21 After tearing ourselves away from them and putting out to sea, we ran with a straight course and came to Cos, on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Pat′a·ra. 2 When we found a ship that was crossing to Phoe·ni′cia, we went aboard and sailed away. 3 After coming in sight of the island of Cy′prus, we left it behind on the left side* and sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We searched for and found the disciples and remained there for seven days. But through the spirit they repeatedly told Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.+ 5 So when our time there was over, we left and started on our way, but they all, together with the women and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said good-bye to one another. Then we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their homes.
7 We then completed the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptol·e·ma′is, and we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them. 8 The next day we left and came to Caes·a·re′a, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelizer, who was one of the seven men,+ and we stayed with him. 9 This man had four unmarried* daughters who prophesied.+ 10 But after we had stayed there for quite a number of days, a prophet named Ag′a·bus+ came down from Ju·de′a. 11 And he came to us and took Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands and said: “Thus says the holy spirit, ‘The man to whom this belt belongs will be bound like this by the Jews in Jerusalem,+ and they will give him into the hands of people of the nations.’”+ 12 Now when we heard this, both we and those who were there began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered: “What are you doing by weeping and trying to weaken my resolve?* Rest assured, I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”+ 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we stopped objecting* and said: “Let the will of Jehovah* take place.”
15 Now after these days we prepared for the journey and started on our way to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caes·a·re′a also went with us, taking us to Mna′son of Cy′prus, an early disciple at whose home we were to be guests. 17 When we got to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 18 But on the following day Paul went in with us to James,+ and all the elders were present. 19 And he greeted them and began giving a detailed account of the things God did among the nations through his ministry.
20 After hearing this, they began to glorify God, but they said to him: “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the Law.+ 21 But they have heard it rumored about you that you have been teaching all the Jews among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices.+ 22 What, then, is to be done about it? They are certainly going to hear that you have arrived. 23 So do what we tell you: We have four men who have put themselves under a vow. 24 Take these men with you and cleanse yourself ceremonially together with them and take care of their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly and you are also keeping the Law.+ 25 As for the believers from among the nations, we have sent them our decision in writing that they should keep away from what is sacrificed to idols+ as well as from blood,+ from what is strangled,*+ and from sexual immorality.”*+
26 Then Paul took the men the next day and cleansed himself ceremonially along with them,+ and he went into the temple to give notice of when the days for the ceremonial cleansing would be completed and the offering should be presented for each one of them.
27 Now when the seven days were about to end, the Jews from Asia, on seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and they seized him, 28 shouting: “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our Law and this place. And what is more, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”+ 29 For they had previously seen Troph′i·mus+ the E·phe′sian in the city with him, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 The whole city was in an uproar, and the people came running together and seized Paul and dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the doors were closed. 31 While they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the army unit that all Jerusalem was in confusion; 32 and he immediately took soldiers and army officers and ran down to them. When they caught sight of the military commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 Then the military commander came near and took him into custody and ordered that he be bound with two chains;+ then he inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 But some in the crowd began shouting out one thing, and others something else. So being unable himself to learn anything for certain because of the disturbance, he commanded him to be brought to the soldiers’ quarters. 35 But when he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for a crowd of the people kept following, crying out: “Do away with him!”
37 As he was about to be led into the soldiers’ quarters, Paul said to the military commander: “Am I allowed to say something to you?” He said: “Can you speak Greek? 38 Are you not, then, the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a sedition and led the 4,000 dagger men out into the wilderness?” 39 Then Paul said: “I am, in fact, a Jew,+ of Tarsus+ in Ci·li′cia, a citizen of no obscure city. So I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 After he gave permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned with his hand to the people. When a great silence fell, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,+ saying:
22 “Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense to you now.”+ 2 Well, when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent, and he said: 3 “I am a Jew,+ born in Tarsus of Ci·li′cia,+ but educated in this city at the feet of Ga·ma′li·el,+ instructed according to the strictness of the ancestral Law,+ and zealous for God just as all of you are this day.+ 4 I persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women,+ 5 as the high priest and all the assembly of elders can bear witness. From them I also obtained letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to bring those who were there in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “But as I was traveling and getting near to Damascus, about midday, suddenly out of heaven a great light flashed all around me,+ 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus the Naz·a·rene′, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now the men who were with me did see the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me. 10 At that I said: ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me: ‘Rise, go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything it is appointed for you to do.’+ 11 But since I could not see anything because of the glory of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me.
