Bible in 90 Days

³⁸ And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

³⁹ and having come, they besought them, and having brought [them] forth, they were asking [them] to go forth from the city;

⁴⁰ and they, having gone forth out of the prison, entered into [the house of] Lydia, and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and went forth.

17 And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews,

² and according to the custom of Paul, he went in unto them, and for three sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Writings,

³ opening and alleging, `That the Christ it behoved to suffer, and to rise again out of the dead, and that this is the Christ -- Jesus whom I proclaim to you.'

⁴ And certain of them did believe, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude, of the principal women also not a few.

⁵ And the unbelieving Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to them of the loungers certain evil men, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having assailed also the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring [them] to the populace,

⁶ and not having found them, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the city rulers, calling aloud -- `These, having put the world in commotion, are also here present,

⁷ whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king -- Jesus.'

⁸ And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things,

⁹ and having taking security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

¹⁰ And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;

¹¹ and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

¹² many, indeed, therefore, of them did believe, and of the honourable Greek women and men not a few.

¹³ And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came thither also, agitating the multitudes;

¹⁴ and then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy were remaining there.

¹⁵ And those conducting Paul, brought him unto Athens, and having received a command unto Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come unto him, they departed;

¹⁶ and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,

¹⁷ therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshipping persons, and in the market-place every day with those who met with him.

¹⁸ And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, `What would this seed picker wish to say?' and others, `Of strange demons he doth seem to be an announcer;' because Jesus and the rising again he did proclaim to them as good news,

¹⁹ having also taken him, unto the Areopagus they brought [him], saying, `Are we able to know what [is] this new teaching that is spoken by thee,

²⁰ for certain strange things thou dost bring to our ears? we wish, then, to know what these things would wish to be;'

²¹ and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.

²² And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, `Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-religious;

²³ for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God -- unknown; whom, therefore -- not knowing -- ye do worship, this One I announce to you.

²⁴ `God, who did make the world, and all things in it, this One, of heaven and of earth being Lord, in temples made with hands doth not dwell,

²⁵ neither by the hands of men is He served -- needing anything, He giving to all life, and breath, and all things;

²⁶ He made also of one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth -- having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings --

²⁷ to seek the Lord, if perhaps they did feel after Him and find, -- though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,

²⁸ for in Him we live, and move, and are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are offspring.

²⁹ `Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, graving of art and device of man;

³⁰ the times, indeed, therefore, of the ignorance God having overlooked, doth now command all men everywhere to reform,

³¹ because He did set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He did ordain, having given assurance to all, having raised him out of the dead.'

³² And having heard of a rising again of the dead, some, indeed, were mocking, but others said, `We will hear thee again concerning this;'

³³ and so Paul went forth from the midst of them,

³⁴ and certain men having cleaved to him, did believe, among whom [is] also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman, by name Damaris, and others with them.

18 And after these things, Paul having departed out of Athens, came to Corinth,

² and having found a certain Jew, by name Aquilas, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife -- because of Claudius having directed all the Jews to depart out of Rome -- he came to them,

³ and because of being of the same craft, he did remain with them, and was working, for they were tent-makers as to craft;

⁴ and he was reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, persuading both Jews and Greeks.

⁵ And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, testifying fully to the Jews Jesus the Christ;

⁶ and on their resisting and speaking evil, having shaken [his] garments, he said unto them, `Your blood [is] upon your head -- I am clean; henceforth to the nations I will go on.'

⁷ And having departed thence, he went to the house of a certain one, by name Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house was adjoining the synagogue,

⁸ and Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue did believe in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing were believing, and they were being baptized.

⁹ And the Lord said through a vision in the night to Paul, `Be not afraid, but be speaking and thou mayest be not silent;

¹⁰ because I am with thee, and no one shall set on thee to do thee evil; because I have much people in this city;'

¹¹ and he continued a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.

¹² And Gallio being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a rush with one accord upon Paul, and brought him unto the tribunal,

¹³ saying -- `Against the law this one doth persuade men to worship God;'

¹⁴ and Paul being about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, `If, indeed, then, it was anything unrighteous, or an act of wicked profligacy, O Jews, according to reason I had borne with you,

¹⁵ but if it is a question concerning words and names, and of your law, look ye yourselves [to it], for a judge of these things I do not wish to be,'

¹⁶ and he drave them from the tribunal;

¹⁷ and all the Greeks having taken Sosthenes, the chief man of the synagogue, were beating [him] before the tribunal, and not even for these things was Gallio caring.

