And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for a decision by the Emperor [Nero], I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

and took their seats in the Judgement Hall, attended by the Tribunes and the men of high rank in the city; and, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

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 when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our Sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all--and especially before you, King Agrippa--that after he has been examined I may find something which I can put into writing.

"As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews," he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being about to defend myself to-day before you,

All the Jews know how I lived from the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem.

For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of a Pharisee.

And now I am standing [here], being judged because [I believe that] God will fulfill the hope He promised to our forefathers.

And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.

"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to ordain thee a minister and a witness, both of the things which thou hast seen,

However I have received help from God to this very day, and so stand here, and bear my testimony to high and low alike--without adding a word to what the Prophets, as well as Moses, declared should happen--

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

The king knows about this, and I can speak to him with freedom. I do not believe that he missed any of this, for it did not happen in a corner!

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

The next day, we arrived at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly allowing him to visit his friends there and to receive any care he needed.

And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

"Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship but to our own lives also."

however, the centurion minded the pilot and the ship's owner more than he did Paul's prediction.

and said, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has given you [the lives of] all those who are sailing with you.’

And so, O men, be of good heart, for I have faith in God that it will be as he said to me.

And continually, up till daybreak, Paul kept urging all on board to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been anxiously waiting for the storm to cease, and have fasted, eating little or nothing.

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners: lest any of them, when he had swum out, should flee away.

but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from [carrying out] their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to the shore;

The rest [he reasoned] could reach shore by floating on planks or other debris from the ship. And so it happened that all of them escaped safely to land.

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Now in the same part of the island there were estates belonging to the Governor, whose name was Publius. He welcomed us to his house, and for three days generously made us his guests.

And it happened that the father of Publius was sick [in bed] with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to him, and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

When he had done this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases, [also] came and were healed.

where we found [some Christian] brothers. They urged us to stay with them for seven days. So, [that is how] we finally got to Rome.

And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

And when he came to Rome, the under-captain delivered the prisoners to the chief captain of the host: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with one Soldier that kept him.

And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Some were persuaded by what he said, but others would not believe.

They disagreed with one another as they were leaving, so Paul added this statement: "The Holy Spirit was so right when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah!

when He said,

Go to these people and say:
You will listen and listen,
yet never understand;
and you will look and look,
yet never perceive.

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him,

He announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, and taught concerning the Lord Jesus Christ without let or hindrance.

PAUL, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart to the gospel of God,??2 which he promised by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,??3 concerning his Son born of the posterity of David as to the flesh,

(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

regarding his Son. He was a descendant of David with respect to his humanity

He was appointed to be the Son of God with power through the Spirit of holiness [Note: This could refer to the Holy Spirit] when He was raised from the dead.

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for what He has done for all of you; for the report of your faith is spreading through the whole world.

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers

Asking that, if he be willing, I may some day at last find the way open to visit you.

And I want you to be aware, brothers, of how frequently I [had] planned to visit you (but was prevented from doing so until now). I wanted to come in order to bear some fruit [i.e., make additional converts] among you, just as I have done among the other Gentiles [i.e., unconverted people].

For, a righteousness of God, is therein revealed, - by faith unto faith: even as it is written - But, he that is righteous, by faith, shall live.

because what may be known about Him is plain to their inmost consciousness; for He Himself has made it plain to them.

For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

For they had bartered the reality of God for what is unreal, and had offered divine honours and religious service to created things, rather than to the Creator--He who is for ever blessed. Amen.

And since these people refused to acknowledge God, He has allowed [or, abandoned] them to have degraded minds and to practice those things which they should not do.

Which men, though they knew the righteousness of God, how that they which such things commit are worthy of death: yet not only do the same, but also have pleasure in them that do them.

Either despisest thou the riches of his goodness and patience, and long sufferance? And rememberest not how that the kindness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]:

to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life.

anguish and distress. He will bring these upon every human being who does wrong, upon the Jews first, then also upon the Greeks [i.e., Gentiles].

But [He will bring] glory, honor and peace upon every person who does what is good; upon the Jews first, then also upon the Greeks,

On the day when God passes judgment on men's inmost lives, as the Good News that I tell declares that he will do through Christ Jesus.

You say that a person should not commit adultery [i.e., sexual unfaithfulness to their mate], [but] do you commit adultery? You [claim to] hate idols, [but] do you rob [their] temples? [Note: It is difficult to determine how the Jews were doing this. Perhaps they were guilty of the "spirit" of idolatry by devoting their efforts and affections to material things instead of to God].

So, if an uncircumcised person [i.e., a Gentile] obeys [the rest of] the requirements of the law, will not the fact that he is not circumcised be considered [by God] as though he were?

although he is a Gentile by birth, if he scrupulously obeys the Law, shall he not sit in judgement upon you who, possessing, as you do, a written Law and circumcision, are yet a Law-breaker?

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, [is] not unjust, [is he]? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.)

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

But if my "lie" [i.e., as you Jews call it] would result in God's truthfulness [about you Jews] increasing the honor He receives, why am I also still judged to be a sinner [by you]?

What say we then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise. For we have already proved how that both Jews and gentiles are all under sin,

They have not known [how to walk on] a peaceful pathway."

Yea and we know that whatsoever the law saith, he saith it to them which are under the law: That all mouths may be stopped, and all the world be subdued to God,

whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion].

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?]

For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

whereas he that trusts in God to be made righteous, tho' he has not done such actions, shall find his faith accounted as righteousness.

And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!

How joyful is the man
the Lord will never charge with sin!

Came this blessedness then upon the circumcised or upon the uncircumcised? We say verily how that faith was reckoned to Abraham, for righteousness.

How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.