Now when these [things] were completed, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, it is necessary [for] me to see Rome also."

So [after] sending two of those who were assisting him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed [some] time in Asia.

and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded [and] turned away a large crowd [by] saying that the [gods] made by hands are not gods.

So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours [will] come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis [will] be regarded as nothing--and [she] is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, [she] whom the whole [of] Asia and the [entire] world worship!"

So some were shouting [one thing] [and] some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority did not know {why} they had assembled.

So he went up and broke bread, and [when he] had eaten and talked for a long [time], until dawn, then he departed.

But we went on ahead to the ship [and] put out to sea for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. For having made arrangements in this way, he himself was intending to travel by land.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not be [having] to spend time in Asia. For he was hurrying if it could be possible for him to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

"And now behold, I know that all [of] you, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more.

I have desired no one's silver or gold or clothing!

especially distressed at the statement that he had said, that they were going to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

And it happened that after we tore ourselves away from them, we put out to sea, [and] running a straight course we came to Cos and on the next [day] to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

And finding a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard [and] put out to sea.

And he came to us and took Paul's belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

So after these days we got ready [and] went up to Jerusalem.

And [when] they heard [this], they began to glorify God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law.

Take these [men] [and] purify yourself along with them and {pay their expenses} so that they can shave [their] heads, and everyone will know that [the things] which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law.

{He} immediately took along soldiers and centurions [and] ran down to them. And [when] they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

And [as he] was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, "Is it permitted for me to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?

So [when] he permitted [him], Paul, standing there on the steps, motioned with [his] hand to the people. And [when there] was a great silence, he addressed [them] in the Aramaic language, saying,

as indeed the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, [and] was traveling [there] to lead away those who were there also tied up to Jerusalem so that they could be punished.

(Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.)

So I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up [and] proceed to Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all [the things] that have been appointed for you to do.'

And as I could not see as a result of the brightness of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me.

came to me and stood by [me] [and] said to me, 'Brother Saul, regain [your] sight!' And [at that] same time I looked up at him [and saw him].

And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth,

and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and depart {quickly} from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way.

So the military tribune came [and] said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth.

(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge [them] all.)

And the next night the Lord stood by him [and] said, "Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

But [when] the son of Paul's sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks [and] reported [it] to Paul.

So Paul called one of the centurions [and] said, "Bring this young man to the military tribune, because he has something to report to him."

So he took him [and] brought [him] to the military tribune and said, "The prisoner Paul called me [and] asked [me] to bring this young man to you [because he] has something to tell you."

So the military tribune sent the young man away, directing [him], "Tell no one that you have revealed these [things] to me."

And provide mounts so that they can put Paul on them [and] bring [him] safely to Felix the governor."

So [after] reading [the letter] and asking what province he was from, and learning that [he was] from Cilicia,

But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your [customary] graciousness.

And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these [things] were so.

But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things [that are] in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets,

So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,

or these [men] themselves should say what crime they found [when] I stood before the Sanhedrin,

So he said, "Let those among you [who are] prominent go down with [me], [and] if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him."

So Agrippa [said] to Festus, "I want to hear the man myself also." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him."

So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And [when] Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in.

And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting [that] he must not live any longer.

I do not have anything definite to write to [my] lord about {him}. Therefore I have brought him before you [all]--and especially before you, King Agrippa--so that [after] this preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write.

So Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended [his] hand [and] began to defend himself:

In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.

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

But get up and stand on your feet, because for this [reason] I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both [to the things] in which you saw me and [to the things] in which I will appear to you,

to open their eyes [so that they] may 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.'

And we went aboard a ship from Adramyttium that was about to sail to the places along the [coast] of Asia [and] put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

And from there we put out to sea [and] sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against [us].

And [after we] had sailed across the open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we put in at Myra in Lycia.

And [because] the harbor was unsuitable for spending the winter in, the majority decided on a plan to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing toward the southwest and toward the northwest, to spend the winter [there].

And running under the lee of a certain small island called Cauda, we were able with difficulty to get the ship's boat under control.

[After] hoisting {it up}, they made use of supports to undergird the ship. And [because they] were afraid lest they run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor [and] thus were driven [along].

And [because] many were experiencing lack of appetite, at that time Paul stood up in their midst [and] said, "Men, [you] ought to have followed my [advice] not to put out to sea from Crete, and [thus] avoided this damage and loss!

And when the fourteenth night had come, [as] we were being driven in the Adriatic Sea about the middle of the night, the sailors suspected {they were approaching some land}.

And taking soundings, they found twenty fathoms. So going on a little [further] and taking soundings again, they found fifteen fathoms.

And [when] the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship's boat into the sea, pretending as if they were going to lay out anchors from the bow,

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it fall away.

So they all were encouraged and partook of food themselves.

And [when they] had eaten their fill of food, they lightened the ship [by] throwing the wheat into the sea.

And slipping the anchors, they left [them] in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes of the steering oars. And hoisting the foresail to the [wind] that was blowing, they held course for the beach.

And when the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Doubtless this man is a murderer whom, [although he] was rescued from the sea, Justice has not permitted to live!"

But they were expecting [that] he was going to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead. So [after] they had waited for a long [time] and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds [and] began saying [that] he was a god.

They also honored us with many honors, and [when we] were putting out to sea, they gave [us] the [things] {we needed}.

Now after three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian [one] {with the twin gods Castor and Pollux as its insignia}.

And from there the brothers, [when they] heard the [news] about us, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. [When he] saw them, Paul gave thanks to God [and] took courage.

Therefore for this reason I have requested to see you and to speak with [you], for because of the hope of Israel I am wearing this chain!"

So being in disagreement with one another, they began to leave [after] Paul made one statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through the prophet Isaiah to your fathers,

saying, 'Go to this people and say, "{You will keep on hearing} and will never understand, and {you will keep on seeing} and will never perceive.

For the heart of this people has become dull, and with [their] ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, lest they see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and turn, and I would heal them." '

So he stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and welcomed all who came to him,

For I desire to see you, in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, in order to strengthen you,

For from the creation of the world, his invisible [attributes], both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse.

And just as they did not see fit {to recognize God}, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do the things [that are] not proper,

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, [is] not unjust, [is he]? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.)

And [why] not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil, in order that good may come [of it]? Their condemnation is just!

in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the [person] by faith in Jesus.

What then shall we say [that] Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found?

For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness."

Therefore, [is] this blessing for {those who are circumcised}, or also for {those who are uncircumcised}? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness."

And he received the sign of circumcision [as] a seal of the righteousness by faith which [he had] {while uncircumcised}, so that he could be the father of all who believe {although they are uncircumcised}, so that righteousness could be credited to them,

Because of this, [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, "so will your descendants be."

And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body as good as dead, [because he] was approximately a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

Because of this, just as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned.

For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not charged to one's account [when there] is no law.

Consequently therefore, as through one trespass [came] condemnation to all people, so also through one righteous deed [came] justification of life to all people.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.

so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What therefore shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, in order that grace may increase?

Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live {a new way of life}.

So also you, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that [you] obey its desires,

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