¹⁸ And Paul having remained yet a good many days, having taken leave of the brethren, was sailing to Syria -- and with him [are] Priscilla and Aquilas -- having shorn [his] head in Cenchera, for he had a vow;

¹⁹ and he came down to Ephesus, and did leave them there, and he himself having entered into the synagogue did reason with the Jews:

²⁰ and they having requested [him] to remain a longer time with them, he did not consent,

²¹ but took leave of them, saying, `It behoveth me by all means the coming feast to keep at Jerusalem, and again I will return unto you -- God willing.' And he sailed from Ephesus,

²² and having come down to Cesarea, having gone up, and having saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch.

²³ And having made some stay he went forth, going through in order the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ And a certain Jew, Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by birth, a man of eloquence, being mighty in the Writings, came to Ephesus,

²⁵ this one was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit, was speaking and teaching exactly the things about the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John;

²⁶ this one also began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Aquilas and Priscilla having heard of him, took him to [them], and did more exactly expound to him the way of God,

²⁷ and he being minded to go through into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples, having exhorted them to receive him, who having come, did help them much who have believed through the grace,

²⁸ for powerfully the Jews he was refuting publicly, shewing through the Writings Jesus to be the Christ.

19 And it came to pass, in Apollos' being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,

² he said unto them, `The Holy Spirit did ye receive -- having believed?' and they said unto him, `But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;'

³ and he said unto them, `To what, then, were ye baptized?' and they said, `To John's baptism.'

⁴ And Paul said, `John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe -- that is, in the Christ -- Jesus;'

⁵ and they, having heard, were baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus,

⁶ and Paul having laid on them [his] hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,

⁷ and all the men were, as it were, twelve.

⁸ And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

⁹ and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having departed from them, he did separate the disciples, every day reasoning in the school of a certain Tyrannus.

¹⁰ And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia did hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,

¹¹ mighty works also -- not common -- was God working through the hands of Paul,

¹² so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.

¹³ And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'

¹⁴ and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing;

¹⁵ and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye -- who are ye?'

¹⁶ And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

¹⁷ and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

¹⁸ many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

¹⁹ and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

²⁰ so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

²¹ And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying -- `After my being there, it behoveth me also to see Rome;'

²² and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him -- Timotheus and Erastus -- he himself stayed a time in Asia.

²³ And there came, at that time, not a little stir about the way,

²⁴ for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

²⁵ whom, having brought in a crowd together, and those who did work about such things, he said, `Men, ye know that by this work we have our wealth;

²⁶ and ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by hands;

²⁷ and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world doth worship.'

²⁸ And they having heard, and having become full of wrath, were crying out, saying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

²⁹ and the whole city was filled with confusion, they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's fellow-travellers.

³⁰ And on Paul's purposing to enter in unto the populace, the disciples were not suffering him,

³¹ and certain also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent unto him, were entreating him not to venture himself into the theatre.

³² Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together;

³³ and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander -- the Jews thrusting him forward -- and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defence to the populace,

³⁴ and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

³⁵ And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, `Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?

³⁶ these things, then, not being to be gainsaid, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

³⁷ `For ye brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil of your goddess;

³⁸ if indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the artificers with him with any one have a matter, court [days] are held, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another.

³⁹ `And if ye seek after anything concerning other matters, in the legal assembly it shall be determined;

⁴⁰ for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;'

⁴¹ and these things having said, he dismissed the assembly.

20 And after the ceasing of the tumult, Paul having called near the disciples, and having embraced [them], went forth to go on to Macedonia;

² and having gone through those parts, and having exhorted them with many words, he came to Greece;

³ having made also three months' [stay] -- a counsel of the Jews having been against him -- being about to set forth to Syria, there came [to him] a resolution of returning through Macedonia.