12 “Then a man named An·a·ni′as, a devout man according to the Law, well-reported-on by all the Jews living there, 13 came to me. He stood by me and said to me: ‘Saul, brother, regain your sight!’ And that very moment I looked up and saw him.+ 14 He said: ‘The God of our forefathers has chosen you to come to know his will and to see the righteous one+ and to hear the voice of his mouth, 15 because you are to be a witness for him to all men of the things you have seen and heard.+ 16 And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized, and wash your sins+ away by your calling on his name.’+
17 “But when I had returned to Jerusalem+ and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness concerning me.’+ 19 And I said: ‘Lord, they themselves well know that I used to imprison and flog in one synagogue after another those believing in you;+ 20 and when the blood of Stephen your witness was being spilled, I was standing by and approving and guarding the outer garments of those doing away with him.’+ 21 And yet he said to me: ‘Go, because I will send you out to nations far away.’”+
22 Now they kept listening to him down to this word. Then they raised their voices, saying: “Take such a man away from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” 23 Because they were crying out, throwing their outer garments about, and tossing dust into the air,+ 24 the military commander ordered Paul to be brought into the soldiers’ quarters and said that he should be interrogated under scourging, so that he could learn exactly why they were shouting against Paul this way. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whipping, Paul said to the army officer standing there: “Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman* who has not been condemned?”*+ 26 Well, when the army officer heard this, he went to the military commander and reported it, saying: “What are you intending to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27 So the military commander approached and said to him: “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said: “Yes.” 28 The military commander responded: “I purchased these rights as a citizen for a large sum of money.” Paul said: “But I have them by birth.”+
29 Immediately, therefore, the men who were about to interrogate him under torture backed away from him; and the military commander became afraid when he realized that he was a Roman and that he had bound him in chains.+
30 So the next day, because he wanted to know for sure just why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and commanded the chief priests and all the San′he·drin to assemble. He then brought Paul down and had him stand among them.+
23 Looking intently at the San′he·drin, Paul said: “Men, brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear conscience+ down to this day.” 2 At this the high priest An·a·ni′as ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law and at the same time violate the Law by commanding me to be struck?” 4 Those standing by said: “Are you insulting the high priest of God?” 5 And Paul said: “Brothers, I did not know he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak injuriously of a ruler of your people.’”+
6 Now Paul, knowing that the one part was made up of Sadducees but the other of Pharisees, cried out in the San′he·drin: “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee,+ a son of Pharisees. Over the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am being judged.” 7 Because he said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was split. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees accept* them all.+ 9 So a great uproar broke out, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose and began arguing fiercely, saying: “We find nothing wrong in this man, but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him+—.” 10 Now when the dissension grew great, the military commander feared that Paul would be torn apart by them, and he commanded the soldiers to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the soldiers’ quarters.
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said: “Take courage!+ For just as you have been giving a thorough witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”+
12 When it became day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than 40 men who formed this oath-bound conspiracy. 14 These men went to the chief priests and the elders and said: “We have solemnly bound ourselves with a curse* not to eat anything at all until we have killed Paul. 15 So now you together with the San′he·drin should inform the military commander that he should bring him down to you as though you want to examine his case more thoroughly. But before he gets near, we will be ready to do away with him.”
16 However, the son of Paul’s sister heard of the ambush they were planning, and he entered the soldiers’ quarters and reported it to Paul. 17 Paul then called one of the army officers to him and said: “Take this young man to the military commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 So he brought him and led him to the military commander and said: “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 19 The military commander took him by the hand and withdrew privately and asked him: “What do you have to report to me?” 20 He said: “The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the San′he·drin tomorrow, as though they intend to learn more details about his case.+ 21 But do not let them persuade you, for more than 40 of their men are waiting to ambush him, and they have bound themselves with a curse* neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him;+ and they are now ready, waiting for the promise from you.” 22 So the military commander let the young man go, after ordering him: “Do not tell anyone that you have informed me of this.”
23 And he summoned two of the army officers and said: “Get 200 soldiers ready to march clear to Caes·a·re′a, also 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen, at the third hour of the night.* 24 Also, provide horses for Paul to ride, to take him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter with this content:
26 “Claudius Lys′i·as to His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings! 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but I came quickly with my soldiers and rescued him,+ because I learned that he is a Roman.+ 28 And wanting to find out the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their San′he·drin.+ 29 I found him to be accused about questions of their Law,+ but not charged with a single thing deserving of death or prison bonds. 30 But because a plot against the man has been made known to me,+ I am at once sending him to you and ordering the accusers to speak against him before you.”
31 So these soldiers took Paul+ according to their orders and brought him by night to An·tip′a·tris. 32 The next day they permitted the horsemen to go on with him, but they returned to the soldiers’ quarters. 33 The horsemen entered Caes·a·re′a and delivered the letter to the governor and also presented Paul to him. 34 So he read it and asked what province he was from and learned that he was from Ci·li′cia.+ 35 “I will give you a thorough hearing,” he said, “when your accusers arrive.”+ And he commanded that he be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.*
24 Five days later the high priest An·a·ni′as+ came down with some elders and a public speaker* named Ter·tul′lus, and they presented their case against Paul to the governor.+ 2 When he was called, Ter·tul′lus started accusing him, saying:
“Seeing that we enjoy great peace through you and that through your forethought reforms are taking place in this nation, 3 at all times and also in all places we acknowledge this, Your Excellency Felix, with the greatest thankfulness. 4 But that I may not detain you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly in your kindness. 5 For we have found this man to be a pest,*+ stirring up seditions+ among all the Jews throughout the inhabited earth, and he is a spearhead of the sect of the Naz·a·renes′.+ 6 He also tried to profane the temple, so we seized him.+ 7* —— 8 When you examine him yourself, you will find out about all these things of which we are accusing him.”
