:019 But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone,
they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them off to the magistrates
in the public square.
016:020 Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men,"
they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.
016:021 They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans,
are not permitted to adopt or practise."
016:022 The crowd, too, joined in the outcry against them, till at length
the praetors ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;
016:023 and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail
and bade the jailer keep them safely.
016:024 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the
inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
016:025 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
016:026 when suddenly there was such a violent shock of earthquake
that the prison shook to its foundations. Instantly the doors
all flew open, and the chains fell off from every prisoner.
016:027 Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail wide open,
the jailer drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
016:028 But Paul shouted loudly to him, saying, "Do yourself no injury:
we are all here.
016:029 Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell trembling
at the feet of Paul and Silas;
016:030 and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed, "O sirs,
what must I do to be saved?"
016:031 "Believe on the Lord Jesus," they replied, "and both you
and your household will be saved."
016:032 And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all
who were in his house.
016:033 Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds,
and he and all his household were immediately baptized;
016:034 and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal
for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household,
his faith resting on God.
016:035 In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order,
"Release those men."
016:036 So the jailer brought Paul word, saying, "The praetors have sent
orders for you to be released. Now therefore you can go,
and proceed on your way in peace."
016:037 But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public,
without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us
into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately?
No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."
016:038 This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were alarmed
when they were told that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
016:039 Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing them out,
asked them to leave the city.
016:040 Then Paul and Silas, having come out of the prison, went to
Lydia's house; and, after seeing the brethren and encouraging them,
they left Philippi.
017:001 Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went
to Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the Jews.
017:002 Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it,
and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them
from the Scriptures,
017:003 which he clearly explained, pointing out that it had been
necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead,
and insisting, "The Jesus whom I am announcing to you
is the Christ."
017:004 Some of the people were won over, and attached themselves
to Paul and Silas, including many God-fearing Greeks and not
a few gentlewomen of high rank.
017:005 But the jealousy of the Jews was aroused, and, calling to
their aid some ill-conditioned and idle fellows, they got
together a riotous mob and filled the city with uproar.
They then attacked the house of Jason and searched for Paul
and Silas, to bring them out before the assembly of people.
017:006 But, failing to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the other
brethren before the magistrates of the city, loudly accusing them.
"These men," they said, "who have raised a tumult throughout
the Empire, have come here also.
017:007 Jason has received them into his house; and they all set Caesar's
authority at defiance, declaring that there is another Emperor--
one called Jesus."
017:008 Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the magistrates
of the city, when they heard these charges.
017:009 They required Jason and the rest to find substantial bail,
and after that they let them go.
017:010 The brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea,
and they, on their arrival, went to the synagogue of the Jews.
017:011 The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those
in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message,
and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it
was as Paul stated.
017:012 As the result many of them became believers, and so did not
a few of the Greeks--gentlewomen of good position, and men.
017:013 As soon, however, as the Jews of Thessalonica learnt
that God's Message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea,
they came there also, and incited the mob to a riot.
017:014 Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the sea-coast,
but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
017:015 Those who were caring for Paul's safety went with him as far
as Athens, and then left him, taking a message from him to Silas
and Timothy, asking them to join him as speedily as possible.
017:016 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred
within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
017:017 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and
the other worshippers, and in the market place, day after day,
with those whom he happened to meet.
017:018 A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him.
Some of them asked, "What has this beggarly babbler to say?"
"His business," said others, "seems to be to cry up
some foreign gods." This was because he had been telling
the Good News of Jesus and the Resurrection.
017:019 Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him,
"May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
017:020 For the things you are saying sound strange to us.
We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean."
017:021 (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote
their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)
017:022 So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus,
spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are
in every respect remarkably religious.
017:023 For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found
also an altar bearing the inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.'
"The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere,
Him I now proclaim to you.
017:024 GOD who made the universe and everything in it--He, being Lord
of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men.
017:025 Nor is He ministered to by human hands, as though He needed anything--
but He Himself gives to all men life and breath and all things.
017:026 He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race,
for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked
out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries
of their homes;
017:027 that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him
and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.
017:028 For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move
and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute
among yourselves have said, `For we are also His offspring.'
017:029 Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine
that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything
sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man.
017:030 Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence.
But now He commands all men everywhere to repent,
017:031 seeing that He has appointed a day on which, before long,
He will judge the world in righteousness, through the
instrumentality of a man whom He has pre-destined to this work,
and has made the fact certain to every one by raising Him
from the dead."
017:032 When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead men,
some began to scoff. But others said, "We will hear you
again on that subject."
017:033 So Paul went away from them.
017:034 A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed,
among them being Dionysius a member of the Council,
a gentlewoman named Damaris, and some others.
018:001 After this he left Athens and came to Corinth.
