But as some of them were obstinate and refused to believe, finding fault with the Way before the people, he left them, and withdrew the disciples, and held daily discussions in the lecture-room of Tyrannus.

This went on for two years, so that everyone who lived in Asia, Greeks as well as Jews, heard the Lord's message.

Some Jews who went from place to place casting out demons tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in the cases of people who had evil spirits in them, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!"

This came to be known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, Greeks as well as Jews, and great awe came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in high honor.

He sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed on for a while in Asia.

He got the workmen in that and similar trades together, and said to them, "Men, you know that this business is the source of our prosperity,

and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and drawn away numbers of people, telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all.

There is danger, therefore, not only that this business of ours will be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be neglected and the magnificence of her whom all Asia and the world worship will be a thing of the past!"

Some of the crowd called upon Alexander, as the Jews had pushed him to the front, and he made a gesture with his hand and was going to speak in defense of them to the people.

At last the recorder quieted the mob and said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world does not know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the image that fell down from the sky?

So as these facts are undeniable, you must be calm, and not do anything reckless.

For we are in danger of being charged with rioting in connection with today's events, though there is really nothing about this commotion that we will not be able to explain."

where he stayed for three months. Just as he was going to sail for Syria, the Jews made a plot against him, and he made up his mind to return by way of Macedonia.

He was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, Aristarchus and Secundus, from Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus, from Asia.

They went on to Troas and waited for us there,

On the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread, Paul addressed them, as he was going away the next morning, and he prolonged his address until midnight.

and a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting at the window, became very drowsy as Paul's address grew longer and longer, and finally went fast asleep and fell from the third story to the ground, and was picked up for dead.

But Paul went downstairs, and threw himself upon him, and put his arms around him. "Do not be alarmed," he said, "he is still alive."

We had already gone on board the ship and sailed for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there, for that was the arrangement he had made, as he intended to travel there by land.

So when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to lose any time in Asia, for he was hurrying to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of the Harvest Festival.

When they came, he said to them, "You know well enough how I lived among you all the time from the first day I set foot in Asia,

but earnestly urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus.

But when our time was up, we left there and went on, and all of them with their wives and children escorted us out of the town. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed;

He came to see us and took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, "This is what the holy Spirit says: 'The Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt like this, and will hand him over to the heathen!' "

So as he would not yield, we gave up urging him, and said, "The Lord's will be done!"

Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the house of Mnason, a man from Cyprus, one of the early disciples, to spend the night.

When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers there gave us a hearty welcome.

Join them, undergo the rites of purification with them, and pay their expenses so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will understand that there is no truth in the stories about you, but that you yourself observe the Law.

As for the heathen who have become believers, we have written them our decision that they must avoid anything that has been contaminated by idols, the tasting of blood, the meat of strangled animals, and immorality."

The seven days were almost over when the Jews from Asia caught sight of him in the Temple, and stirred up all the crowd and seized him,

shouting, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everybody everywhere against our people and the Law and this place, and besides he has actually brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this sacred place."

Some of the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and as he could not find out the facts on account of the confusion, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks.

Just as they were going to take him into the barracks, Paul said to the colonel, "May I say something to you?" "Do you know Greek?" the colonel asked.

"I am a Jew, and I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but was brought up here in this city, and thoroughly educated under the teaching of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

as the high priest and the whole council will bear me witness. In fact, they gave me letters to the brothers in Damascus and I went there to bind those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

But on my way, as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly about noon, a blaze of light flashed around me from heaven,

As I could not see, because of the dazzling light, my companions had to lead me by the hand, and so I reached Damascus.

As they were shouting and throwing their clothes about and flinging dust into the air,

But when they had strapped him up, Paul said to the officer who was standing near, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen, and without giving him a trial?"

Upon hearing this, the officer went to the colonel and reported it. "What do you propose to do?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen."

The next day, as he wished to find out the real reason why the Jews denounced him, he had him unbound and ordered the high priests and the whole council to assemble, and took Paul down and brought him before them.

Knowing that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, Paul called out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees! It is for my hope for the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection and that there are no angels or spirits, while the Pharisees believe in all three.

As the dispute was becoming violent, the colonel began to be afraid that they would tear Paul in pieces, and ordered the soldiers to go down and get him away from them and bring him into the barracks.

On the following night the Lord stood beside him and said, "Courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, you must testify in Rome also."

Now you and the council must suggest to the colonel that he should have Paul brought down to you, as you mean to look into his case more carefully, and we will be ready to kill him before he gets down."

So he took him to the colonel, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you."

So the colonel took him by the arm and stepping aside where they could be alone, asked, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

This man had been seized by the Jews and they were just going to kill him when I came upon them with my men and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

As I wanted to learn what charge they made against him, I had him brought before their council,

As I have been informed that a plot against him is brewing, I am sending him on to you at once, and directing his accusers to present their charges against him before you."

