and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

And he said, What sort of baptism did you have? And they said, The baptism of John.

And Paul said, John gave a baptism which goes with a change of heart, saying to the people that they were to have faith in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.

And the evil spirit, answering, said to them, I have knowledge of Jesus, and of Paul, but who are you?

And many of those who have believed came, confessing, and reporting their practices.

Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins.

After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such.

Now the danger is not only that we will have our trade discredited but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will fall into contempt and that she will be degraded from her majestic glory, she whom all Asia and the wide world worship."

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

For ye have brought these men, neither as temple-robbers, nor as defaming our goddess.

If then, Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have against anyone an accusation, courts, are being held, and there are, proconsuls: let them accuse one another!

And if ye have any dispute about other matters, it shall be terminated in a lawful assembly,

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so he would not have to spend time in Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

how I have serv'd the Lord with all resignation, with tears, and trials occasion'd by the insidious practices of the Jews:

And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

but constantly and earnestly I urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn with repentance to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus.

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.

And, now, lo! I, know that, no more, shall ye see my face, - ye all, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom.

for I have not shrunk from announcing all the counsel of God unto you.

for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,

be then upon the watch, and remember, that for three years I have not ceased by night, or by day to warn every soul of you, even with tears.

And now brothers, I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those who have been sanctified.

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

And Paul answered, What do ye weeping and breaking my heart? for I not only to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem, have prepared for the name of the Lord Jesus.

And, they, having heard, began glorifying God; and they said to him - Thou observest, brother, how many myriads there are among the Jews who have believed, and, all, are zealous for the law.

Now they have heard it rumoured concerning thee, that, an apostacy, art thou teaching, from Moses, unto all the Jews, who are among the nations, telling them not to be circumcising their children, nor, by the customs, to be walking.

What then {is to be done}? Doubtless they will all hear that you have come!

This, then, do, which unto thee, we say: - We have four men who have a vow upon themselves.

Taking these unto thee, be purified with them, and spend something upon them, that they may shave their head; and all will get to know, that the things which they have heard rumoured concerning thee, are, nothing, - on the contrary, thou thyself, dost keep the ranks, guarding the law.

But, concerning them of the nations who have believed, we ourselves, sent, deciding that they should be guarding themselves, both as to idol sacrifice, and blood, and what is strangled, and fornication.

On this, Paul joined the men, and the next day shared their purification, and went into the Temple, and gave notice of the expiration of the period of purification when the usual offering should have been made on behalf of each of them.

And as the seven days should have been ended, the Jews which were of Asia when they saw him in the temple, they moved all the people and laid hands on him crying,

bawling out, "men of Israel, help: this is the man that every where inveighs upon all occasions against the people, against the law, and against this place, where they have brought Greeks too to profane this holy place."

And as Paul should have been carried into the castle; He said unto the high captain, "May I speak unto thee?" Which said, "Canst thou speak Greek?

My brethren, and fathers, pray hear what I have to say for my self.

who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women;

and I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee concerning all things that have been appointed for thee to do.

And he said, You have been marked out by the God of our fathers to have knowledge of his purpose, and to see the Upright One and to give ear to the words of his mouth.

For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard.

And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.

And I said, Lord, they themselves have knowledge that I went through the Synagogues putting in prison and whipping all those who had faith in you:

Up to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out: "Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!"

The chief captain gave orders for him to be taken into the army building, saying that he would put him to the test by whipping, so that he might have knowledge of the reason why they were crying out so violently against him.

and the chief captain answered, 'I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;' but Paul said, 'But I have been even born so.'

Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

And Paul, looking steadfastly, at the High-council, said - Brethren! I, in all good conscience have used my citizenship for God until this day.

When Paul realized that part [of the Sanhedrin] were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he lifted up his voice before the Council and said, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee. And it is concerning our hope that the dead will be raised that I have been brought to trial."

For the Sadducees say that there is no coming back from the dead, and no angels or spirits: but the Pharisees have belief in all these.

And a great clamour arose: and the scribes rising up who were of the party of the Pharisees, contended stoutly, saying, We find no fault in this man: but if a spirit have spoken to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God.

And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

And they went unto the High-priests and Elders, and said - With a curse have we bound ourselves, to taste, nothing, until we have slain Paul.

So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death.

Then the commander took him by the hand, led him aside, and inquired privately, “What is it you have to report to me?”

And he said - The Jews, have agreed to request thee, that, to-morrow, thou wouldst bring, Paul, down into the High-council, as though about to ascertain something, more exact, concerning him.

Thou, therefore, do not be persuaded by them, for there are lying in wait for him, from among them, more than forty men, - who, indeed, have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor drink, till they have killed him; and, now, are they ready, awaiting the promise, from thee.

So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have informed me about this.”

Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred men ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o'clock that night,

And to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.

This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man by the Jews, I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. Farewell.

And when he had read the letter, he inquired to what province he belonged. And learning that he was from Cilicia, he said: I will hear you when your accusers also have come. And he ordered him to be kept under guard in Herod's palace.

I will hear thee -- said he -- when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

And [when] he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, "We have experienced much peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight.

but not to trespass upon you too far, be pleas'd to hear what I have to say in brief, with your usual indulgence.

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:

Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

and we would have judged him according to our law but commander Lysias came and forcibly took him out of our hands}}

And the Jews also agreed, claiming to have these things this way.

And Paul answered, when the governor had motioned him to be speaking, - Well knowing thee to have been, for many years, judge unto his nation, cheerfully, as to the things concerning myself, do I make defence;

"Since I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I am pleased to present my defense. You can verify for yourself that I went up to worship in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago.

and they have never found me debating with anybody in the temple nor making a disturbance in the synagogues or about the city,

and they cannot prove the charges they have just made against me.

'And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written,

And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

herein, even I, myself, am studying to have, an unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually.

After many years, I have come back to my people to bring gifts for the poor and to offer sacrifices.

who ought, before thee, to have presented themselves, and to have been laying accusation, if, anything, they might have had against me: -

Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

However, this one point, which I made when I stood among them [could have been objectionable]: I shouted, 'The reason I am being charged before you today is [my preaching of] the resurrection of the dead.' "

And when Felix heard these things, he put them off, saying, After I have been more accurately informed concerning this way, when Lysias the tribune cometh down, I will take full cognisance of your affair.

giving orders unto the centurion, that he should be kept, and have a measure of liberty, and to be hindering, none, of his own from waiting upon him.

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

But after two years Porcius Festus took the place of Felix, who, desiring to have the approval of the Jews, kept Paul in chains.

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.

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

and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem -- many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,

Paul saying in defence - Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I in anything sinned.

But Paul said - Standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, am I, where, I, ought to be judged. Unto the Jews, have I done no wrong, as, even thou, right well, art discovering.

If then, on the one hand, I am doing wrong, and, anything worthy of death, have committed, I excuse not myself from dying; but, on the other hand, if there is, nothing, in the things whereof these are accusing me, no man, hath power to give, me, unto them as a favour: - Unto Caesar, I appeal!