018:002 Here he found a Jew, a native of Pontus, of the name of Aquila.
He and his wife Priscilla had recently come from Italy
because of Claudius's edict expelling all the Jews from Rome.
So Paul paid them a visit;
018:003 and because he was of the same trade--that of tent-maker--
he lodged with them and worked with them.
018:004 But, Sabbath after Sabbath, he preached in the synagogue
and tried to win over both Jews and Greeks.
018:005 Now at the time when Silas and Timothy came down from
Macedonia, Paul was preaching fervently and was solemnly
telling the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
018:006 But upon their opposing him with abusive language,
he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them,
"Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible:
in future I will go among the Gentiles."
018:007 So he left the place and went to the house of a person
called Titius Justus, a worshipper of the true God.
His house was next door to the synagogue.
018:008 And Crispus, the Warden of the synagogue, believed in the Lord,
and so did all his household; and from time to time many of
the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and received baptism.
018:009 And, in a vision by night, the Lord said to Paul, "Dismiss
your fears: go on speaking, and do not give up.
018:010 I am with you, and no one shall attack you to injure you;
for I have very many people in this city."
018:011 So Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months,
teaching among them the Message of God.
018:012 But when Gallio became Proconsul of Greece, the Jews with one accord
made a dead set at Paul, and brought him before the court.
018:013 "This man," they said, "is inducing people to offer unlawful
worship to God."
018:014 But, when Paul was about to begin his defence, Gallio said
to the Jews, "If it had been some wrongful act or piece of
cunning knavery I might reasonably have listened to you Jews.
018:015 But since these are questions about words and names and your Law,
you yourselves must see to them. I refuse to be a judge
in such matters."
018:016 So he ordered them out of court.
018:017 Then the people all set upon Sosthenes, the Warden of
the synagogue, and beat him severely in front of the court.
Gallio did not concern himself in the least about this.
018:018 After remaining a considerable time longer in Corinth, Paul took
leave of the brethren and set sail for Syria; and Priscilla
and Aquila were with him. He had shaved his head at Cenchreae,
because he was bound by a vow.
018:019 They put in at Ephesus, and there Paul left his companions behind.
As for himself, he went to the synagogue and had a discussion
with the Jews.
018:020 When they asked him to remain longer he did not consent,
018:021 but took leave of them with the promise, "I will return to you,
God willing." So he set sail from Ephesus.
018:022 Landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and inquired after
the welfare of the Church, and then went down to Antioch.
018:023 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out on a tour,
visiting the whole of Galatia and Phrygia in order,
and strengthening all the disciples.
018:024 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native
of Alexandria, a man of great learning and well versed
in the Scriptures.
018:025 He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way of
the Lord, and, being full of burning zeal, he used to speak
and teach accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew
of no baptism but John's.
018:026 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Priscilla
and Aquila, after hearing him, took him home and explained
God's way to him more accurately.
018:027 Then, as he had made up his mind to cross over into Greece,
the brethren wrote to the disciples in Corinth begging them
to give him a kindly welcome. Upon his arrival he rendered
valuable help to those who through grace had believed;
018:028 for he powerfully and in public overcame the Jews in argument,
proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
019:001 During the stay of Apollos in Corinth, Paul, after passing
through the inland districts, came to Ephesus, where he found
a few disciples.
019:002 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?"
he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear
that there is a Holy Spirit."
019:003 "Into what then were you baptized?" he asked.
"Into John's baptism," they replied.
019:004 "John," he said, "administered a baptism of repentance,
bidding the people believe on One who was to come after him;
namely, on Jesus."
019:005 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;
019:006 and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came
on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.
019:007 They numbered in all about twelve men.
019:008 Afterwards he went into the synagogue. There for three months
he continued to preach fearlessly, explaining in words which
carried conviction the truths which concern the Kingdom of God.
019:009 But some grew obstinate in unbelief and spoke evil of the new
faith before all the congregation. So Paul left them, and,
taking with him those who were disciples, held discussions
daily in Tyrannus's lecture-hall.
019:010 This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants
of the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks,
heard the Lord's Message.
019:011 God also brought about extraordinary miracles through
Paul's instrumentality.
019:012 Towels or aprons, for instance, which Paul had handled used to be
carried to the sick, and they recovered from their ailments,
or the evil spirits left them.
019:013 But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who undertook
to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits,
saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."
019:014 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew of high-priestly family,
who were doing this.
019:015 "Jesus I know," the evil spirit answered, "and Paul I have
heard of, but who are you?"
019:016 And the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on two of them,
over-mastered them both, and treated them with such violence,
that they fled from the house stripped of their clothes and wounded.
019:017 All the people of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks, came to know
of this. There was widespread terror, and they began to hold
the name of the Lord Jesus in high honour.
