Paul looked directly at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day."

At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?"

Paul replied, "I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.'"

Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!"

When the argument became so great the commanding officer feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, he ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul.

They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul.

But when the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.

Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to report to him."

So the centurion took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."

He replied, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him.

and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor."

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

When the horsemen came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

he said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive too." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace.

After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought formal charges against Paul to the governor.

When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced a lengthy time of peace through your rule, and reforms are being made in this nation through your foresight.

When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "Because I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense.

He ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from meeting his needs.

Some days later, when Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will send for you."

At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he sent for Paul as often as possible and talked with him.

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

So the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul to him.

Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him along the way.

Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there shortly.

After Festus had stayed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought.

Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."

But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there on these charges?"

Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

While they were staying there many days, Festus explained Paul's case to the king to get his opinion, saying, "There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix.

Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive.

But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar."

So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall, along with the senior military officers and the prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in.

So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul held out his hand and began his defense:

As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words.

Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?"

Paul replied, "I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains."

When it was decided we would sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.

The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius, treating Paul kindly, allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed.

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

But the centurion was more convinced by the captain and the ship's owner than by what Paul said.

Since many of them had no desire to eat, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not put out to sea from Crete, thus avoiding this damage and loss.

and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar, and God has graciously granted you the safety of all who are sailing with you.'

Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense and have gone without food; you have eaten nothing.

After he said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all, broke it, and began to eat.

But the centurion, wanting to save Paul's life, prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,

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 the local people saw the creature hanging from Paul's hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself has not allowed him to live!"

However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

The father of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and after praying, placed his hands on him and healed him.

The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders together. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, from Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans.

So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah

Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him,

From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.

From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother,

Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," or "I am with Cephas," or "I am with Christ."

Is Christ divided? Paul wasn't crucified for you, was he? Or were you in fact baptized in the name of Paul?

For whenever someone says, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," are you not merely human?

What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us.

whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you,

I, Paul, send this greeting with my own hand.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia.

Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) --

From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)

Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints [in Ephesus], the faithful in Christ Jesus.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles --

From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

I, Paul, write this greeting by my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

From Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you!

For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us.

From Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is how I write in every letter.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to further the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

From Paul, a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,

From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and colaborer,

I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love -- I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus --

I, Paul, have written this letter with my own hand: I will repay it. I could also mention that you owe me your very self.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,