⁴ And there were accompanying him unto Asia, Sopater of Berea, and of Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus, and of Asiatics Tychicus and Trophimus;

⁵ these, having gone before, did remain for us in Troas,

⁶ and we sailed, after the days of the unleavened food, from Philippi, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.

⁷ And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,

⁸ and there were many lamps in the upper chamber where they were gathered together,

⁹ and there was sitting a certain youth, by name Eutychus, upon the window -- being borne down by a deep sleep, Paul discoursing long -- he having sunk down from the sleep, fell down from the third story, and was lifted up dead.

¹⁰ And Paul, having gone down, fell upon him, and having embraced [him], said, `Make no tumult, for his life is in him;'

¹¹ and having come up, and having broken bread, and having tasted, for a long time also having talked -- till daylight, so he went forth,

¹² and they brought up the lad alive, and were comforted in no ordinary measure.

¹³ And we having gone before unto the ship, did sail to Assos, thence intending to take in Paul, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go on foot;

¹⁴ and when he met with us at Assos, having taken him up, we came to Mitylene,

¹⁵ and thence having sailed, on the morrow we came over-against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and having remained in Trogyllium, on the following day we came to Miletus,

¹⁶ for Paul decided to sail past Ephesus, that there may not be to him a loss of time in Asia, for he hasted, if it were possible for him, on the day of the Pentecost to be at Jerusalem.

¹⁷ And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the assembly,

¹⁸ and when they were come unto him, he said to them, `Ye -- ye know from the first day in which I came to Asia, how, with you at all times I was;

¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, and many tears, and temptations, that befell me in the counsels of the Jews against [me];

²⁰ how nothing I did keep back of what things are profitable, not to declare to you, and to teach you publicly, and in every house,

²¹ testifying fully both to Jews and Greeks, toward God reformation, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

²² `And now, lo, I -- bound in the Spirit -- go on to Jerusalem, the things that shall befall me in it not knowing,

²³ save that the Holy Spirit in every city doth testify fully, saying, that for me bonds and tribulations remain;

²⁴ but I make account of none of these, neither do I count my life precious to myself, so that I finish my course with joy, and the ministration that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify fully the good news of the grace of God.

²⁵ `And now, lo, I have known that no more shall ye see my face, -- ye all among whom I did go preaching the reign of God;

²⁶ wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I [am] clear from the blood of all,

²⁷ for I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.

²⁸ `Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood,

²⁹ for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,

³⁰ and of your own selves there shall arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

³¹ `Therefore, watch, remembering that three years, night and day, I did not cease with tears warning each one;

³² and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.

³³ `The silver or gold or garments of no one did I covet;

³⁴ and ye yourselves know that to my necessities, and to those who were with me, minister did these hands;

³⁵ all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth [us] to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

³⁶ And these things having said, having bowed his knees, with them all, he did pray,

³⁷ and there came a great weeping to all, and having fallen upon the neck of Paul, they were kissing him,

³⁸ sorrowing most of all for the word that he had said -- that they are about no more to see his face; and they were accompanying him to the ship.

21 And it came to pass, at our sailing, having been parted from them, having run direct, we came to Coos, and the succeeding [day] to Rhodes, and thence to Patara,

² and having found a ship passing over to Phenicia, having gone on board, we sailed,

³ and having discovered Cyprus, and having left it on the left, we were sailing to Syria, and did land at Tyre, for there was the ship discharging the lading.

⁴ And having found out the disciples, we tarried there seven days, and they said to Paul, through the Spirit, not to go up to Jerusalem;

⁵ but when it came that we completed the days, having gone forth, we went on, all bringing us on the way, with women and children, unto the outside of the city, and having bowed the knees upon the shore, we prayed,

⁶ and having embraced one another, we embarked in the ship, and they returned to their own friends.

⁷ And we, having finished the course, from Tyre came down to Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained one day with them;

⁸ and on the morrow Paul and his company having gone forth, we came to Cesarea, and having entered into the house of Philip the evangelist -- who is of the seven -- we remained with him,

⁹ and this one had four daughters, virgins, prophesying.

¹⁰ And we remaining many more days, there came down a certain one from Judea, a prophet, by name Agabus,

¹¹ and he having come unto us, and having taken up the girdle of Paul, having bound also his own hands and feet, said, `Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose is this girdle -- so shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind, and they shall deliver [him] up to the hands of nations.'

