They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison. Do they now release us secretly? No indeed. Let them come themselves and bring us out."

explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah."

When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,

because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."

But certain men joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,

He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Titius Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

Paul said, "John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."

There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"

The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence, whom all Asia and the world worships."

When the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land.

"Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the Kingdom, will see my face no more.

Now I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow.

But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality."

crying out, "Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place."

Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

Are you not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?"

As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.'

"Those who were with me indeed saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

One Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'

When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"

Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."

Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."

But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed;

but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write.

at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.

The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.

For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,

saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live."

Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days.

Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured.

When we entered into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

It happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the Jewish leaders. When they had come together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him,

concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

through whom we received grace and the office of apostle, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake;

among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;

to all who are in Rome, loved by God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you

So, for my part, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.

Now we know that the judgment of God is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.

And do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

who "will pay back to everyone according to their works:"

to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality -- eternal life.

But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness -- wrath and anger,

suffering and distress, on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.