019:018 Many also of those who believed came confessing without reserve
what their conduct had been,
019:019 and not a few of those who had practised magical arts brought
their books together and burnt them in the presence of all.
The total value was reckoned and found to be 50,000 silver coins.
019:020 Thus mightily did the Lord's Message spread and triumph!
019:021 When matters had reached this point, Paul decided in his own mind
to travel through Macedonia and Greece, and go to Jerusalem.
"After that," he said, "I must also see Rome."
019:022 But he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia,
while he himself remained for a while in Roman Asia.
019:023 Now just at that time there arose no small commotion about
the new faith.
019:024 There was a certain Demetrius, a silversmith, who made miniature
silver sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great
gain to the mechanics in his employ.
019:025 He called his workmen together, and others who were engaged
in similar trades, and said to them, "You men well know
that our prosperity depends on this business of ours;
019:026 and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but throughout
almost the whole province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led
away a vast number of people by inducing them to believe
that they are not gods at all that are made by men's hands.
019:027 There is danger, therefore, not only that this our trade will
become of no account, but also that the temple of the great
goddess Diana will fall into utter disrepute, and that before
long she will be actually deposed from her majestic rank--
she who is now worshipped by the whole province of Asia;
nay, by the whole world."
019:028 After listening to this harangue, they became furiously angry
and kept calling out, "Great is the Ephesian Diana!"
019:029 The riot and uproar spread through the whole city,
till at last with one accord they rushed into the Theatre,
dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians
who were fellow travellers with Paul.
019:030 Then Paul would have liked to go in and address the people,
but the disciples would not let him do so.
019:031 A few of the public officials, too, who were friendly to him,
sent repeated messages entreating him not to venture
into the Theatre.
019:032 The people, meanwhile, kept shouting, some one thing and
some another; for the assembly was all uproar and confusion,
and the greater part had no idea why they had come together.
019:033 Then some of the people crowded round Alexander, whom the Jews
had pushed forward; and Alexander, motioning with his hand
to get silence, was prepared to make a defence to the people.
019:034 No sooner, however, did they see that he was a Jew, than there arose
from them all one roar of shouting, lasting about two hours.
"Great is the Ephesian Diana," they said.
019:035 At length the Recorder quieted them down. "Men of Ephesus,"
he said, "who is there of all mankind that needs to be told
that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of
the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
019:036 These facts, then, being unquestioned, it becomes you to maintain
your self-control and not act recklessly.
019:037 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers
of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
019:038 If, however, Demetrius and the mechanics who support his
contention have a grievance against any one, there are
Assize-days and there are Proconsuls: let the persons
interested accuse one another.
019:039 But if you desire anything further, it will have to be settled
in the regular assembly.
019:040 For in connexion with to-day's proceedings there is danger
of our being charged with attempted insurrection, there having
been no real reason for this riot; nor shall we be able
to justify the behaviour of this disorderly mob."
019:041 With these words he dismissed the assembly.
020:001 When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples;
and, after speaking words of encouragement to them, he took
his leave, and started for Macedonia.
020:002 Passing through those districts he encouraged the disciples
in frequent addresses, and then came into Greece, and spent
three months there.
020:003 The Jews having planned to waylay him whenever he might be
on the point of taking ship for Syria, he decided to travel
back by way of Macedonia.
020:004 He was accompanied as far as the province of Asia by Sopater
the Beroean, the son of Pyrrhus; by the Thessalonians,
Aristarchus and Secundus; by Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy;
and by the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
020:005 These brethren had gone on and were waiting for us in the Troad.
020:006 But we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the days of
Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined them in the Troad,
where we remained for a week.
020:007 On the first day of the week, when we had met to break bread,
Paul, who was going away the next morning, was preaching to them,
and prolonged his discourse till midnight.
020:008 Now there were a good many lamps in the room upstairs where
we all were,
020:009 and a youth of the name of Eutychus was sitting at the window.
This lad, gradually sinking into deep sleep while Paul
preached at unusual length, overcome at last by sleep,
fell from the second floor and was taken up dead.
020:010 Paul, however, went down, threw himself upon him,
and folding him in his arms said, "Do not be alarmed;
his life is still in him."
020:011 Then he went upstairs again, broke bread, and took some food;
and after a long conversation which was continued till daybreak,
at last he parted from them.
020:012 They had taken the lad home alive, and were greatly comforted.
020:013 The rest of us had already gone on board a ship, and now we
set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there;
for so he had arranged, he himself intending to go by land.
020:014 Accordingly, when he met us at Assos, we took him on board
and came to Mitylene.
020:015 Sailing from there, we arrived the next day off Chios.
On the next we touched at Samos; and on the day
following reached Miletus.