¹² And when we heard these things, we called upon [him] -- both we, and those of that place -- not to go up to Jerusalem,

¹³ and Paul answered, `What do ye -- weeping, and crushing mine heart? for I, not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, am ready, for the name of the Lord Jesus;'

¹⁴ and he not being persuaded, we were silent, saying, `The will of the Lord be done.'

¹⁵ And after these days, having taken [our] vessels, we were going up to Jerusalem,

¹⁶ and there went also of the disciples from Cesarea with us, bringing with them him with whom we may lodge, a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an aged disciple.

¹⁷ And we having come to Jerusalem, the brethren did gladly receive us,

¹⁸ and on the morrow Paul was going in with us unto James, all the elders also came,

¹⁹ and having saluted them, he was declaring, one by one, each of the things God did among the nations through his ministration,

²⁰ and they having heard, were glorifying the Lord. They said also to him, `Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law,

²¹ and they are instructed concerning thee, that apostacy from Moses thou dost teach to all Jews among the nations, saying -- Not to circumcise the children, nor after the customs to walk;

²² what then is it? certainly the multitude it behoveth to come together, for they will hear that thou hast come.

²³ `This, therefore, do that we say to thee: We have four men having a vow on themselves,

²⁴ these having taken, be purified with them, and be at expence with them, that they may shave the head, and all may know that the things of which they have been instructed concerning thee are nothing, but thou dost walk -- thyself also -- the law keeping.

²⁵ `And concerning those of the nations who have believed, we have written, having given judgment, that they observe no such thing, except to keep themselves both from idol-sacrifices, and blood, and a strangled thing, and whoredom.'

²⁶ Then Paul, having taken the men, on the following day, with them having purified himself, was entering into the temple, announcing the fulfilment of the days of the purification, till the offering was offered for each one of them.

²⁷ And, as the seven days were about to be fully ended, the Jews from Asia having beheld him in the temple, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid hands upon him,

²⁸ crying out, `Men, Israelites, help! this is the man who, against the people, and the law, and this place, all everywhere is teaching; and further, also, Greeks he brought into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place;'

²⁹ for they had seen before Trophimus, the Ephesian, in the city with him, whom they were supposing that Paul brought into the temple.

³⁰ All the city also was moved and there was a running together of the people, and having laid hold on Paul, they were drawing him out of the temple, and immediately were the doors shut,

³¹ and they seeking to kill him, a rumour came to the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem hath been thrown into confusion,

³² who, at once, having taken soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them, and they having seen the chief captain and the soldiers, did leave off beating Paul.

³³ Then the chief captain, having come nigh, took him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains, and was inquiring who he may be, and what it is he hath been doing,

³⁴ and some were crying out one thing, and some another, among the multitude, and not being able to know the certainty because of the tumult, he commanded him to be carried to the castle,

³⁵ and when he came upon the steps, it happened he was borne by the soldiers, because of the violence of the multitude,

³⁶ for the crowd of the people was following after, crying, `Away with him.'

³⁷ And Paul being about to be led into the castle, saith to the chief captain, `Is it permitted to me to say anything unto thee?' and he said, `Greek dost thou know?

³⁸ art not thou, then, the Egyptian who before these days made an uprising, and did lead into the desert the four thousand men of the assassins?'

³⁹ And Paul said, `I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, of no mean city a citizen; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.'

⁴⁰ And he having given him leave, Paul having stood upon the stairs, did beckon with the hand to the people, and there having been a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew dialect, saying:

22 `Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence now unto you;' --

² and they having heard that in the Hebrew dialect he was speaking to them, gave the more silence, and he saith, --

³ `I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactitude of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all ye are to-day.

⁴ `And this way I persecuted unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

⁵ as also the chief priest doth testify to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

⁶ and it came to pass, in my going on and coming nigh to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of the heaven there shone a great light round about me,

⁷ I fell also to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?

⁸ `And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom thou dost persecute --

⁹ and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking to me --

¹⁰ and I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee concerning all things that have been appointed for thee to do.

