Acts 23 Cross References - Williams

¹ Paul fixed his eyes upon the council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty to God up to this very day." ² At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people standing near him to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, "You white-washed wall, God will strike you! Do you sit as a judge to try me in accordance with the law and yet in violation of the law you order them to strike me?" ⁴ The people standing near him said, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?" ⁵ Paul answered, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest, for the Scripture says, 'You must not speak evil against any ruler of your people.'" ⁶ Because Paul knew that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, he began to cry out in the council chamber, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a Pharisee's son, and now I am on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead." ⁷ When he said that, an angry dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the crowded court was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection, and no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all of them. ⁹ So there was a vociferous yelling until some of the scribes, belonging to the party of the Pharisees, got up and fiercely contended, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or angel has really spoken to him!" ¹⁰ Since the dispute kept growing hotter and hotter, the colonel became alarmed that Paul might be torn in pieces by them, and so ordered the army to march down and take him out of their hands and bring him back to the barracks. ¹¹ But that same night the Lord stood by Paul's side and said, "Courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, you must testify for me in Rome, too." ¹² After day had dawned, the Jews formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁴ They went to the high priests and elders and said to them, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste a morsel till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So you and the council must now notify the colonel to bring him down to you, as though you were going to look into his case more carefully, but before he gets down we will be ready to kill him." ¹⁶ But Paul's nephew heard of the plot and came to the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ So Paul called one of the captains and said, "Take this young man to the colonel, for he has something to tell him." ¹⁸ So he took him and brought him to the colonel and said, "The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you." ¹⁹ So the colonel took him by the arm, stepped to one side so as to be alone, and asked him, "What is it you have to tell me?" ²⁰ He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though you were going to examine his case more carefully. ²¹ But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him; they have taken an oath not to eat or drink till they have killed him. They are all ready now, just waiting for your promise." ²² So the colonel sent the young man away, with strict directions not to tell anybody that he had notified him of this plot. ²³ Then he called in two of his captains and said to them, "Get two hundred men ready to march to Caesarea, with seventy mounted soldiers and two hundred armed with spears, to leave at nine o'clock tonight." ²⁴ He further told them to provide horses for Paul to ride, so as to bring him in safety to Felix, the governor, to whom ²⁵ he wrote the following letter: ²⁶ "Claudius Lysias sends greetings to his Excellency Felix, the governor. ²⁷ This man had been seized by the Jews and they were on the point of killing him when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen. ²⁸ As I wanted to know the exact charge they were making against him, I brought him before their council, ²⁹ and found him to be charged with questions about their law, but having no charge against him involving death or imprisonment. ³⁰ Because a plot against the man has been reported to me as brewing, I at once am sending him on to you and have directed his accusers to present their charge against him before you." ³¹ So the soldiers took Paul, as they had been ordered to do, and brought him by night as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted men to go on with him; ³³ they, on reaching Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor and turned Paul over to him, too. ³⁴ He read the letter and asked Paul what province he was from, and on learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, "I will carefully hear your case as soon as your accusers arrive." Then he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod's palace.

¹ Now when Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judea in the days of King Herod, stargazers came from the East to Jerusalem

³ Now when King Herod heard of it, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

¹⁶ Then Herod, because he saw that a trick had been played on him by the stargazers, was very angry, and sent and slaughtered all the boy babies in Bethlehem and in all that neighborhood, from two years down, in accordance with the time which he had found out from the stargazers.

⁸ But the captain answered, "I am not fit for you to come under my roof, but simply speak the word, and my servant-boy will be cured. ⁹ For I, too, am under authority of others, and have soldiers under me, and I order this one to go, and he goes, another to come, and he comes, my slave-boy to do this, and he does it."

² And all at once some men were bringing to Him a paralyzed man, lying on a couch. And because He saw their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Cheer up, my child, your sins are forgiven."

