save that the Holy Spirit witnesseth to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.

But I count life of no value to me, so that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God.

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will see my face no more.

Wherefore I testify to you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men;

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

Therefore be watchful, and remember that for the space of three years, night and day, I ceased not to warn every one with tears.

Ye yourselves know, that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those that were with me.

In all ways I showed you that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they were to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

And it came to pass, after we had torn ourselves from them, and had put to sea, that we came with a straight course to Cos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara.

and coming to us, he took off Pauls girdle, and bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit: So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and will deliver him into the hands of the gentiles.

But when we heard this, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go to Jerusalem.

Then answered Paul, What mean ye that ye weep, and break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

But they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after the customs.

What then is to be done? The multitude will necessarily come together; for they will hear that thou hast come.

Do this therefore that we advise thee. We have four men who have a vow on them.

These take, and purify thyself with them, and pay the expenses for them, that they may shave their heads; and all will know that those things of which they have been informed concerning thee are nothing, but that thou thyself also walkest in observance of the Law.

But concerning the gentile believers, we have written to them and decided that they should observe no such thing, save only to abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from what hath been strangled, and from fornication.

crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man that teacheth every one everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place; and besides he even brought Greeks into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

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

And while they were endeavoring to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar;

as also the highpriest beareth me witness, and all the elderhood; from whom I received letters to the brethren, and was on my way to Damascus to bring those also that were there, bound, to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

But it came to pass, as I was on my way, and approaching Damascus, that about noon there suddenly shone around me a great light from heaven;

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but the voice of him that spoke to me they did not hear.

And as I could not see by reason of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand of those that were with me, and came into Damascus.

And it came to pass after my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,

And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, and beat in every synagogue, those that believed in thee;

And they listened to him as far as this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth! for it was not fit that he should live.

the chief captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might ascertain for what cause they were thus crying out against him.

But when they had stretched him out with the cords, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

They therefore who were about to examine him left him immediately. And the chief captain also was alarmed when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

And they that stood by said, Dost thou revile Gods highpriest?

Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he was highpriest; for it is written, "Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people."

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees affirm both.

And a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.

And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

Now therefore do ye with the council give notice to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you, as though ye were about to examine his case more thoroughly; and we are ready to kill him before he cometh near you.

Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me?

The chief captain then dismissed the young man with the charge, Tell no one that thou hast disclosed these things to me.

This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

And having read the letter, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,

And when he had been called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that improvements are in every way and everywhere taking place in this nation through thy foresight,

And the Jews also joined in the charges against him, affirming that these things were so.

Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned to him to speak, answered, Since I know that thou hast been for many years a judge for this nation, I answer for myself cheerfully;

for it is in thy power to ascertain that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

But this I acknowledge to thee, that according to the way [of belief] which they call a sect, so do I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and by the Prophets;

having a hope in God, which they themselves also entertain, that there will be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous.

He hoped also that money would be given him by Paul; on which account he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.

asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, intending to place men in wait to kill him on the road.

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

but had against him certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us! Ye see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live.

But having found that he had done nothing deserving death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him;

and as I have nothing certain to write about him to the emperor, I have brought him forward before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that when the examination hath been made, I may have something to write.

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence this day before thee concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews;

and they know, if they are willing to testify, that from the first, according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

I indeed thought with myself that I ought to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.

but first to those in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judaea, and then to the gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

that the Christ should suffer, and that, as first of those raised from the dead, he was to proclaim light both to the people and to the gentiles.

For the king knoweth about these things well; to whom also I speak boldly; for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him: for this was not done in a corner.

King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest.

And Paul said, I would to God, that with little effort or with great, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, might be made such as I am, except these bonds.

And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.

saying, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives.

And when a south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor, and coasted along close by Crete.

And as neither sun nor stars had appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, thenceforward all hope that we should be saved was taken away.

saying, Fear not, Paul! Thou must stand before Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all those that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it will be just as it hath been told me.

And when the fourteenth night had come on, as we were driven onward in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were near some country;

And as the sailors were seeking means to escape from the ship, when they had lowered the boat into the sea, under the pretence that they were about to carry out anchors from the foreship,

And while the day was coming on, Paul exhorted them all to take food; saying, This is the fourteenth day that ye have waited, and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

and the rest, some on boards, and others on something from the ship. And in this way it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to land.

And having escaped, we learned that the island was called Melita.

But they were looking for his becoming swollen, or suddenly falling down dead. But after looking a great while, and seeing no harm come to him they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

And in the neighborhood of that place were lands be longing to the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who welcomed us, and entertained us kindly three days.

And it happened that the father of Publius was lying sick with a fever and dysentery; to whom Paul went in, and, when he had prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him.

And when we had come to Rome, Paul was permitted to dwell by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.

And it came to pass that after three days he called together the chief men of the Jews, and when they had met he said to them, Brethren, I, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, was delivered up a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans;

But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar; not that I had any charge to bring against my nation.

For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak to you; for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.

And they said to him, We neither received letters from Judea concerning thee, nor did any one of the brethren that came report or speak any evil of thee.

But we think it proper to hear from thee what thou thinkest; for with regard to this sect, we know that it is everywhere spoken against.

Be it therefore known to you, that to the gentiles this salvation of God hath been sent; they, moreover, will hear.

And he abode two whole years in his own hired house and gladly received all that came in to him,

In the first place, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

supplicating that, if it be possible, I may at last through the will of God be favored with an opportunity of coming to you.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, which may be for your confirmation;

that is, that I may be edified among you, and you also, through each others faith, both yours and mine.

But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I often purposed to come to you, though I have been hindered hitherto, that I might have some fruit of my labors among you also, as among the other gentiles.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest within them; for God made it manifest to them.

For, ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, even his eternal power and divinity, being perceived from his works, are clearly seen, so that they might be without excuse.

and in like manner the men also, neglecting the natural use of the female, burned with lust for one another, men with men practising that which is shameful, and receiving in themselves the due recompense of their error.

who, although knowing the ordinance of God, that they who practise such things deserve death, not only do them themselves, but approve of those who do them.

Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man that judgest, whoever thou art. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practise such things.

And dost thou suppose, O man, who art judging those who do such things, and art thyself doing the same, that thou wilt escape the judgment of God?

Or dost thou despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God is leading thee to repentance?

since they show that what the Law requireth is written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts in turn accusing or defending them;

and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law;