¹¹ `And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

¹² and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

¹³ having come unto me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and I the same hour did look up to him;

¹⁴ and he said, The God of our fathers did choose thee beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth,

¹⁵ because thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard;

¹⁶ and now, why tarriest thou? having risen, baptize thyself, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.

¹⁷ `And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

¹⁸ and I saw him saying to me, Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;

¹⁹ and I said, Lord, they -- they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging in every synagogue those believing on thee;

²⁰ and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being poured forth, I also was standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

²¹ and he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.'

²² And they were hearing him unto this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, `Away from the earth with such an one; for it is not fit for him to live.'

²³ And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

²⁴ the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, saying, `By scourges let him be examined;' that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

²⁵ And as he was stretching him with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion who was standing by, `A man, a Roman, uncondemned -- is it lawful to you to scourge;'

²⁶ and the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, `Take heed what thou art about to do, for this man is a Roman;'

²⁷ and the chief captain having come near, said to him, `Tell me, art thou a Roman?' and he said, `Yes;'

²⁸ and the chief captain answered, `I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;' but Paul said, `But I have been even born [so].'

²⁹ Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who are about to examine him, and the chief captain also was afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

³⁰ and on the morrow, intending to know the certainty wherefore he is accused by the Jews, he did loose him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their sanhedrim to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] before them.

23 And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, `Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;'

² and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth,

³ then Paul said unto him, `God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou -- thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!'

⁴ And those who stood by said, `The chief priest of God dost thou revile?'

⁵ and Paul said, `I did not know, brethren, that he is chief priest: for it hath been written, Of the ruler of thy people thou shalt not speak evil;'

⁶ and Paul having known that the one part are Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the sanhedrim, `Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee -- son of a Pharisee -- concerning hope and rising again of dead men I am judged.'

⁷ And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

⁸ for Sadducees, indeed, say there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, but Pharisees confess both.

⁹ And there came a great cry, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part having arisen, were striving, saying, `No evil do we find in this man; and if a spirit spake to him, or a messenger, we may not fight against God;'

¹⁰ and a great dissension having come, the chief captain having been afraid lest Paul may be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiery, having gone down, to take him by force out of the midst of them, and to bring [him] to the castle.

¹¹ And on the following night, the Lord having stood by him, said, `Take courage, Paul, for as thou didst fully testify the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so it behoveth thee also at Rome to testify.'

¹² And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, did anathematize themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink till they may kill Paul;

¹³ and they were more than forty who made this conspiracy by oath,

¹⁴ who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, `With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves -- to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

¹⁵ now, therefore, ye, signify ye to the chief captain, with the sanhedrim, that to-morrow he may bring him down unto you, as being about to know more exactly the things concerning him; and we, before his coming nigh, are ready to put him to death.'

¹⁶ And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul,

¹⁷ and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, `This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.'

¹⁸ He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him unto the chief captain, and saith, `The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked [me] this young man to bring unto thee, having something to say to thee.'

¹⁹ And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, `What is that which thou hast to tell me?'

²⁰ and he said -- `The Jews agreed to request thee, that to-morrow to the sanhedrim thou mayest bring down Paul, as being about to enquire something more exactly concerning him;

²¹ thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves -- not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.'

²² The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged [him] to tell no one, `that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

²³ and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, `Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night;

²⁴ beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;'

²⁵ he having written a letter after this description:

²⁶ `Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail:

²⁷ This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them -- having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman;

²⁸ and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim,

²⁹ whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds;

³⁰ and a plot having been intimated to me against this man -- about to be of the Jews -- at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.'

³¹ Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris,

³² and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle;

³³ those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him.

³⁴ And the governor having read [it], and inquired of what province he is, and understood that [he is] from Cilicia;

³⁵ `I will hear thee -- said he -- when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

24 And after five days came down the chief priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator -- Tertullus, and they made manifest to the governor [the things] against Paul;

² and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, `Much peace enjoying through thee, and worthy deeds being done to this nation through thy forethought,

³ always, also, and everywhere we receive it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness;

⁴ and that I may not be further tedious to thee, I pray thee to hear us concisely in thy gentleness;

⁵ for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world -- a ringleader also of the sect of the Nazarenes --

⁶ who also the temple did try to profane, whom also we took, and according to our law did wish to judge,

⁷ and Lysias the chief captain having come near, with much violence, out of our hands did take away,

⁸ having commanded his accusers to come to thee, from whom thou mayest be able, thyself having examined, to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him;'

⁹ and the Jews also agreed, professing these things to be so.