¹⁶ "Listen! I am sending you out as sheep surrounded by wolves. So you must be sensible like serpents and guileless like doves.

³⁴ "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.

²⁵ Just before day He went out to them, walking on the sea.

²⁷ Then Jesus at once spoke to them, "Be men of courage! It is I; stop being afraid."

²³ On the same day some Sadducees, who claim that there is no resurrection, came up to Him, and asked this question:

²⁷ "A curse on you, you hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, for you are like white-washed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead people's bones and everything that is unclean! ²⁸ So you, too, on the outside seem to people to be upright, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

⁴ and plotted to arrest Jesus by stratagem and put Him to death.

⁶⁷ After that they spit in His face and hit Him with their fists, and others boxed His ears,

⁷⁴ Then he commenced cursing and swearing, "I do not know the man!" And at once a cock crowed.

² So they bound Him, led Him away, and turned Him over to Pilate the governor.

²⁵ And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"

²⁷ Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the barracks, and gathered about Him the whole battalion.

²⁰ and teach them to practice all the commands that I have given you. And I myself will surely be with you all the days, down to the very close of an age."

⁴⁴ "See that you tell nobody a single word about it. Be gone, show yourself to the priest, and to prove it to the people, make the offering for your purification which Moses prescribed."

¹⁶ And when the scribes who belonged to the Pharisees' party saw that He was eating with notorious sinners and tax-collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why does He eat with tax-collectors and notorious sinners?"

²³ And he promised her on oath, "I will give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom." ²⁴ She left the room and asked her mother, "What shall I ask him for?" And she answered, "The head of John the Baptist." ²⁵ Then she rushed at once before the king, and made this request, "I want you this very minute to give me John the Baptist's head on a platter." ²⁶ The king, although exceedingly sorry, yet on account of his oath and his guests, did not like to refuse her,

²³ He took him by the hand and led him outside the village, then spit in his eyes, laid His hands upon him, and asked him, "Do you see anything?"

²⁷ But Jesus grasped his hand and raised him, and he got up.

⁵¹ Then Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man answered, "Good Teacher, I want to see again."

¹⁸ Then some Sadducees, who claim that there is no resurrection, came up to Him and asked Him this question,

³ have handed them down to us, I too, most excellent Theophilus, because I have carefully investigated them all from the start, have felt impressed to write them out in order for you

¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was governor of Galilee, and his brother Philip was governor of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was governor of Abilene,

³⁰ Now the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling at His disciples, and were saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax-collectors and notorious sinners?"

⁸ For I too am under authority of others, and have soldiers under me, and I order one to go, and he goes, another to come, and he comes, my slave to do this, and he does it."

⁴⁰ Then Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," said he, "go on and say it."

³⁴ So he went to him and dressed his wounds by pouring oil and wine upon them, and then he put him on his donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

³⁸ Whether he comes before or after midnight, if he finds them so, happy are they.

²⁷ Then some of the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came up and asked Him,

⁴ Then Pilate said to the high priests and crowds, "I do not find anything blameworthy in this man."

⁶ When Pilate heard this, He asked if the man were a Galilean.

¹⁴ and said to them, "You brought this man to me on a charge of turning the people from allegiance, and here in your presence I have examined Him and do not find Him guilty of the charges you make against Him. ¹⁵ No; nor does Herod, for he has sent Him back to us. Indeed, He has done nothing to deserve the death penalty.

²² Then a third time he spoke to them, "Why, what wrong has He done? I have found nothing in Him deserving the death penalty. So I will flog Him and let Him go."

⁴⁰ So some of the people, when they heard this, said, "This is surely the prophet." ⁴¹ Others said, "This is the Christ." But still others said, "The Christ does not come from Galilee, does He? ⁴² Do not the Scriptures say that the Christ is to spring from David and to come from the village of Bethlehem where David lived?" ⁴³ So the people were divided because of Him,

⁵¹ "Our law does not condemn a man before it hears what he has to say and finds out what he is doing, does it?"