020:016 For Paul's plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend much
time in the province of Asia; since he was very desirous of being
in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of the Harvest Festival.
020:017 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church
to come to him.
020:018 Upon their arrival he said to them, "You Elders well know,
from the first day of my setting foot in the province of Asia,
the kind of life I lived among you the whole time,
020:019 serving the Lord in all humility, and with tears, and amid
trials which came upon me through the plotting of the Jews--
020:020 and that I never shrank from declaring to you anything that
was profitable, or from teaching you in public and in your homes,
020:021 and urging upon both Jews and Greeks the necessity of turning
to God and of believing in Jesus our Lord.
020:022 "And now, impelled by a sense of duty, I am on my way to Jerusalem,
not knowing what will happen to me there,
020:023 except that the Holy Spirit, at town after town, testifies to me
that imprisonment and suffering are awaiting me.
020:024 But even the sacrifice of my life I count as nothing, if only I
may perfect my earthly course, and be faithful to the duty
which the Lord Jesus has entrusted to me of proclaiming,
as of supreme importance, the Good News of God's grace.
020:025 "And now, I know that none of you among whom I have gone
in and out proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom will any
longer see my face.
020:026 Therefore I protest to you to-day that I am not responsible
for the ruin of any one of you.
020:027 For I have not shrunk from declaring to you God's whole truth.
020:028 "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which
the Holy Spirit has placed you to take the oversight for Him
and act as shepherds to the Church of God, which He has bought
with His own blood.
020:029 I know that, when I am gone, cruel wolves will come among you
and will not spare the flock;
020:030 and that from among your own selves men will rise up who will seek
with their perverse talk to draw away the disciples after them.
020:031 Therefore be on the alert; and remember that, night and day,
for three years, I never ceased admonishing every one,
even with tears.
020:032 "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace.
He is able to build you up and to give you your inheritance
among His people.
020:033 No one's silver or gold or clothing have I coveted.
020:034 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided
for my own necessities and for the people with me.
020:035 In all things I have set you an example, showing you that,
by working as I do, you ought to help the weak, and to bear
in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said,
"`It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
020:036 Having spoken thus, Paul knelt down and prayed with them all;
020:037 and with loud lamentation they all threw their arms round his neck,
and kissed him lovingly,
020:038 grieved above all things at his having told them that
after that day they were no longer to see his face.
And they went with him to the ship.
021:001 When, at last, we had torn ourselves away and had set sail,
we ran in a straight course to Cos; the next day to Rhodes,
and from there to Patara.
021:002 Finding a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and
put to sea.
021:003 After sighting Cyprus and leaving that island on our left,
we continued our voyage to Syria and put in at Tyre;
for there the ship was to unload her cargo.
021:004 Having searched for the disciples and found them,
we stayed at Tyre for seven days; and, taught by the Spirit,
they repeatedly urged Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem.
021:005 When, however, our time was up, we left and went on our way,
all the disciples and their wives and children coming to see
us off. Then, after kneeling down on the beach and praying,
021:006 we took leave of one another; and we went on board,
while they returned home.
021:007 As for us, our voyage was over when having sailed from Tyre
we reached Ptolemais. here we inquired after the welfare
of the brethren, and remained a day with them.
021:008 On the morrow we left Ptolemais and went on to Caesarea,
where we came to the house of Philip the Evangelist,
who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
021:009 Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses;
021:010 and during our somewhat lengthy stay a Prophet of the name
of Agabus came down from Judaea.
021:011 When he arrived he took Paul's loincloth, and bound his own feet
and arms with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So will
the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth,
and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
021:012 As soon as we heard these words, both we and the brethren
at Caesarea entreated Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
021:013 His reply was, "What can you mean by thus breaking my heart
with your grief? Why, as for me, I am ready not only to go
to Jerusalem and be put in chains, but even to die there
for the sake of the Lord Jesus."
021:014 So when he was not to be dissuaded, we ceased remonstrating
with him and said, "The Lord's will be done!"
021:015 A few days afterwards we loaded our baggage-cattle and continued
our journey to Jerusalem.
021:016 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also joined our party,
and brought with them Mnason, a Cyprian, one of the early disciples,
at whose house we were to lodge.
021:017 At length we reached Jerusalem, and there the brethren gave
us a hearty welcome.
021:018 On the following day we went with Paul to call on James,
and all the Elders of the Church came also.
021:019 After exchanging friendly greetings, Paul told in detail all that
God had done among the Gentiles through his instrumentality.
021:020 And they, when they had heard his statement, gave the glory to God.
Then they said, "You see, brother, how many tens of thousands
of Jews there are among those who have accepted the faith,
and they are all zealous upholders of the Law.
021:021 Now what they have been repeatedly told about you is that you
teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to abandon Moses,
and that you forbid them to circumcise their children
or observe old-established customs.