¹⁰ And Paul answered -- the governor having beckoned to him to speak -- `Knowing [that] for many years thou hast been a judge to this nation, the more cheerfully the things concerning myself I do answer;

¹¹ thou being able to know that it is not more than twelve days to me since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,

¹² and neither in the temple did they find me reasoning with any one, or making a dissension of the multitude, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;

¹³ nor are they able to prove against me the things concerning which they now accuse me.

¹⁴ `And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written,

¹⁵ having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;

¹⁶ and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

¹⁷ `And after many years I came, about to do kind acts to my nation, and offerings,

¹⁸ in which certain Jews from Asia did find me purified in the temple, not with multitude, nor with tumult,

¹⁹ whom it behoveth to be present before thee, and to accuse, if they had anything against me,

²⁰ or let these same say if they found any unrighteousness in me in my standing before the sanhedrim,

²¹ except concerning this one voice, in which I cried, standing among them -- Concerning a rising again of the dead I am judged to-day by you.'

²² And having heard these things, Felix delayed them -- having known more exactly of the things concerning the way -- saying, `When Lysias the chief captain may come down, I will know fully the things concerning you;'

²³ having given also a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.

²⁴ And after certain days, Felix having come with Drusilla his wife, being a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith toward Christ,

²⁵ and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, `For the present be going, and having got time, I will call for thee;'

²⁶ and at the same time also hoping that money shall be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him the oftener, he was conversing with him;

²⁷ and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound.

25 Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,

² and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,

³ asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.

⁴ Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither,

⁵ `Therefore those able among you -- saith he -- having come down together, if there be anything in this man -- let them accuse him;'

⁶ and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat upon the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought;

⁷ and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem -- many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,

⁸ he making defence -- `Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar -- did I commit any sin.'

⁹ And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favour, answering Paul, said, `Art thou willing, to Jerusalem having gone up, there concerning these things to be judged before me?'

¹⁰ and Paul said, `At the tribunal of Caesar I am standing, where it behoveth me to be judged; to Jews I did no unrighteousness, as thou dost also very well know;

¹¹ for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!'

¹² then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, `To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.'

¹³ And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea saluting Festus,

¹⁴ and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, `There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,

¹⁵ about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,

¹⁶ unto whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favour of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defence in regard to the charge laid against [him].

¹⁷ `They, therefore, having come together -- I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat upon the tribunal, did command the man to be brought,

¹⁸ concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of,

¹⁹ but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;

²⁰ and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things --

²¹ but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I did command him to be kept till I might send him unto Caesar.'

²² And Agrippa said unto Festus, `I was wishing also myself to hear the man;' and he said, `To-morrow thou shalt hear him;'

²³ on the morrow, therefore -- on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered -- Paul was brought forth.

²⁴ And Festus said, `King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, ye see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews did deal with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer;

²⁵ and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him,

²⁶ concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;

²⁷ for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.'

26 And Agrippa said unto Paul, `It is permitted to thee to speak for thyself;' then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defence:

² `Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I have thought myself happy, being about to make a defence before thee to-day,

³ especially knowing thee to be acquainted with all things -- both customs and questions -- among Jews; wherefore, I beseech thee, patiently to hear me.

⁴ `The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth -- which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem -- know do all the Jews,

⁵ knowing me before from the first, (if they may be willing to testify,) that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;

⁶ and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,

⁷ to which our twelve tribes, intently night and day serving, do hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, king Agrippa, by the Jews;

⁸ why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?

⁹ `I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,

¹⁰ which also I did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I in prison did shut up, from the chief priests having received the authority; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,

¹¹ and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even unto strange cities.

¹² `In which things, also, going on to Damascus -- with authority and commission from the chief priests --

¹³ at mid-day, I saw in the way, O king, out of heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me a light -- and those going on with me;

¹⁴ and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute? hard for thee against pricks to kick!