⁸ The disciples said to Him, "Teacher, the Jews just now were trying to stone you, and are you going back there again?" ⁹ Jesus answered, "Does not the day have twelve hours? If a man travels in the daytime, he does not stumble, for he can see the light of this world; ¹⁰ but if he travels in the nighttime, he does stumble, because he has no light."

²⁹ The crowd of bystanders on hearing it said that it was thunder; others, however, said, "An angel has spoken to Him!"

¹⁸ I will not leave you helpless orphans. I am coming back to you.

² Men will turn you out of their synagogues. Yes, indeed, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think that he is rendering a religious service to God.

³³ I have told you these things, that you through union with me may have peace. In the world you have trouble, but be courageous! I have conquered the world."

²² After He had said this, one of the attendants standing by slapped Jesus in the face, and said, "Is this the way you answer the high priest?"

²⁴ So Annas sent Him over, still in handcuffs, to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁸ Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's palace. It was early in the morning, and they would not go into the governor's palace themselves, in order not to be defiled, so as to be unfit to eat the Passover supper.

²⁵ For David says of Him: 'I always kept my eyes upon the Lord, for He is at my right hand, so that I may not be removed.

¹ While they were talking to the people, the high priests, the military commander of the temple, and the Sadducees came down upon them,

³⁹ but if it has its origin in God, you can never stop it. It is to be feared that you may find yourselves fighting God."

⁹ But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, got to debating with Stephen,

¹⁵ Then all who were seated in the council fixed their eyes upon him and saw that his face was like that of an angel.

⁴⁰ but Philip was found at Ashdod, and he went on telling the good news in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

⁴ He dropped to the ground; then he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

²³ After several days had gone by, the Jews laid a plot to murder him, ²⁴ but their plot was found out by Saul. Day and night they kept guarding the city gates, to murder him,

²⁴ but their plot was found out by Saul. Day and night they kept guarding the city gates, to murder him,

¹⁷ So if God had given them the same gift that He gave us when we believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try -- and how could I if I tried -- to thwart God?"

⁴ But the masses of the town were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. ⁵ And so when there was a movement on the part of both the heathen and the Jews, along with their authorities, to insult and stone them, ⁶ they became aware of it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding country,

²³ They sent this letter by them: "The apostles and elders as brothers send greeting to the brothers from among the heathen in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

²⁹ that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."

⁴¹ He journeyed on through Syria and Cilicia and continued to strengthen the churches.

²⁵ But about midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

⁹ One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, "Stop being afraid, go on speaking, never give up;

¹⁵ but as it is questions about words and titles and your own law, you will have to see to it yourselves. I refuse to act as judge in these matters."

²¹ After these events had been brought to a close, Paul under the guidance of the Spirit decided to pass through Macedonia and Greece on his way to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have gone there I must see Rome too."

²⁸ When they heard this, they became furious and kept on shouting, "Great Artemis of Ephesus!" ²⁹ So the whole city was thrown into confusion and with one impulse the people rushed into the theatre and dragged with them two Macedonians, Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions. ³⁰ Paul wanted to go into the assembly and address the people, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Some of the public officials in Asia, who were friendly to him, also sent word to him, begging him not to risk himself in the theatre.

¹⁹ to serve the Lord with all humility and in tears, through the trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews.

²² And I am here now on my way to Jerusalem, because I am impelled by the Spirit to do so, though I am not aware what will befall me there,

³⁰ The whole city was stirred with excitement, and all at once the people rushed together, and seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and its gates at once were shut. ³¹ Now while they were trying to kill him, news reached the colonel of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in a ferment.

³¹ Now while they were trying to kill him, news reached the colonel of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in a ferment. ³² So he at once got together some soldiers and captains and hurried down against them, but as soon as they saw the colonel and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

³² So he at once got together some soldiers and captains and hurried down against them, but as soon as they saw the colonel and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the colonel came up and seized Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he then asked who he was and what he had done.

