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.

In a way of just such power as this the Lord's message kept on spreading and prevailing.

after this, Paul had a design to pass thro' Macedonia and Achaia in his way to Jerusalem: purposing when he had been there to make a visit to Rome.

And there happened at that time no small disturbance about this way.

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

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

When they heard this, they became furious and kept on shouting, "Great Artemis of Ephesus!"

upon this Paul was bent upon going. to the populace,

When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven?

So, as this cannot be denied, you must be quiet and do nothing rash.

But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly.

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.

This disturbance being over, Paul sent for the disciples, took his leave and departed for Macedonia.

And we [ourselves] sailed away from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread [Note: This was the Jewish feast commemorating deliverance from Egyptian bondage], and five days later [we] joined them at Troas [i.e., the seven men mentioned in verses

and a youth of the name of Eutychus was sitting at the window. This lad, gradually sinking into deep sleep while Paul preached at unusual length, overcome at last by sleep, fell from the second floor and was taken up dead.

We proceeded to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we intended to pick up Paul. He had arranged it this way, since he had planned to travel there on foot.

This was because Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, to avoid any loss of time in Asia; he wanted to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

only this, that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that bonds and tribulation await thee.

But I esteem this a matter of no importance, nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus, to bear full testimony to the gospel of the grace of God.

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

In everything I showed you that by working hard like this we must help those who are weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It makes one happier to give than to get.'"

After he had finished this speech, he fell on his knees with them all and prayed.

and this one had four daughters, virgins, prophesying.

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

When we heard this, we and all the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

At this Paul replied, "What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? I'm ready not only to be tied up in Jerusalem but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!"

After this we got ready and started up to Jerusalem.

And [when] they heard [this], they began to glorify God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law.

Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

these take, and perform the rites of purification with them, contributing to the expence of having their heads shav'd: this will convince them, what has been reported of you, is all groundless, and that you stick to the observances of the law.

as for the believing Gentiles, we have given them by letter this decision, "they need only take care to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, from the flesh of animals strangled, and from 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.

Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

For, before this time, they had seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.

Some of the crowd shouted this and some that. Since the tribune couldn't learn the facts due to the confusion, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.

Art not thou that Egyptian, who before this madest a sedition, and didst lead out into the wilderness four thousand murtherers?

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.

"And then it suddenly happened, about noon, as I was traveling and got close to Damascus, that this brilliant light from the sky flashed all around me.

Since I could not see because of the dazzling sheen of that light, I was led by the hand by my companions and in this way I reached Damascus.

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.

the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers to beat and question him in order to find out why the people were yelling at him like this.

When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

Then the colonel said, "I paid a large sum for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people standing near him to strike him on the mouth.

At this Paul told him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

Now when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried in the sanhedrim, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: for the hope and resurrection of the dead am I brought to this bar.

And he having spoken this, there came a dissension of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided,

And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

So now you and the council request the commanding officer to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine his case by conducting a more thorough inquiry. We are ready to kill him before he comes near this place."

But a son of Paul's sister hearing of this lying in wait, went and entering into the fortress told Paul.

Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail.

So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request."

So the colonel sent the young man away, with strict directions not to tell anybody that he had notified him of this plot.

Then he called two of his officers and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, by nine o'clock tonight." [Note: This was calculated according to Jewish time].

And he wrote a letter after this manner:

As this man was seized by the Jews,

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 wishing to know the cause for which they accused him, I brought him down to this council:

and a plot having been intimated to me against this man -- about to be of the Jews -- at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.'

So, the soldiers took charge of Paul and took him at night to Antipatris [Note: This was a town on the road between Jerusalem and Caesarea] as they were ordered.

Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea with a number of Elders and a pleader called Tertullus. They stated to the Governor the case against Paul.

And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

"Your Excellency Felix, since we are enjoying lasting peace because of you, and since reforms for this nation are being brought about through your foresight, we always and everywhere acknowledge it with profound gratitude.

But, not wanting to prolong matters for you, I urge you to give consideration to this brief account [of the problem we face].

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:

[This verse is not in the majority of the Greek manuscripts.]

You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to learn the truth as to all this which we allege against him."

this the Jews confirm'd by declaring it was all fact.

Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:

"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.

Nor can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee,

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

and while I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar.

Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

But Felix put them off, saying, Having learned more accurately of this way, when Lysias the chiliarch comes down I will decide concerning your matters,

Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.

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.

At the same time also he hoped that money would be given him by Paul; and on this account sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.

Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

to this he answer'd, "I have not been guilty of any misdemeanour, either against the law, or against the temple, or against Cesar."

Then Festus, [after] discussing [this] with [his] council, replied, "You have appealed to Caesar--to Caesar you will go!"

A short time after this King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

While they stayed there [with him] for many days, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king, saying, "There is this man [named Paul] who was left in custody by Felix.

Then they, having come together to this place, making no delay, immediately sitting on the judgment-seat, I commanded that the man should be led forth;

and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things --

"I should like to hear this man myself," Agrippa said to Festus. "You shall hear him to-morrow," Festus answered.

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

But I understood [that] he had done nothing deserving death himself, and [when] this man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send [him].

I do not have anything definite to write to [my] lord about {him}. Therefore I have brought him before you [all]--and especially before you, King Agrippa--so that [after] this preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write.