So there was a great uproar, and some scribes of the Pharisees' party got up and insisted, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose some spirit or angel really spoke to him!"

But Paul's nephew heard of the plot, and he came and got into the barracks, and told Paul.

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?"

So the colonel sent the youth away, directing him not to tell anyone that he had given him this information.

They were also to provide horses for Paul to ride, so that they might take him in safety to Felix, the governor,

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.

Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and sent for Paul and heard what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.

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

After staying only eight or ten days there, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day took his place in the judge's chair, and ordered Paul brought in.

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.

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,

So they came back here with me and the next day without losing any time I took my place in the judge's chair and ordered the man brought in.

But Paul appealed to have his case reserved for his Majesty's decision, and I have ordered him kept in custody until I can send him to the emperor."

So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and went into the audience-room attended by officers and the leading citizens of the town, and at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present, you see here the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, clamoring that he ought not to live any longer.

Yet I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. So I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, in order to get from your examination of him something to put in writing.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are at liberty to speak in your own defense." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

especially because you are so familiar with all the Jewish customs and questions. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me with patience.

That was what I did at Jerusalem when on the authority of the high priests I put many of God's people in prison. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them,

and many a time in all the synagogues I had them punished, and tried to force them to say impious things. In my extreme rage against them I even pursued them to distant towns.

when on the road at noon, your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun flash around me and my fellow-travelers.

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me? You cannot kick against the goad!'

to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God, so that they may have their sins forgiven and have a place among those who are consecrated through faith in me.'

To this day I have had God's help and I stand here to testify to high and low alike, without adding a thing to what Moses and the prophets declared would happen,

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.

The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius kindly allowed Paul to go and see his friends and be taken care of.

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

"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."

But the officer was more influenced by the pilot and the captain than by what Paul had to say,

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.

The ship was caught by it and could not face the wind, so we gave way and let her run before it.

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

and on the next, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.

and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before the emperor, and see! God has given you the lives of all the people who are on the ship with you.'

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

The sailors wanted to escape from the ship, and actually lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to run out anchors from the bow,

When they had had enough to eat, they threw the wheat into the sea, in order to lighten the ship.

When daylight came they could not recognize the coast, but they saw a bay with a beach and determined to run the ship ashore there if possible.

So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time they undid the lashings of the steering oars, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

but the officer wanted to save Paul, and so he prevented them from doing this, and ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,

and the rest to follow on planks or other pieces of wreckage. So they all got safely to land.

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."

They expected to see him swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Publius' father happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery, and Paul went to see him and after praying laid his hands on him and cured him.

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.

Three days later, he invited the leading 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 I was turned over to the Romans as a prisoner at Jerusalem.

That is why I asked to see you and speak with you, for it is on account of Israel's hope that I have to wear this chain."

So they fixed a day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying, and from morning till night he explained to them the Kingdom of God and gave his testimony, trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

" 'Go to this Nation and say to them, "You will listen, and listen, and never understand, And you will look, and look, and never see!

For this nation's mind has grown dull, And they hear faintly with their ears, And they have shut their eyes, So as never to see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their minds, and turn back, And let me cure them!" '

"Understand then that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen. They will listen to it!"

So he stayed for two full years in rented lodgings of his own, and welcomed everybody who came to see him,