³³ Then the colonel came up and seized Paul and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he then asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ But they kept shouting in the crowd, some one thing, some another. As he could not with certainty find out about it, because of the tumult, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

³⁴ But they kept shouting in the crowd, some one thing, some another. As he could not with certainty find out about it, because of the tumult, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. ³⁵ When Paul got to the steps, he was actually borne by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob, ³⁶ for a tremendous crowd of people kept following them and shouting, "Away with him!"

³⁹ Paul answered, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. Please let me speak to the people."

¹ "Brothers and fathers, listen now to what I have to say in my defense."

⁵ as the high priest and the whole council will bear me witness. Indeed, I had received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on the way there to bind those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁷ and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?'

¹⁷ After I had come back to Jerusalem, one day while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance, ¹⁸ and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and at once get out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

¹⁸ and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and at once get out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

²⁴ the colonel ordered Paul to be brought into the barracks, and told them to examine him by flogging, in order that he might find out why they were crying out against him in such a way. ²⁵ But when they had tied him for the flogging, Paul asked the captain who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman, and one who is uncondemned at that?" ²⁶ When the captain heard that, he went to the colonel and reported it. Then he asked him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

²⁶ When the captain heard that, he went to the colonel and reported it. Then he asked him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." ²⁷ So the colonel came to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" He answered, "Yes." ²⁸ Then the colonel said, "I paid a large sum for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." ²⁹ So the men who were going to examine him left him at once, and the colonel himself was frightened when he learned that he was a Roman citizen and that he had had him bound. ³⁰ The next day, as he wished to learn the exact reason why the Jews accused him, he had him unbound, and ordered the high priest and the whole council to assemble, and took Paul down and brought him before them.

³⁰ The next day, as he wished to learn the exact reason why the Jews accused him, he had him unbound, and ordered the high priest and the whole council to assemble, and took Paul down and brought him before them.

¹ Paul fixed his eyes upon the council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty to God up to this very day."

⁶ Because Paul knew that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, he began to cry out in the council chamber, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a Pharisee's son, and now I am on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead."

⁶ Because Paul knew that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, he began to cry out in the council chamber, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a Pharisee's son, and now I am on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead." ⁷ When he said that, an angry dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the crowded court was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection, and no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all of them.

⁸ For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection, and no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all of them. ⁹ So there was a vociferous yelling until some of the scribes, belonging to the party of the Pharisees, got up and fiercely contended, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or angel has really spoken to him!" ¹⁰ Since the dispute kept growing hotter and hotter, the colonel became alarmed that Paul might be torn in pieces by them, and so ordered the army to march down and take him out of their hands and bring him back to the barracks.

¹² After day had dawned, the Jews formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

¹² After day had dawned, the Jews formed a conspiracy and took an oath not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy. ¹⁴ They went to the high priests and elders and said to them, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste a morsel till we have killed Paul.

¹⁴ They went to the high priests and elders and said to them, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste a morsel till we have killed Paul.

¹⁴ They went to the high priests and elders and said to them, "We have taken a solemn oath not to taste a morsel till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So you and the council must now notify the colonel to bring him down to you, as though you were going to look into his case more carefully, but before he gets down we will be ready to kill him." ¹⁶ But Paul's nephew heard of the plot and came to the barracks and told Paul.

²⁰ He answered, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though you were going to examine his case more carefully. ²¹ But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him; they have taken an oath not to eat or drink till they have killed him. They are all ready now, just waiting for your promise."

²³ Then he called in two of his captains and said to them, "Get two hundred men ready to march to Caesarea, with seventy mounted soldiers and two hundred armed with spears, to leave at nine o'clock tonight."