9 With that the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were true. 10 When the governor nodded to Paul to speak, he answered:
“Knowing well that this nation has had you as judge for many years, I readily speak in my own defense.+ 11 As you can verify for yourself, it has not been more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem;+ 12 and they found me neither arguing with anyone in the temple nor stirring up a mob, either in the synagogues or throughout the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of right now. 14 But I do admit this to you, that according to the way that they call a sect, in this manner I am rendering sacred service to the God of my forefathers,+ as I believe all the things set forth in the Law and written in the Prophets.+ 15 And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection+ of both the righteous and the unrighteous.+ 16 Because of this I always strive to maintain a clear* conscience before God and men.+ 17 Now after quite a number of years, I arrived to bring gifts of mercy+ to my nation and to make offerings. 18 While I was caring for these matters, they found me ceremonially cleansed in the temple,+ but not with a crowd or causing a disturbance. But there were some Jews from the province of Asia 19 who ought to be present before you to accuse me if they actually have anything against me.+ 20 Or let the men here say for themselves what wrong they found as I stood before the San′he·drin, 21 except for this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘Over the resurrection of the dead I am today being judged before you!’”+
22 However, Felix, knowing quite well the facts concerning this Way,+ began to put them off and say: “Whenever Lys′i·as the military commander comes down, I will decide these matters involving you.” 23 And he gave orders to the army officer that the man be kept under arrest but given some freedom, and that his people be allowed to attend to his needs.
24 Some days later Felix came with Dru·sil′la his wife, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and listened to him speak about the belief in Christ Jesus.+ 25 But as Paul talked about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come,+ Felix became frightened and answered: “Go away for now, but when I have an opportunity I will send for you again.” 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would give him money. For that reason, he sent for him even more frequently and conversed with him. 27 But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and because Felix desired to gain favor with the Jews,+ he left Paul in custody.
25 Therefore Festus,+ after arriving in the province and taking charge, went up three days later to Jerusalem from Caes·a·re′a. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews gave him information against Paul.+ So they began to beg Festus 3 as a favor* to send for Paul to come to Jerusalem. But they were planning to ambush Paul and kill him along the road.+ 4 However, Festus answered that Paul was to be kept in Caes·a·re′a and that he himself was about to go back there shortly. 5 “So let those who are in power among you,” he said, “come down with me and accuse him if, indeed, the man has done something wrong.”+
6 So when he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caes·a·re′a, and the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought in. 7 When he came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many serious charges that they were unable to prove.+
8 But Paul said in defense: “Neither against the Law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any sin.”+ 9 Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews,+ said in reply to Paul: “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and be judged before me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said: “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, of which you are also becoming well-aware. 11 If I am really a wrongdoer and have committed anything deserving of death,+ I do not beg off from dying; but if there is no substance to the accusations these men have made against me, no man has the right to hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar!”+ 12 Then Festus, after speaking with the assembly of counselors, replied: “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.”
13 After some days had passed, A·grip′pa the king and Bernice arrived in Caes·a·re′a for a courtesy visit to Festus. 14 Since they were spending a number of days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying:
“There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought information about him,+ asking for a judgment of condemnation against him. 16 But I replied to them that it is not Roman procedure to hand any man over as a favor before the accused man meets his accusers face-to-face and gets a chance to speak in his defense concerning the complaint.+ 17 So when they arrived here, I did not delay, but the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 Taking the stand, the accusers did not charge him with any of the wicked things I had expected concerning him.+ 19 They simply had certain disputes with him concerning their own worship of the deity*+ and concerning a man named Jesus, who was dead but who Paul kept asserting was alive.+ 20 Being at a loss as to how to handle this dispute, I asked if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be judged there concerning these matters.+ 21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision by the August One,*+ I commanded him to be held until I should send him on to Caesar.”
22 A·grip′pa then said to Festus: “I would like to hear the man myself.”+ “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.” 23 So the next day A·grip′pa and Bernice came with much pompous show and entered the audience chamber together with military commanders as well as the prominent men in the city; and when Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King A·grip′pa and all you who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish populace have petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.+ 25 But I perceived that he had done nothing deserving of death.+ So when this man himself appealed to the August One, I decided to send him. 26 But I have nothing certain to write about him to my Lord. So I brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King A·grip′pa, so that after the judicial examination has taken place, I might have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not also to indicate the charges against him.”
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