¹⁵ `And I said, Who art thou, Lord? and he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute;

¹⁶ but rise, and stand upon thy feet, for for this I appeared to thee, to appoint thee an officer and a witness both of the things thou didst see, and of the things [in which] I will appear to thee,

¹⁷ delivering thee from the people, and the nations, to whom now I send thee,

¹⁸ to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of the Adversary unto God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified, by faith that [is] toward me.

¹⁹ `Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

²⁰ but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, to all the region also of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to reform, and to turn back unto God, doing works worthy of reformation;

²¹ because of these things the Jews -- having caught me in the temple -- were endeavouring to kill [me].

²² `Having obtained, therefore, help from God, till this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spake of as about to come,

²³ that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a rising from the dead, he is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.'

²⁴ And, he thus making a defence, Festus with a loud voice said, `Thou art mad, Paul; much learning doth turn thee mad;'

²⁵ and he saith, `I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness the sayings I speak forth;

²⁶ for the king doth know concerning these things, before whom also I speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing hath not been done in a corner;

²⁷ thou dost believe, king Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that thou dost believe!'

²⁸ And Agrippa said unto Paul, `In a little thou dost persuade me to become a Christian!'

²⁹ and Paul said, `I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only thee, but also all those hearing me to-day, to become such as I also am -- except these bonds.'

³⁰ And, he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,

³¹ and having withdrawn, they were speaking unto one another, saying -- `This man doth nothing worthy of death or of bonds;'

³² and Agrippa said to Festus, `This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.'

27 And when our sailing to Italy was determined, they were delivering up both Paul and certain others, prisoners, to a centurion, by name Julius, of the band of Sebastus,

² and having embarked in a ship of Adramyttium, we, being about to sail by the coasts of Asia, did set sail, there being with us Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica,

³ on the next [day] also we touched at Sidon, and Julius, courteously treating Paul, did permit [him], having gone on unto friends, to receive [their] care.

⁴ And thence, having set sail, we sailed under Cyprus, because of the winds being contrary,

⁵ and having sailed over the sea over-against Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myria of Lycia,

⁶ and there the centurion having found a ship of Alexandria, sailing to Italy, did put us into it,

⁷ and having sailed slowly many days, and with difficulty coming over-against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over-against Salmone,

⁸ and hardly passing it, we came to a certain place called `Fair Havens,' nigh to which was the city [of] Lasaea.

⁹ And much time being spent, and the sailing being now dangerous -- because of the fast also being already past -- Paul was admonishing,

¹⁰ saying to them, `Men, I perceive that with hurt, and much damage, not only of the lading and of the ship, but also of our lives -- the voyage is about to be;'

¹¹ but the centurion to the pilot and to the shipowner gave credence more than to the things spoken by Paul;

¹² and the haven being incommodious to winter in, the more part gave counsel to sail thence also, if by any means they might be able, having attained to Phenice, [there] to winter, [which is] a haven of Crete, looking to the south-west and north-west,

¹³ and a south wind blowing softly, having thought they had obtained [their] purpose, having lifted anchor, they sailed close by Crete,

¹⁴ and not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, that is called Euroclydon,

¹⁵ and the ship being caught, and not being able to bear up against the wind, having given [her] up, we were borne on,

¹⁶ and having run under a certain little isle, called Clauda, we were hardly able to become masters of the boat,

¹⁷ which having taken up, they were using helps, undergirding the ship, and fearing lest they may fall on the quicksand, having let down the mast -- so were borne on.

¹⁸ And we, being exceedingly tempest-tossed, the succeeding [day] they were making a clearing,

¹⁹ and on the third [day] with our own hands the tackling of the ship we cast out,

²⁰ and neither sun nor stars appearing for more days, and not a little tempest lying upon us, thenceforth all hope was taken away of our being saved.

²¹ And there having been long fasting, then Paul having stood in the midst of them, said, `It behoved [you], indeed, O men -- having hearkened to me -- not to set sail from Crete, and to save this hurt and damage;

²² and now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of life among you -- but of the ship;

²³ for there stood by me this night a messenger of God -- whose I am, and whom I serve --

²⁴ saying, Be not afraid Paul; before Caesar it behoveth thee to stand; and, lo, God hath granted to thee all those sailing with thee;

²⁵ wherefore be of good cheer, men! for I believe God, that so it shall be, even as it hath been spoken to me,

²⁶ and on a certain island it behoveth us to be cast.'