²³ Then he called in two of his captains and said to them, "Get two hundred men ready to march to Caesarea, with seventy mounted soldiers and two hundred armed with spears, to leave at nine o'clock tonight." ²⁴ He further told them to provide horses for Paul to ride, so as to bring him in safety to Felix, the governor, to whom

²⁶ "Claudius Lysias sends greetings to his Excellency Felix, the governor. ²⁷ This man had been seized by the Jews and they were on the point of killing him when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

²⁹ and found him to be charged with questions about their law, but having no charge against him involving death or imprisonment. ³⁰ Because a plot against the man has been reported to me as brewing, I at once am sending him on to you and have directed his accusers to present their charge against him before you."

³² The next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the mounted men to go on with him; ³³ they, on reaching Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor and turned Paul over to him, too.

³³ they, on reaching Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor and turned Paul over to him, too.

³⁵ he said, "I will carefully hear your case as soon as your accusers arrive." Then he ordered him to be kept in custody in Herod's palace.

¹ Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a prosecuting attorney, Tertullus, and through him they presented their case against Paul before the governor.

³ we always and everywhere acknowledge it with profound gratitude.

⁵ For we have found this man a perfect pest and a distributor of the peace among the Jews throughout the world. He is a ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes; ⁶ once he tried to desecrate the temple, but we arrested him,

⁶ once he tried to desecrate the temple, but we arrested him,

⁶ once he tried to desecrate the temple, but we arrested him, ⁷ Omitted Text. ⁸ and now, by examining him for yourself, you can find out exactly what charges we bring against him."

¹⁰ At the governor's signal to Paul, he answered: "Since I know that you for many years have acted as judge for this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,

¹⁰ At the governor's signal to Paul, he answered: "Since I know that you for many years have acted as judge for this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ¹¹ for you can verify the fact that not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship, ¹² and they have never found me debating with anybody in the temple nor making a disturbance in the synagogues or about the city, ¹³ and they cannot prove the charges they have just made against me. ¹⁴ But I certainly admit this as a fact that in accordance with The Way -- that they call heresy -- I continue to worship the God of my forefathers, and I still believe in everything taught in the law and written in the prophets, ¹⁵ and I have the same hope in God that they cherish for themselves, that there is to be a resurrection of the upright and the wicked.

¹⁵ and I have the same hope in God that they cherish for themselves, that there is to be a resurrection of the upright and the wicked. ¹⁶ So I am always striving to have a conscience that is clear before God and men.

¹⁶ So I am always striving to have a conscience that is clear before God and men. ¹⁷ After several years' absence I came to bring contributions of charity for my nation, and to offer sacrifices.

¹⁷ After several years' absence I came to bring contributions of charity for my nation, and to offer sacrifices. ¹⁸ While I was performing these duties they found me just as I had completed the rites of my purification in the temple; however, there was no crowd with me and no disturbance at all. ¹⁹ But there were some Jews from Asia who ought to be here before you and to present their charges, if they have any, against me.

¹⁹ But there were some Jews from Asia who ought to be here before you and to present their charges, if they have any, against me. ²⁰ Or let these men themselves tell what wrong they found in me when I appeared before the council -- ²¹ unless it is for one thing that I shouted out as I stood among them, 'It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am here on trial before you today.'"

²¹ unless it is for one thing that I shouted out as I stood among them, 'It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am here on trial before you today.'" ²² Then Felix, who had a fairly clear conception of the principles involved in The Way, adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When Lysias, the colonel, comes down here, I will carefully look into your case."

²² Then Felix, who had a fairly clear conception of the principles involved in The Way, adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When Lysias, the colonel, comes down here, I will carefully look into your case." ²³ He ordered the captain to keep Paul in custody but to let him have freedom and not to prevent his friends from showing him kindness. ²⁴ Some days later, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him talk about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ But as he continued to talk about uprightness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became alarmed, and said, "For the present you may go, but when I find a good opportunity, I will send for you." ²⁶ At the same time he was hoping to get money from Paul, and so he kept on sending for him and talking with him. ²⁷ But at the close of two whole years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and as he wanted to gratify the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.

