"men who have risked their very lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"For it has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let is go back and visit the brothers in every city in which we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they fare."

And as they went on their way through the cities they handed them the resolutions which the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem had ordained for them to keep.

When they got as far as Mysia, they attempted to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit it;

and thence came to Philippi, a city of Macedonia, the fore most in its district, a Roman colony. There we stayed for some time.

She persisted in this for many days, until Paul, worn out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I charge you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her." In that very hour it came out of her.

"They are teaching customs which it is not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or practise."

But Paul shouted loudly to him. "Do yourself no harm; for we are all here!"

So he called for lights, and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,

and Paul, according to his usual custom, went in to them and, for three Sabbath Days, he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,

Those who were caring for Paul brought him as far as Athens, and there left him, with instructions to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed.

While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he noticed that the city was full of idols.

"For you are bringing certain strange things to our ears. We want to know, therefore, what these things mean."

"For as I was passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What you are worshiping in ignorance, this I am proclaiming to you.

"so that they might seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every on of us;

"for in him we live and move and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, "'For we also are his offspring.'

And the Lord said to Paul in a vision, by night. "Have no fear; go on speaking, and do not keep silent;

"for I am with you, and no one shall set upon you to injure you; for I have very many people in this city."

Paul was about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews. "If it had been some misdemeanor or wicked villainy, it would have been within reason for me to listen to you Jews;

for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public argument, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Then Paul went into the synagogue, and there continued to preach fearlessly for about three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord's message, Jews as well as Greeks.

So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, while he himself kept back for a time on his way into Asia.

Now some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in an uproar, and the majority had no idea why they were come together.

but when they saw that he was a Jew they all, with one voice, for about two hours, shouted,

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

For indeed we are in danger of being accused in regard to this day's riot, since there is no cause for it, nor shall we be able to give account for this disorderly gathering."

After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples and, after embracing them, bade them farewell, and started for Macedonia.

Just as he was about to set sail for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him, and he determined to return through Macedonia.

There accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

but we ourselves set sail from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and joined them five days later at Troas. There we remained for a week.

On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread, and Paul, who was going away the next morning, began preaching to them, and prolonged his discourse until midnight.

The rest of us going before to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for so he had appointed, because he intended to go by land.

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if it were possible, by the day of Pentecost.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church to come to him;

So be on guard; and remember that for three years I ceased not to admonish you all, night and day, even with tears.

"You yourselves know how these hands of mine provided for my needs, and those of my companions.

sorrowing most of all for the words that he had spoken, that after that day they should look upon his face no more. And they began to escort him to the ship.

And when we had found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on the left hand, we sailed for Syria, and put in at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

On the morrow we started for Caesarea, where we went into the house of Philip, the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied,

"What do you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief?" answered Paul. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

And they, when they heard it, glorified God, and 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.

"We have four men here under a vow; associate yourself with them, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved; then every one will know that there is no truth in the rumors that they have heard about you; but that you yourself walk orderly obeying the law.

"As for the Gentile believers, we wrote giving judgment that they should abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication."

Then Paul took the men, and after purifying himself with them next day, went into the temple to declare the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

(For they had formerly seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

for the whole mass of the people were following him, shouting, "Away with him!"

"Do you know Greek?" said the tribune; "Are you not, then, the Egyptian who in days gone by stirred up to sedition, and let into the wilderness the four thousand cutthroats?"

"I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.

"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 as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.

"'For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.

"'Depart,' he said to me, 'for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.'"

the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.

But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"

Then those who were about to scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.

"Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest," exclaimed Paul, "for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of my people."

Then perceiving that half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisee, he cried out in the Sanhedrin. "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!"

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; the Pharisees affirm them all.

And the following night the Lord stood by him and said: "Be of good courage; for as you have borne faithful witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must testify at Rome also."

And Paul called one of the centurions, and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him."

"Now do not let them persuade, for more than forty men are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse, not to eat nor drink until they have killed him; even now they are all ready, awaiting your consent."

Then he called two centurions to him and said: "Get ready by nine o'clock tonight two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, and also seventy troopers and two hundred spearmen."

So Paul was sent for, and then Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. "As it is owing to your excellency that we enjoy profound peace, and that the state of this nation,

"For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense.

"For you have it in your power to know that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship;

"and having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.

"Unless it was for this one sentence which I uttered when I stood and cried, 'It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial today before you.'"

Some days later Felix came, with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess; he sent for Paul, and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

And as he reasoned about morality, self-control, and the future judgment, Felix was terrified, and said, "For the present go on your way, and when I find a convenient season, I will send for you."

He was hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he used to send for him often to converse with him.

They urged him, asking it as a favor, to send for him to Jerusalem. They meant to lay in wait for him and kill him on the way.

"If I am a criminal and have done anything for which I ought to die, I do not object to die. But if none of their charges is true, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give any man up for punishment, before the accused had his accusers face to face, and had opportunity of defending himself against the charges that had been brought against him.

But when Paul appealed to have his case reviewed for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered him to be detained until I could send him up to Caesar."

"I could not find that he had done anything for which he ought to die; but as he himself has appealed to the Emperor, I have determined to send him.

"For it does seem to me unreasonable to send a person without signifying the charges against him."

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched forth his hand and began to make his defense.

"We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew. "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.'

"'But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you my minister and my witness both of what you have already seen and of those things in which I will appear to you.

"For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

"I am speaking words of sober truth. For the King, to whom I am speaking freely, knows of these matters. I am persuaded that not one of these things has escaped his notice; for these things were not done in a corner.

"Long or short," answered Paul, "my prayer to God is that not only you but all who are my hearers this day might become such as I am, save for these chains."

When they had withdrawn they continued talking to one another. "This man is doing nothing," they said, "for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."

When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they proceeded to hand over Paul and a few other prisoners to the custody of Julius, a centurion of the Imperial Regiment.

And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.

For many days we sailed slowly, and then arrived with difficulty over against Cnidus; from this point, as the wind did not further favor us, we ran under the lee of Crete, off Cape Salmone;

and coasting along with difficulty we reached a place called Fair Havens, not far from the town of Lasea.

By this time the season was far advanced, and sailing had become dangerous (for the Autumn Fast was past); so Paul began to warn them.

and as the harbor was ill adapted for winter quarters, the majority advised putting out to sea from thence, to see whether they could get to Phoenix and winter there, a harbor on the coast of Crete facing northeast and southeast.

Then when for many days neither sun nor stars were seen, and a great tempest still beat upon us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away from us.

When for a long time they had been without food, Paul stood among them and said: "Men, you ought to have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and so have spared yourselves this injury and loss.

"for last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me and said:

"'Fear not, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'

Then, fearing lest we should run ashore on the rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern, and longed for day to come.