"Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."

The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.

As soon as the Jews in Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea also, they came there, and stirred up and troubled the crowds.

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

He argued in the synagogues with the Jews and the devout proselytes, and also daily in the market-place with those that met him there.

So Paul stood up in the center of Mars Hill, and said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all respects you are remarkably religious.

"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;

"Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but he now commands all men that they should all, everywhere, repent;

But on hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock; but others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

And when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in his message, earnestly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

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

Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, after passing through the hinterland, came to Ephesus, where he found a few disciples.

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No" said they, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

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

so much so, that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick; and their diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

But there were also some strolling Jewish exorcists, who took it upon them to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."

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

He gathered them together with others of like occupation, and said: "Men, you know that by this business we make our money.

"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands.

"So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."

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

At length the recorder got them quiet. "Men of Ephesus," he said, "who here does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-guardian of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

and when they arrived, he said to them. "You yourselves know quite well, how I lived among you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia,

"serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and amid trials that befell me through the plots of the Jews.

"You know that I never shrank from declaring to you anything that was profitable, nor from teaching you publicity and in your homes,

except that in city after city the Holy Spirit is warning me that bonds and afflictions are awaiting me.

And now I know that not one of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see my face again.

So I testify to you this day that I am clear from the blood of all men;

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock;

and that from among your own number, men will arise, perverting the truth, to draw away the disciples after them.

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

"In all things I have set you an example, how that so toiling, you ought to help the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

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.

We looked up the local disciples and remained there seven days; and these disciples kept telling Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.

After saluting them Paul rehearsed, one by one, the things that God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry.

"Now what they have been told about you, again and again, is that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs.

"What then ought to be done? They will certainly hear that you are come.

"So do this that we tell you.

"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."

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

While they were attempting to kill him, news came to the tribune commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Then the tribune came up and seized him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. "Who is he?" he began asking, "and what has he done?"

"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 I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' and the Lord said to me, 'Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.'

"came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "'Brother Saul, receive your sight' "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at him.

"'Lord,' I replied, 'they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue those who believed in you,

When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

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.

But when the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul in pieces, ordered the troops to march down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

When day dawned the Jews made a conspiracy, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

And the tribune took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

So the tribune sent the young man home with the injunction, "Tell no man that you have given me this information."

"This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops, and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

"Here I learned that he was accused about questions of their law, but was not charged with anything worthy of death or imprisonment.

"Now when I received information that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him at once to you, charging his accusers also to speak against him before you."

After reading the letter, he asked to what province he belonged, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he said,

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,

The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were the facts.

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 that neither in the Temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city, did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd.

"But this I confess to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors, according to the Way which they call a heresy, believing everything that is according to the Law, or is written in the Prophets,

"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.'"

And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, but treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be forbidden to minister to him.

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

But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

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 his accusers stood up, they did not begin charging him with any of the crimes that I was expecting,

"King Agrippa," said Festus, "and all men who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the entire body of the Jews at Jerusalem, and here also, sent to me, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

"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.

"Now I have nothing very definite to tell our sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, in order that, after examination, I may have something to write.

"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day, in regard to all the accusations brought against me by the Jews;

"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upward among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early life of mine, is well known to all the Jews.

"They know me of old, if they are willing to testify, how that according to the strict sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

"a promise which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is concerning this hope, King Agrippa, that I am accused by the Jews.

"I indeed once thought with myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

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

"but I proceeded to preach, first to those in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God and do deeds worthy of repentance.

"But having obtained the help that comes from God, I stand even to this day witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said should come;

"how that the Christ must suffer, and how he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should bring a message of light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

"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.

"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."

"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 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.

"Sirs," he said to them, "I perceive that the voyage will be attended with injury and serious loss, not only to the cargo and to the ship, but also to our own lives."

But the centurion paid greater heed to the master and to the owner than to anything that was spoken by Paul;

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.

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.

"So take courage, men! I believe God, I believe that things will turn out exactly as it has been told me.

It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Adriatic Sea when, about midnight, the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near to some land.

And while day was dawning, Paul kept urging them all to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been on the watch, fasting, having eaten nothing.

They cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, and unloosing at the same time the ropes that tied the rudders, they hoisted the foresail to the breeze, and headed for the beach.

But the centurion kept them from their purpose, because he wished to save Paul. He gave orders that those who could swim should first jump overboard and get to land;

and that the rest should follow, some on planks and some on other bits of wreckage. And so it came to pass that all escaped safe to the land.