021:022 What then ought you to do? They are sure to hear that you
have come to Jerusalem;
021:023 so do this which we now tell you. We have four men here who
have a vow resting on them.
021:024 Associate with these men and purify yourself with them,
and pay their expenses so that they can shave their heads.
Then everybody will know that there is no truth in these
stories about you, but that in your own actions you yourself
scrupulously obey the Law.
021:025 But as for the Gentiles who have accepted the faith, we have
communicated to them our decision that they are carefully
to abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood,
from what is strangled, and from fornication."
021:026 So Paul associated with the men; and the next day,
having purified himself with them, he went into the Temple,
giving every one to understand that the days of their purification
were finished, and there he remained until the sacrifice
for each of them was offered.
021:027 But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from
the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple,
set about rousing the fury of all the people against him.
021:028 They laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! help!
This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody
against the Jewish people and the Law and this place.
And besides, he has even brought Gentiles into the Temple
and has desecrated this holy place."
021:029 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with
him in the city, and imagined that Paul had brought him
into the Temple.)
021:030 The excitement spread through the whole city, and the people rushed
in crowds to the Temple, and there laid hold of Paul and began
to drag him out; and the Temple gates were immediately closed.
021:031 But while they were trying to kill Paul, word was taken up
to the Tribune in command of the battalion, that all Jerusalem
was in a ferment.
021:032 He instantly sent for a few soldiers and their officers,
and came down among the people with all speed. At the sight
of the Tribune and the troops they ceased beating Paul.
021:033 Then the Tribune, making his way to him, arrested him,
and, having ordered him to be secured with two chains,
proceeded to ask who he was and what he had been doing.
021:034 Some of the crowd shouted one accusation against Paul
and some another, until, as the uproar made it impossible
for the truth to be ascertained with certainty, the Tribune
ordered him to be brought into the barracks.
021:035 When Paul was going up the steps, he had to be carried
by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;
021:036 for the whole mass of the people pressed on in the rear,
shouting, "Away with him!"
021:037 When he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said
to the Tribune, "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?"
the Tribune asked.
021:038 "Are you not the Egyptian who some years ago excited the riot
of the 4,000 cut-throats, and led them out into the Desert?"
021:039 "I am a Jew," replied Paul, "belonging to Tarsus in Cilicia,
and am a citizen of no unimportant city. Give me leave,
I pray you, to speak to the people."
021:040 So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and motioned
with his hand to the people to be quiet; and when there was
perfect silence he addressed them in Hebrew.
022:001 "Brethren and fathers," he said, "listen to my defence which I
now make before you."
022:002 And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept all
the more quiet; and he said,
022:003 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in
this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel
in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day,
was zealous for God.
022:004 I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding
both men and women and throwing them into prison;
022:005 as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me witness.
It was, too, from them that I received letters to the brethren
in Damascus, and I was already on my way to Damascus,
intending to bring those also who had fled there, in chains
to Jerusalem, to be punished.
022:006 "But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon
a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.
022:007 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "`Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting Me?'
022:008 "`Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus,
the Nazarene,' He replied, `whom you are persecuting.'
022:009 "Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light,
did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
022:010 And I asked, "`What am I to do, Lord?' "And the Lord said
to me, "`Rise, and go into Damascus. There you shall be told
of all that has been appointed for you to do.'
022:011 "And as I could not see because the light had been so dazzling,
those who were with me had to lead me by the arm, and so I
came to Damascus.
022:012 "And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the Law and bore
a good character with all the Jews of the city,
022:013 came to me and standing at my side said, "`Brother Saul,
recover your sight.' "I instantly regained my sight and looked
up at him.
022:014 Then he said, `The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know
His will, and to see the righteous One and hear Him speak.
022:015 For you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what you
have seen and heard.
022:016 And now why delay? Rise, get yourself baptized, and wash off
your sins, calling upon His name.'
022:017 "After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in the Temple, I fell
into a trance.
022:018 I saw Jesus, and He said to me, "`Make haste and leave
Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your
testimony about Me.'
022:019 "`Lord,' I replied, `they themselves well know how active I was
in imprisoning, and in flogging in synagogue after synagogue
those who believe in Thee;
022:020 and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness,
I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes
of those who were killing him.'
022:021 "`Go,' He replied; `I will send you as an Apostle to
nations far away.'"
022:022 Until they heard this last statement the people listened
to Paul, but now with a roar of disapproval they cried out,
"Away with such a fellow from the earth! He ought not to be
allowed to live."
022:023 And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing their
clothes into the air and flinging dust about,
022:024 the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks,
and be examined by flogging, in order to ascertain the reason
why they thus cried out against him.
022:025 But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said
to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog
a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?"
