After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Because I was at a loss how I could investigate these matters, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.

because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversial issues of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to listen to me patiently.

They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors,

I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities.

For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.

From there we put out to sea and sailed under the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

We sailed slowly for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.

Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because the fast was already over, Paul advised them,

Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there. They hoped that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm, they began throwing the cargo overboard,

Because they were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast, they threw out four anchors from the stern and wished for day to appear.

The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold.

When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

When they had heard my case, they wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel."

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed!

and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,

an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth --

For just as it is written, "the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.

This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness.

For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression either.

Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.

And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God's wrath.

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned --

For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!

(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.

For the creation was subjected to futility -- not willingly but because of God who subjected it -- in hope

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God's will.

because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience.

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.

For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.

But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.

and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name."

But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus.

The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

each builder's work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done.

For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord.

I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn "not to go beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.

For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

But because of immoralities, each man should have relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.

Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified because of the wife, and the unbelieving wife because of her husband. Otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

Because of the impending crisis I think it best for you to remain as you are.

But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled.

Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.

For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread.

But if someone says to you, "This is from a sacrifice," do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience --

I praise you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

If the foot says, "Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body," it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.

And if the ear says, "Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body," it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.

If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.

because a door of great opportunity stands wide open for me, but there are many opponents.

I was glad about the arrival of Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus because they have supplied the fellowship with you that I lacked.

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

I had no relief in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and set out for Macedonia.

But if the ministry that produced death -- carved in letters on stone tablets -- came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective),

For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.

But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.

We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling,

For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.

Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.

I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.

because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.

because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.