And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans;

But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also came across him. Some said, "Whatever does the fellow mean with his scraps of learning'?" Others said, "He looks like a herald of foreign deities" (this was because he preached 'Jesus' and 'the Resurrection').

He made all races of the earth's surface--fixing a time for their rise and fall, and the limits of their settlements--

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

because he has fix'd the day, when he will judge in equity, by that man, whom he has appointed thereto: of which he has given full proof to all the world, by having raised him from the dead."

and being of the same trade, he liv'd with them, and follow'd the business of tent-making. every sabbath he disputed in the synagogue,

When, however, both Silas and Timothy had come down from Macedonia, Paul began to be urged on in the word, bearing full witness unto the Jews that, Jesus, was, the Christ.

Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

but the Greeks in a body fell upon Sosthenes the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the tribunal: whilst Gallio was unconcern'd about the matter.

He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way of the Lord, and, being full of burning zeal, he used to speak and teach accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew of no baptism but John's.

Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].”

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,

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices.

So the word of the Lord was increased very greatly and was full of power.

and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but throughout almost the whole province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led away a vast number of people by inducing them to believe that they are not gods at all that are made by men's hands.

Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will be discredited, but also that the [magnificent] temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and that she whom all Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned and lose her glorious magnificence.”

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having seized and carried off with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul.

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another there.

And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

[In the meantime] they brought the young fellow [back upstairs] alive, and were greatly comforted.

And, when he fell in with us in Assos, we took him on board, and came into Mitylene;

Serving the Lord, as I did, in all humility, amid the tears and trials which fell to my lot through the plots of the Jews.

bearing full witness, both to Jews and to Greeks, as to the repentance due unto God, and as to belief on our Lord Jesus.

save that, the Holy Spirit, from city to city, doth bear me full witness, saying that, bonds and tribulations, await me.

But, for no cause whatever, am I making my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to bear full witness as to the good news of the favour of God.

For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan of God.

[Indeed, even] from among your own selves [i.e., the body of elders there in Ephesus] some men will arise and, by speaking false things, they will lead away the disciples, [influencing them] to follow them.

And [when he] had said these [things], he fell to his knees [and] prayed with them all.

And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

When we had full ended the course from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”

Now, they have heard that you teach all Jews who live among Gentiles to break away from Moses and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs.

The seven days being almost expir'd, the Asiatic Jews seeing him in the temple, rais'd a tumult, and fell upon him,

But Paul said, "I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no vile city, I beseech thee suffer me to speak unto the people."

The head priest can also verify all this, and so can the body of [Jewish] elders. They furnished me with letters to our fellow-Jews in Damascus, to which I also traveled to bring people back here to Jerusalem, bound in chains to be punished.

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

"I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "'Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.'

And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

But follow not their minds: for there lie in wait for him of them, more than forty men, which have bound themselves with a vow, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now are they ready, and look for thy promise."

I myself will hear thee in full, said he, whensoever, thine accusers also, are come; and gave orders that, in the palace of Herod, he should be kept under guard.

we welcome all such efforts in each district with full gratitude.

For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

from whom you will be able, after having examined him yourself, to obtain full knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him."

Then at a nod from the governor Paul made his reply. "As I know you have administered justice in this nation for a number of years," he said, "I feel encouraged to make my defence,

But I confess this to you, that according to the Way, which they call a [divisive and heretical] sect, I do worship and serve the God of our fathers, [confidently] believing everything that is in accordance with the Law [of Moses] and that is written in the Prophets;

Then Felix adjourn'd them, saying, I shall inform myself more particularly of this sect, and when general Lysias comes, I will give you a full hearing.

But after two full years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and because he wished to curry favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.

So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.

In {this activity} I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and full power of the chief priests.

when at mid-day on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more dazzling than the sun, flash round me and my fellow-travellers.

We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me in Hebrew, "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'

After that, King Agrippa, I did not fail to obey the heavenly vision;

And as a long time had gone by, and the journey was now full of danger, because it was late in the year, Paul put the position before them,

But anon after there arose, against their purpose, a flaw of wind out of the northeast.

Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

'Have no fear, Paul; you must appear before the Emperor, and God himself has given you the lives of all your fellow-voyagers.'

But we must fall on a certain island.

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

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

at which they all took heart and fell a eating likewise,

And [when they] had eaten their fill of food, they lightened the ship [by] throwing the wheat into the sea.

The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners: lest any of them, when he had swum out, should flee away.

but the colonel wanted to save Paul, and so he prevented them from carrying out this plan, and ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest to follow,

The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore.

The natives [there] showed us uncommon kindness. It had begun to rain and was [getting] cold, so they built a fire and made us feel welcome.

And Paul, having gathered a certain lot of fuel, and put it on the fire, a viper, coming out from the heat, fastened upon his hand.

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.

Who, after a full examination, would have discharged me, because there was not the least cause found in me for death.

"We," was their reply, "have not had any letter about you from Judea, nor have any of our fellow-Jews come and reported or said anything bad about you.

And, having arranged with him a day, there came unto him, to the lodging, a larger number; unto whom he proceeded to expound, bearing full witness as to the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses, and from the prophets, - from morning till evening.

And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him,

proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness and without hindrance.

As God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in spreading the good news of his Son, I never fail to mention you when I pray,

Because, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but fell into folly in their thoughts, and their heart without understanding was darkened:

Therefore God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts, till they dishonored their own bodies;

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

While the men, disregarding that for which women were intended by nature, were consumed with passion for one another. Men indulged in vile practices with men, and incurred in their own persons the inevitable penalty for their perverseness.

And just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of God, so it was to utterly worthless minds that God gave them up, for them to do things which should not be done.

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents,

they do not have any sense; they do not keep their promises; they fail to show natural affection; and they are merciless.

who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that they who do such things are worthy of death, not only practise them, but have fellow delight in those who do them.

You are therefore without excuse, O man, whoever you are who sit in judgement upon others. For when you pass judgement on your fellow man, you condemn yourself; for you who sit in judgement upon others are guilty of the same misdeeds;

Do you think so lightly of his wealth of kindness, forbearance, and patience, and fail to see that God's kindness ought to induce you to repent?

while on the other hand upon the self-willed who disobey the truth and obey unrighteousness will fall anger and fury, affliction and awful distress,

Will fall upon every human being who persists in wrong-doing- -upon the Jew first, but also upon the Greek.

For it is not merely those who hear the Law who are righteous in God's sight. No, it is those who follow the Law, who will be justified.

[Move vss 14,15 to follow vs 16] (When Gentiles who have no law obey instinctively the Law's requirements, they are a law to themselves, even though they have no law;

an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the full expression of knowledge and truth in the law—

you then who teach your fellow man, do you refuse to teach yourself? You who cry out against stealing, are you yourself a thief?

[Psa. 5:9 says], "Their throats are like open graves [i.e., they are foul-mouthed]. They have spoken deceitfully." [Psa. 90:3 says], "There is snake venom under their lips [i.e., their words are deadly]."