022:026 On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the matter
to the Tribune. "What are you intending to do?" he said.
"This man is a Roman citizen."
022:027 So the Tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you
a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.
022:028 "I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune.
"But I was born free," said Paul.
022:029 So the men who had been on the point of putting him under torture
immediately left him. And the Tribune, too, was frightened
when he learnt that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had
had him bound.
022:030 The next day, wishing to know exactly what charge was being
brought against him by the Jews, the Tribune ordered his chains
to be removed; and, having sent word to the High Priests and
all the Sanhedrin to assemble, he brought Paul down and made
him stand before them.
023:001 Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said, "Brethren,
it is with a perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged
my duties before God up to this day."
023:002 On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were
standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
023:003 "Before long," exclaimed Paul, "God will strike you,
you white-washed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me
in accordance with the Law, and do you yourself actually
break the Law by ordering me to be struck?"
023:004 "Do you rail at God's High Priest?" cried the men who stood by him.
023:005 "I did not know, brethren," replied Paul, "that he was
the High Priest; for it is written, `Thou shalt not speak
evil of a ruler of Thy people.'"
023:006 Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted partly
of Sadducees and partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly
among them, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees.
It is because of my hope of a resurrection of the dead that I
am on my trial."
023:007 These words of his caused an angry dispute between the Pharisees
and the Sadducees, and the assembly took different sides.
023:008 For the Sadducees maintain that there is no resurrection,
and neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge
the existence of both.
023:009 So there arose a great uproar; and some of the Scribes
belonging to the sect of the Pharisees sprang to their feet
and fiercely contended, saying, "We find no harm in the man.
What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel----!"
023:010 But when the struggle was becoming violent, the Tribune,
fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by the people,
ordered the troops to go down and take him from among them
by force and bring him into the barracks.
023:011 The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's side,
and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne faithful
witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear
witness in Rome."
023:012 Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and solemnly
swore not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.
023:013 There were more than forty of them who bound themselves
by this oath.
023:014 They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to them,
"We have bound ourselves under a heavy curse to take no food
till we have killed Paul.
023:015 Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations
to the Tribune for him to bring him down to you, under the
impression that you intend to inquire more minutely about him;
and we are prepared to assassinate him before he comes
near the place."
023:016 But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him.
So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;
023:017 and Paul called one of the Captains and said, "Take this young
man to the Tribune, for he has information to give him."
023:018 So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said, "Paul,
the prisoner, called me to him and begged me to bring this
youth to you, because he has something to say to you."
023:019 Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of the
hearing of others and asked him, "What have you to tell me?"
023:020 "The Jews," he replied, "have agreed to request you to bring
Paul down to the Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of making
yourself more accurately acquainted with the case.
023:021 I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among them
are lying in wait for him, who have solemnly vowed that they
will neither eat nor drink till they have assassinated him;
and even now they are ready, in anticipation of receiving
that promise of you."
023:022 So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning him.
"Do not let any one know that you have given me this information,"
he said.
023:023 Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders.
"Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea,
with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry,
starting at nine o'clock to-night."
023:024 He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul on,
so as to bring him safely to Felix the Governor.
023:025 He also wrote a letter of which these were the contents:
023:026 "Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the Governor:
all good wishes.
023:027 This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were on
the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the troops
and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was
a Roman citizen.
023:028 And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which they
were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,
023:029 and I discovered that the charge had to do with questions
of their Law, but that he was accused of nothing for which
he deserves death or imprisonment.
023:030 But now that I have received information of an intended attack
upon him, I immediately send him to you, directing his accusers
also to state before you the case they have against him."
023:031 So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul
and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.
023:032 The next day the infantry returned to the barracks,
leaving the cavalry to proceed with him;
023:033 and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter
to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.
023:034 Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what province he was;
and being told "from Cilicia,"
023:035 he said, "I will hear all you have to say, when your accusers
also have come." And he ordered him to be detained in custody
in Herod's Palace.
024:001 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea
with a number of Elders and a pleader called Tertullus.
They stated to the Governor the case against Paul.
024:002 So Paul was sent for, and Tertullus began to impeach him as follows:
"Indebted as we are," he said, "to you, most noble Felix,
for the perfect peace which we enjoy, and for reforms which
your wisdom has introduced to this nation,
024:003 in every instance and in every place we accept them
with profound gratitude.
024:004 But--not to detain you too long--I beg you in your forbearance
to listen to a brief statement from us.
024:005 For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and a
disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the Empire,
and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.
024:006 He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.
024:007 []
024:008 You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to learn
the truth as to all this which we allege against him."
024:009 The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that
these were facts.
024:010 Then, at a sign from the Governor, Paul answered, "Knowing, Sir,
that for many years you have administered justice to this nation,
I cheerfully make my defence.