²⁷ And when the fourteenth night came -- we being borne up and down in the Adria -- toward the middle of the night the sailors were supposing that some country drew nigh to them;

²⁸ and having sounded they found twenty fathoms, and having gone a little farther, and again having sounded, they found fifteen fathoms,

²⁹ and fearing lest on rough places we may fall, out of the stern having cast four anchors, they were wishing day to come.

³⁰ And the sailors seeking to flee out of the ship, and having let down the boat to the sea, in pretence as [if] out of the foreship they are about to cast anchors,

³¹ Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, `If these do not remain in the ship -- ye are not able to be saved;'

³² then the soldiers did cut off the ropes of the boat, and suffered it to fall off.

³³ And till the day was about to be, Paul was calling upon all to partake of nourishment, saying, `Fourteen days to-day, waiting, ye continue fasting, having taken nothing,

³⁴ wherefore I call upon you to take nourishment, for this is for your safety, for of not one of you shall a hair from the head fall;'

³⁵ and having said these things, and having taken bread, he gave thanks to God before all, and having broken [it], he began to eat;

³⁶ and all having become of good cheer, themselves also took food,

³⁷ (and we were -- all the souls in the ship -- two hundred, seventy and six),

³⁸ and having eaten sufficient nourishment, they were lightening the ship, casting forth the wheat into the sea.

³⁹ And when the day came, they were not discerning the land, but a certain creek were perceiving having a beach, into which they took counsel, if possible, to thrust forward the ship,

⁴⁰ and the anchors having taken up, they were committing [it] to the sea, at the same time -- having loosed the bands of the rudders, and having hoisted up the mainsail to the wind -- they were making for the shore,

⁴¹ and having fallen into a place of two seas, they ran the ship aground, and the fore-part, indeed, having stuck fast, did remain immoveable, but the hinder-part was broken by the violence of the waves.

⁴² And the soldiers' counsel was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one having swam out should escape,

⁴³ but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, hindered them from the counsel, and did command those able to swim, having cast themselves out first -- to get unto the land,

⁴⁴ and the rest, some indeed upon boards, and some upon certain things of the ship; and thus it came to pass that all came safe unto the land.

28 And having been saved, then they knew that the island is called Melita,

² and the foreigners were shewing us no ordinary kindness, for having kindled a fire, they received us all, because of the pressing rain, and because of the cold;

³ but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid [them] upon the fire, a viper -- out of the heat having come -- did fasten on his hand.

⁴ And when the foreigners saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said unto one another, `Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, having been saved out of the sea, the justice did not suffer to live;'

⁵ he then, indeed, having shaken off the beast into the fire, suffered no evil,

⁶ and they were expecting him to be about to be inflamed, or to fall down suddenly dead, and they, expecting [it] a long time, and seeing nothing uncommon happening to him, changing [their] minds, said he was a god.

⁷ And in the neighbourhood of that place were lands of the principal man of the island, by name Publius, who, having received us, three days did courteously lodge [us];

⁸ and it came to pass, the father of Publius with feverish heats and dysentery pressed, was laid, unto whom Paul having entered, and having prayed, having laid [his] hands on him, healed him;

⁹ this, therefore, being done, the others also in the island having infirmities were coming and were healed;

¹⁰ who also with many honours did honour us, and we setting sail -- they were lading [us] with the things that were necessary.

¹¹ And after three months, we set sail in a ship (that had wintered in the isle) of Alexandria, with the sign Dioscuri,

¹² and having landed at Syracuse, we remained three days,

¹³ thence having gone round, we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south wind having sprung up, the second [day] we came to Puteoli;

¹⁴ where, having found brethren, we were called upon to remain with them seven days, and thus to Rome we came;

¹⁵ and thence, the brethren having heard the things concerning us, came forth to meet us, unto Appii Forum, and Three Taverns -- whom Paul having seen, having given thanks to God, took courage.

¹⁶ And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the captain of the barrack, but Paul was suffered to remain by himself, with the soldier guarding him.