Then the soldiers took Paul, as they had been ordered to do, and escorted him as far as Antipatris that night.

he said, "I will hear your case as soon as your accusers arrive." And he gave orders that he should be kept in Herod's palace.

When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began the prosecution. "Your Excellency Felix," he said, "since through your efforts we enjoy perfect peace, and through your foresight this nation is securing needed reforms,

But??ot to detain you too long?? beg you to be kind enough to give us a brief hearing.

For we have found this man a pest and a disturber of the peace among Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect,

The governor made a sign to Paul to speak, and he answered, "As I know that for many years you have acted as judge for this nation, I cheerfully undertake my defense,

for it is not more than twelve days ago, as you can easily satisfy yourself, that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,

I admit that in worshiping the God of my forefathers I follow the way of life that they call a sect, but I believe everything that is taught in the Law or written in the prophets,

and I have the same hope in God that they themselves hold, that there is to be a resurrection of the upright and the wicked.

I had undergone the rites of purification and was occupied with these matters when they found me in the Temple, with no crowd or disturbance at all. But there were some Jews from Asia

Or let these men themselves tell what they found wrong in me when I appeared before the council??21 unless it was the one thing I shouted out as I stood among them??It is on the question of the resurrection of the dead that I am here on trial before you today!' "

But as he talked of uprightness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became alarmed, and said, "You may go for the present. I will find time later to send for you."

But when two whole years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and as he wanted to gratify the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.

and begged him as a favor to order Paul to come to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way.

"So have your principal men go down with me," he said, "and present charges against the man, if there is anything wrong with him."

But Paul said, "I am standing before the emperor's court, where I ought to be tried. I have done the Jews no wrong, as you can easily see.

If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is no truth in the charges that these men make against me, no one can give me up to them; I appeal to the emperor."

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

But when his accusers got up, they did not charge him with any such crimes as I had expected.

I was at a loss as to how to investigate such matters, and I asked him if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges there.

I could not find that he had done anything for which he deserved death, but as he appealed to his Majesty I decided to send him to him.

"I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa," said he, "that it is before you that I am to defend myself today against all the things the Jews charge me with,

The way I lived from my youth up, spending my early life among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is well known to all Jews,

Even now it is for my hope in the promise that God made to our forefathers that I stand here on trial,

the promise in the hope of seeing which fulfilled our twelve tribes serve God zealously night and day. It is about this hope, your Majesty, that I am accused by some Jews.

but first to the people of Damascus and Jerusalem and then all over Judea, and even to the heathen I preached that they must repent and turn to God and live as men who have repented should.

That is why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

As he said this in his defense, Festus called out, "You are raving, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!"

We went on board an Adramyttian ship bound for the ports of Asia, and put to sea. We had a Macedonian from Thessalonica, named Aristarchus, with us.

Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, as the wind was against us,

There the officer found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board her.

For a number of days we made slow progress and had some difficulty in arriving off Cnidus. Then as the wind kept us from going on, we sailed under the lee of Crete, off Cape Salmone,

As a great deal of time had now passed, and navigation had become dangerous, for the autumn fast was already over, Paul began to warn them.

"Gentlemen," he said, "I see that this voyage is likely to end in disaster and heavy loss, not only to ship and cargo but to our own lives also."

and as the harbor was not fit to winter in, the majority favored putting to sea again, in the hope of being able to reach and winter in Phoenix, a harbor in Crete facing west-south-west and west-north-west.

As we passed under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with great difficulty to secure the ship's boat.

After hoisting it on board, they used ropes to brace the ship, and as they were afraid of being cast on the Syrtis banks, they lowered the sail, and let the ship drift.

The next day, as the storm continued to be violent, they began to throw the cargo overboard,

So keep up your courage, gentlemen! For I have faith in God that it will be just as I was told.

Then as they were afraid we might go on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and waited anxiously for daylight.

I beg you to eat something; it is necessary for your safety. For not one of you will lose even a hair of his head."

There were about seventy-six of us on board.

The natives showed us remarkable kindness, for they made a fire and welcomed us, because of the rain that had come on and the cold.

When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man is undoubtedly a murderer, for though he has been saved from the sea, justice will not let him live."

The governor of the island, whose name was Publius, had estates in that part of the island, and he welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

They made us many presents, and when we sailed, they provided us with everything that we needed.

There we found some of the brothers, and they urged us to spend a week with them. Then we went on to Rome.

The brothers there had had news of our coming, and came as far as Appius' Forum and Three Taverns to meet us, and when Paul saw them he thanked God and was greatly encouraged.