¹ Now three days after his arrival Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

³ and begged the governor as a favor to have Paul come to Jerusalem, because they were plotting an ambush to kill him on the way.

⁵ "So have your influential men go down with me," said he, "and present charges against the man, if there is anything wrong with him." ⁶ After staying there not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day, after taking his seat on the judge's bench, he ordered Paul brought in. ⁷ When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and continued to bring a number of serious charges against him, none of which they could prove. ⁸ Paul continued to maintain, in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or temple or against the emperor."

¹¹ If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I am not begging to keep from dying, but if there is nothing in the charges which these men make against me, no one can give me up as a favor to them. I appeal to the emperor."

¹⁴ and as they stayed for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix,

¹⁶ I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to give up anyone for punishment until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against their accusations.

¹⁹ They merely had a quarrel with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died, but who Paul kept saying was still alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters and so asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.

²⁵ But I found that he had not done anything for which he deserved to die; however, as he has himself appealed to his Majesty, I have decided to send him up.

⁵ for they have known all along from the first, if they would but testify to it, that I as a Pharisee have lived by the standard of the strictest sect of our religion. ⁶ And now it is for the hope of the promise made by God to our forefathers that I stand here on trial, ⁷ which promise our twelve tribes, by devotedly worshiping day and night, hope to see fulfilled for them. It is for this hope, your Majesty, that I am accused by some Jews. ⁸ Why is it considered incredible by all of you that God should raise the dead?

¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you continue to persecute me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the goad.' ¹⁵ 'Who are you, Sir?' said I. 'I am Jesus,' the Lord said, 'whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you my servant and a witness to me of the things which you have seen and those which I shall yet enable you to see. ¹⁷ I will continue to rescue you from the Jewish people and from the heathen to whom I am going to send you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's power to God, so as to have their sins forgiven and have a possession among those that are consecrated by faith in me.' ¹⁹ Therefore, King Agrippa, I could not disobey that heavenly vision,

²⁵ Paul answered, "I am not going crazy, your Excellency, Festus, but I am telling the straight truth.

³¹ and after leaving the room, as they continued to talk the matter over together, they said, "This man has done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."

¹ When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they turned over Paul and some other prisoners to a colonel of the imperial regiment, named Julius.

²² Even now I beg you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship. ²³ For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by my side

²³ For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by my side ²⁴ and said, "Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before the Emperor; and listen! God has graciously given to you the lives of all who are sailing with you.' ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have confidence in my God that it will all come out just as I was told.

¹⁶ When we did arrive at Rome, Paul was granted permission to live by himself -- excepting a soldier to guard him. ¹⁷ Three days later, he invited the leading men of the Jews to come to see him, and when they came, he said to them, "Brothers, I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our forefathers; yet at Jerusalem I was turned over to the Romans as a prisoner. ¹⁸ After examining me the Romans wanted to set me free, because I was innocent of any crime that deserved the death penalty.

²⁰ Now it is for this reason that I invited you to come, namely, to see you and speak with you, for it is on account of Israel's hope that I am wearing this chain."

²³ So they set a day for him, and came in large numbers to see him at the place where he was lodging, and from morning till night he continued to explain to them the kingdom of God, at the same time giving them his own testimony and trying from the law of Moses and the prophets to convince them about Jesus. ²⁴ Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. ²⁵ Because they could not agree among themselves, they started to leave, when Paul had spoken one word more: "The Holy Spirit beautifully expressed it in speaking to your forefathers through the prophet Isaiah: ²⁶ 'Go to this people and say to them, "You will listen, and listen, and never understand, and you will look, and look, and never see! ²⁷ For this people's soul has grown dull, and they scarcely hear with their ears, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they may never see with their eyes, and understand with their souls, and turn to me, that I may cure them."' ²⁸ "So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!" ²⁹ Omitted Text. ³⁰ So Paul for two whole years lived in a rented house of his own; he continued to welcome everybody who came to see him; ³¹ yes, he continued to preach to them the kingdom of God, and to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with perfect, unfettered freedom of speech.

