Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those who were in his house.

When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, "These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too,

They caused confusion among the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.

Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.

So he was addressing the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, and in the marketplace every day those who happened to be there.

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.)

The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,

because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising him from the dead."

But some people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them,

Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized.

When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,

Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus."

This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, "I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."

But the evil spirit replied to them, "I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?"

Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.

Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known.

Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins.

For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen.

There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness."

The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions.

Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater.

After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven?

For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.

A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak for a long time. Fast asleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

"And now I know that none of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom will see me again.

And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me.

On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

(He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.)

Some of the disciples from Caesarea came along with us too, and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, with whom we were to stay.

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law.

So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow;

But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality."

When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia who had seen him in the temple area stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

shouting, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this sanctuary! Furthermore he has brought Greeks into the inner courts of the temple and made this holy place ritually unclean!"

Then the commanding officer came up and arrested him and ordered him to be tied up with two chains; he then asked who he was and what he had done.

Then you're not that Egyptian who started a rebellion and led the four thousand men of the 'Assassins' into the wilderness some time ago?"

I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.'

Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

Since I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me.

A man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who live there,

I replied, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues who believed in you.

And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing nearby, approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.'

When they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, "Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen without a proper trial?"

Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away from him, and the commanding officer was frightened when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had had him tied up.

There were more than forty of them who formed this conspiracy.

For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

But there are some Jews from the province of Asia who should be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me.

Then Felix, who understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, adjourned their hearing, saying, "When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case."

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.

When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to prove.

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.

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting loudly that he ought not to live any longer.

So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

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."

For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve came to me

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.'

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,

Now in the region around that place were fields belonging to the chief official of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days.

After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick also came and were healed.

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

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

concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh,

who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continually remember you

Thus I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness,

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Although they fully know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

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.

Now we know that God's judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.

And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God's judgment?

eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,

but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.

There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek,

but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.

For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.

and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!

And will not the physically uncircumcised man who keeps the law judge you who, despite the written code and circumcision, transgress the law?

For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh,

but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person's praise is not from people but from God.

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)

And why not say, "Let us do evil so that good may come of it"? -- as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.

All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one."

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,