024:011 For you have it in your power to ascertain that it is not more
than twelve days ago that I went up to worship in Jerusalem;
024:012 and that neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues,
nor anywhere in the city, did they find me disputing with any
opponent or collecting a crowd about me.
024:013 Nor can they prove the charges which they are now
bringing against me.
024:014 But this I confess to you--that in the way which they style a heresy,
I worship the God of our forefathers, believing everything
that is taught in the Law or is written in the Prophets,
024:015 and having a hope directed towards God, which my accusers
themselves also entertain, that before long there will be
a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous.
024:016 This too is my own earnest endeavour--always to have a clear
conscience in relation to God and man.
024:017 "Now after an interval of several years I came to bring alms
to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.
024:018 While I was busy about these, they found me in the Temple purified,
with no crowd around me and no uproar; but there were certain
Jews from the province of Asia.
024:019 They ought to have been here before you, and to have been
my prosecutors, if they have any charge to bring against me.
024:020 Or let these men themselves say what misdemeanour they found
me guilty of when I stood before the Sanhedrin,
024:021 unless it was in that one expression which I made use of when I
shouted out as I stood among them, "`The resurrection of the dead
is the thing about which I am on my trial before you to-day.'"
024:022 At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the new faith,
adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When the Tribune Lysias
comes down, I will enter carefully into the matter."
024:023 And he gave orders to the Captain that Paul was to be kept
in custody, but be treated with indulgence, and that his personal
friends were not to be prevented from showing him kindness.
024:024 Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife,
a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke
about faith in Christ Jesus.
024:025 But when he dealt with the subjects of justice, self-control,
and the judgement which was soon to come, Felix became alarmed
and said, "For the present leave me, and when I can find
a convenient opportunity I will send for you."
024:026 At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him money;
and for this reason he sent for him the oftener to
converse with him.
024:027 But after the lapse of fully two years Felix was succeeded
by Porcius Festus; and being desirous of gratifying
the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.
025:001 Festus, having entered on his duties as governor of the province,
two days later went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
025:002 The High Priests and the leading men among the Jews immediately
made representations to him against Paul, and begged him--
025:003 asking it as a favour, to Paul's prejudice--to have him
brought to Jerusalem. They were planning an ambush to kill
him on the way.
025:004 Festus, however, replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea,
and that he was himself going there very soon.
025:005 "Therefore let those of you," he said, "who can come,
go down with me, and impeach the man, if there is anything
amiss in him."
025:006 After a stay of eight or ten days in Jerusalem--not more--
he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, taking his seat
on the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought in.
025:007 Upon Paul's arrival, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem
stood round him, and brought many grave charges against him
which they were unable to substantiate.
025:008 But, in reply, Paul said, "Neither against the Jewish Law,
nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed
any offence whatever."
025:009 Then Festus, being anxious to gratify the Jews, asked Paul, "Are you
willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there stand your trial
before me on these charges?"
025:010 "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal," replied Paul,
"where alone I ought to be tried. The Jews have no real
ground of complaint against me, as in fact you yourself are
beginning to see more clearly.
025:011 If, however, I have done wrong and have committed any offence for
which I deserve to die, I do not ask to be excused that penalty.
But if there is no truth in what these men allege against me,
no one has the right to give me up to them as a favour.
I appeal to Caesar."
025:012 Then, after conferring with the Council, Festus replied,
"To Caesar you have appealed: to Caesar you shall go."
025:013 A short time after this, Agrippa the king and Bernice came
to Caesarea to pay a complimentary visit to Festus;
025:014 and, during their rather long stay, Festus laid Paul's case
before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix
left a prisoner,
025:015 about whom, when I went to Jerusalem, the High Priests
and the Elders of the Jews made representations to me,
begging that sentence might be pronounced against him.
025:016 My reply was that it is not the custom among the Romans to give up
any one for punishment before the accused has had his accusers
face to face, and has had an opportunity of defending himself
against the charge which has been brought against him.
025:017 "When, therefore, a number of them came here, the next day
I took my seat on the tribunal, without any loss of time,
and ordered the man to be brought in.
025:018 But, when his accusers stood up, they did not charge him
with the misdemeanours of which I had been suspecting him.
025:019 But they quarrelled with him about certain matters connected
with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but--
so Paul persistently maintained--is now alive.
025:020 I was at a loss how to investigate such questions, and asked
Paul whether he would care to go to Jerusalem and there stand
his trial on these matters.
025:021 But when Paul appealed to have his case kept for the Emperor's
decision, I ordered him to be kept in prison until I could
send him up to Caesar."
025:022 "I should like to hear the man myself," said Agrippa.