¹⁵ So, as far as I can, I am eager to preach the good news to you at Rome, too. ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who trusts, of the Jew first and then of the Greek.

¹⁴ Their mouths are full of bitter cursing. ¹⁵ Their feet are swift for shedding blood, ¹⁶ Ruin and wretchedness are on their paths,

³ for I could wish myself accursed, even cut off from Christ, for the sake of my brothers, my natural kinsmen.

¹⁹ For this world's wisdom is mere nonsense to God. For the Scripture says, "He who catches the wise with their own cunning,"

⁴ For although my conscience does not accuse me, yet I am not entirely vindicated by that. It is the Lord Himself who must examine me.

²² Or, are we trying to incite the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?

²² A curse upon anyone who does not love the Lord! Our Lord is coming.

⁸ For I do not want you to be uninformed about the sorrow that I suffered in Asia, because I was so crushed beyond any power to endure that I was in dire despair of life itself. ⁹ Yes, I felt within my very self the sentence of death, to keep me from depending on myself instead of God who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He saved me from a death so horrible, and He will save me again! He it is on whom I have set my hope that He will still save me,

¹² For my boast is this, to which my conscience testifies, that before the world, but especially before you, I have acted from pure motives and in sincerity before God, not depending on worldly wisdom but on God's unmerited favor.

² On the other hand, I have renounced all underhanded, disgraceful methods; I neither practice cunning nor do I tamper with God's message, but by clear and candid statements of truth I try to commend myself to every human conscience in God's sight.

²⁶ I have served Him on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the heathen, dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers at sea, dangers from false brothers,

³² At Damascus the governor under King Aretas kept guards watching the city gates to capture me, ³³ but through a hole in the wall I was lowered in a basket, and so escaped from his clutches.

¹¹ Finally, brothers, goodbye! Practice the perfecting of your characters, keep listening to my appeals, continue thinking in harmony and living in peace, and the loving, peace-giving God will be with you.

¹³ Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" --

¹ This is why I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the heathen --

¹ So I, a prisoner for the Lord's sake, entreat you to live lives worthy of the call you have received,

¹³ in this way it has become well known throughout the Imperial Guard and to all the rest here that I am a prisoner in the service of Christ,

⁵ circumcised when I was a week old; a descendant of Israel; a member of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew, a son of Hebrews. Measured by the law, I was a Pharisee;

³ I thank God, whom I worship, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as I ceaselessly remember you in my prayers. Because I remember the tears you shed for me, I am always longing night and day

³ Take your share of hardships like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier ever allows himself to be involved in the business affairs of life, so that he may please the officer who enlisted him.

¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the message preached by me might have its full effect and all the heathen might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you for love's sake, although I am such as I am, Paul an envoy of Christ Jesus but now a prisoner for Him too;

¹⁸ Pray for me, for I am sure that I have a clear conscience, and in everything I want to live a noble life.

¹ James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes that are scattered over the world.

¹⁹ You must understand this, my dearly loved brothers. Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry;

¹⁴ But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth.

¹⁶ and keep your conscience clear, so that those who bitterly abuse your excellent conduct as Christians may be ashamed of slandering you.

¹⁰ especially those who satisfy their lower nature by indulging in its evil passions which defile them, and who despise authority. Daring, headstrong men! They do not tremble when they abuse persons of majesty,

¹⁴ I hope to see you very soon and will talk it over face to face. Goodbye. Our friends wish to be remembered to you. Remember me to our friends individually.

⁸ In just the same way these dreamers defile the body, discard authority, and deride the majesties. ⁹ But the archangel Michael himself, when he disputed and argued with the devil about Moses' body, did not dare to bring against him a charge of blasphemy, but merely said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"