Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to Felix the governor."

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

And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.

I found that he was accused over questions about their Law, but there was no accusation against him deserving death or imprisonment.

And when I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you."

So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks.

When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

he said, "I will hear you when your accusers arrive also." And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.

And when Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to Felix: "Since through you we have enjoyed much peace, and since by your provision, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation,

He even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges of which we accuse him."

When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "Realizing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.

Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody but have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to his needs.

But some days later Felix came with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

At the same time, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.

And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews brought charges against Paul; and they urged him,

as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

"Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him."

And when Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.

and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for sentence against him.

When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him of such crimes as I had expected,

but they simply had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.

But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.

Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

But I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write.

For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."

For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.

The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends and be cared for.

When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."

They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

It happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed sick with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.

They said to him, "We have not received letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brethren who have come here has reported or spoken anything bad about you.

When they had appointed a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he explained the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.

And he stayed there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him,

Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge another; for in whatever point you pass judgment on him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.

For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.

And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

That is why it was "reckoned to him as righteousness."

But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,

but for us also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved through him from the wrath of God.

We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.

For we know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit to God.

But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to him.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you.

and if children, then heirsheirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also give us all things with him?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

as it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, and a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."

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.

The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches on all who call upon him.

How then can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher?

But what is God's reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

For by the grace given to me I say to every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him.

No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from him.

As for the man who is weak in faith, accept him, but not for disputes over opinions.

Let not him who eats despise him who does not, and let not him who does not eat pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted him.

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will be made to stand, for the Master is able to make him stand.

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and praise him, all you peoples";

And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and he who shall rise to rule over the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope."

but as it is written: "They shall see who have not been told of him, and those who have not heard shall understand."

Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages

that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."

For I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

But, as it is written, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,"

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit which is in him? Even so no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

But he who unites himself with the Lord is one spirit with him.

But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.

If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce him.

But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.

Only, let each one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward his betrothed, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let them marry.

But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.

Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.