"to-morrow," replied Festus, "you shall." Accordingly, the next day,
Agrippa and Bernice came in state
025:023 and took their seats in the Judgement Hall, attended by the Tribunes
and the men of high rank in the city; and, at the command
of Festus, Paul was brought in.
025:024 Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present
with us, you see here the man about whom the whole nation
of the Jews made suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here,
crying out that he ought not to live any longer.
025:025 I could not discover that he had done anything for which he deserved
to die; but as he has himself appealed to the Emperor, I have
decided to send him to Rome.
025:026 I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our Sovereign
about him. So I have brought the man before you all--
and especially before you, King Agrippa--that after he has been
examined I may find something which I can put into writing.
025:027 For, when sending a prisoner to Rome, it seems to me to be
absurd not to state the charges against him."
026:001 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak
about yourself." So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded to
make his defence.
026:002 "As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews,"
he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being
about to defend myself to-day before you,
026:003 who are so familiar with all the customs and speculations
that prevail among the Jews; and for this reason, I pray you,
give me a patient hearing.
026:004 "The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards,
as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem,
is known to all the Jews.
026:005 For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--
how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion,
my life was that of a Pharisee.
026:006 And now I stand here impeached because of my hope in the fulfilment
of the promise made by God to our forefathers--
026:007 the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and night
with intense devotedness, hope to have made good to them.
It is on the subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused
by the Jews.
026:008 Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God
raises the dead to life?
026:009 "I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things
in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.
026:010 And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority
received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people
in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death
I gave my vote against them.
026:011 In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time,
and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased
them even to foreign towns.
026:012 "While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed
with authority and a commission from the High Priests,
026:013 and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from Heaven--
brighter than the brightness of the sun--shining around me
and around those who were travelling with me.
026:014 We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me
in Hebrew, "`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are
finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'
026:015 "`Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus whom you
are persecuting,' the Lord replied.
026:016 `But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you
for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My
witness both as to the things you have already seen and as
to those in which I will appear to you.
026:017 I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles,
to whom I send you to open their eyes,
026:018 that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience
to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through
faith in Me.'
026:019 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to
the heavenly vision;
026:020 but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus,
and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea,
and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God,
and live lives consistent with such repentance.
026:021 "It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple
and tried to kill me.
026:022 Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood
firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike,
saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted
as soon to happen,
026:023 since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back
from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message
of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
026:024 As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice,
"You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."
026:025 "I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking
words of sober truth.
026:026 For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters.
I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped
his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.
026:027 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that
you believe them."
026:028 Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to persuade
me to become a Christian."
026:029 "My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul,
"would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day,
might become such as I am--except these chains."
026:030 So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those
who were sitting with them;
026:031 and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said,
"This man is doing nothing for which he deserves
death or imprisonment."
026:032 And Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set at liberty,
if he had not appealed to Caesar."
027:001 Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed
over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius,
a Captain of the Augustan battalion;
027:002 and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about
to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put
to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica,
forming one of our party.
027:003 The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul
with thoughtful kindness and allowed him to visit his friends
and profit by their generous care.
027:004 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus,
because the winds were against us;
027:005 and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off Cilicia
and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.
027:006 There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy,
and put us on board of her.
027:007 It took several days of slow sailing for us to come with
difficulty off Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not
allow us to get on in the direct course, we ran under the lee
of Crete by Salmone.
027:008 Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place called
`Fair Havens,' near the town of Lasea.
027:009 Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and the
navigation being now unsafe and the Fast also already over,
Paul warned them.
027:010 "Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will
be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo
and the ship but to our own lives also."
027:011 But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the owner
rather than by Paul's arguments;
027:012 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in,
the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try
whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast
of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.
027:013 And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so that
they supposed they were now sure of their purpose.
So weighing anchor they ran along the coast of Crete,
hugging the shore.
027:014 But it was not long before a furious north-east wind,
coming down from the mountains, burst upon us and carried
the ship out of her course.
027:015 She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we gave
up and let her drive.
027:016 Then we ran under the lee of a little island called Cauda,
where we managed with great difficulty to secure the boat;
027:017 and, after hoisting it on board, they used frapping-cables
to undergird the ship, and, as they were afraid of being driven
on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the gear and lay to.
027:018 But, as the storm was still violent, the next day they began
to lighten the ship;
027:019 and, on the third day, with their own hands they threw the ship's
spare gear overboard.
027:020 Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were seen
and the terrific gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope
was now vanishing.
027:021 When for a long time they had taken but little food,
Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought
to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete.
You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.
027:022 But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of life
among you, but of the ship only.
027:023 For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God
to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,
027:024 and he said, "`Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must stand
before Caesar; and God has granted you the lives of all who
are sailing with you.'
027:025 "Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God, and am
convinced that things will happen exactly as I have been told.