crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man, who, by his preaching, sets all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: yea and more still, hath brought Greeks into the temple, and defiled this holy place:

I am indeed a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed accurately in the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day:

so much so that I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.

And they gave him audience to this sentence, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

And when the centurion heard this, he came and told the military tribune, saying, Consider what you are going to do: for this man is a Roman citizen.

And the tribune replied, With a large sum of money I purchased this citizenship. And Paul said, But I enjoy it as my birthright.

THEN Paul, looking earnestly at the sanhedrim, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience unto God even to this day.

Now when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried in the sanhedrim, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: for the hope and resurrection of the dead am I brought to this bar.

So when he had said this, a great dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

And a great clamour arose: and the scribes rising up who were of the party of the Pharisees, contended stoutly, saying, We find no fault in this man: but if a spirit have spoken to him, or an angel, let us not fight against God.

Now there were more than forty who had on oath formed this conspiracy.

Then Paul calling to him one of the centurions, said, Carry this young man to the tribune: for he hath something to communicate to him.

Then he took him, and brought him to the tribune, and said, The prisoner Paul calling me to him, entreated me to bring this young man to thee, having something to say to thee.

And he wrote a letter containing this form of words:

This person had been seized by the Jews, and was ready to be slain by them: but coming on them with the guard, I rescued him out of their hands, having understood that he was a Roman citizen.

And he being summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Since by thee we enjoy so much peace, and such noble acts are happily performed for this nation by thy provident administration,

For we found this fellow a pest [to society], and exciting sedition among all the Jews throughout the whole world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazareans:

But Paul (the governor having made him a sign to speak) replied, Knowing that for so many years thou hast been the judge of this nation, I with the more confidence offer my defence respecting the matters which concern me:

But this I confess to thee, that after the way which they call a sect, so worship I the God of our ancestors, believing all things that are written in the law, and in the prophets:

For this cause indeed I exert my utmost care to keep my conscience ever unoffending towards God and towards man.

except for this one sentence, which I uttered aloud when I was standing among them, For the resurrection of the dead am I this day judged by you.

Let therefore, said he, those among you who are able, go down with me, and accuse him, if there be anything criminal in this man.

But being in doubt respecting a question of this sort, I demanded if he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all you, sirs, who are present with us, behold the man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews have set upon me, both at Jerusalem and in this place, clamouring that he ought not to live a moment longer.

I count myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am about to address my defence to thee this day concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews:

And this moment for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers am I standing here to be judged:

Notwithstanding, arise, and stand on thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, to ordain thee both a minister and a witness of the things which thou hast seen, and of those which I will shew thee;

Having however obtained help from God, unto this day, I stand witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing but what both the prophets and Moses said should come to pass:

For the king is well acquainted with these things, before whom also I speak with the greatest freedom. For I am persuaded that none of these events have escaped his notice; for this thing was not done in a corner.

And Paul replied, would to God, that not only thou, but also that all who are hearing me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these chains.

and retiring, conversed together, saying, This man hath done nothing worthy of death, or of chains.

And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been discharged, if he had not appealed to Caesar.

saying unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be attended with much damage and loss, not only of the cargo and of the ship, but [danger] of our lives also.

Now after being a long while without food, then stood up Paul in the midst of them, and said, Ye ought, my friends, to have been persuaded by me, and not have sailed from Crete, and got this loss and damage.

For there stood by me this night an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Wherefore I exhort you to take some food, for this is for your preservation: for a hair shall not fall from the head of any one of you.

and that the rest should make the attempt, some on planks, and some on the floating materials of the ship: and in this manner so it was that they all safely reached the shore.

Now when the rude people saw the venomous animal hanging from his hand, they said one to another, Surely this man is a murderer, whom though preserved from the sea, righteous vengeance suffereth not to live.

This then being the case, all the rest also who had diseases in the island came to him, and were healed.

For this cause therefore have I invited you hither, to see and to converse with you; for on account of the hope of Israel am I bound with this chain.

But we think it highly proper to hear from thee what thy sentiments are; for indeed as to this sect, it is well known to us that everywhere it meets with opposition.

saying, Go to this people, and say, "In hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, yet in nowise perceive.

For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they are thick of hearing, and their eyes have they shut; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and become converts, and I should heal them."

For this cause God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For even their women did change the natural use into that which was contrary to nature;

For thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest those who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Or despisest thou the riches of his kindness and patience and long-suffering, ignorant that this goodness of God is leading thee to repentance?

for a demonstration of his justice at this present time: that he might be just, though justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus.

This blessedness then, [is it] for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness.

by whom also we have had an introduction through faith into this grace in which we have stood fast, and are rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

knowing this, that our old man hath been crucified with him, that the body of sin might be abolished, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Now then no more I do this, but sin dwelling in me.

O wretched man, I! who shall pluck me from the body of this death?

For we know that the whole creation groaneth together and travaileth in birth to this moment.

In like manner also the Spirit affords assistance to our infirmities: for even this, what we should pray for as we ought, we know not: but the same Spirit more abundantly maketh intercession for us with groanings unutterable.

For the word of promise is this, At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

For the scripture saith to Pharaoh, "That for this very end have I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth."

So then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

as it is written, "God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this present day."

For I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is come on Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

and this is my covenant with them, When I shall take away their sins."

And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renovation of your mind, that you may prove by experience what is the will of God, that is good, acceptable, and perfect.

For on this account pay ye taxes also: for they are God's ministers, continually employed on this very service.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

For to this end Christ both died, and rose again, and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Let us therefore no more judge one another; but judge this rather, that no one put a stumbling-block or offence before his brother.

and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, "For this cause will I confess unto thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."

When therefore I have completed this work, and sealed unto them this fruit, I will pass by you into Spain.

I Tertius, who have written this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

Now this I observe, that one and another of you saith, I am indeed of Paul; but I of Apollos; but I of Cephas; but I am of Christ.

Where is the sophist? where is the scribe? where is the inquisitive searcher after this world's wisdom? hath not God turned into folly the wisdom of this world?

For this foolishness of God is wiser than men; and this weakness of God is stronger than men.

but the foolish things of this world hath God elected, that he might confound the wise; and the feeble things of the world hath God elected, that he might confound the mighty;

But we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are destroying themselves:

which none of the rulers of this world have known: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timbers, hay, stubble;

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinketh himself a wise man in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

For the wisdom of this world is folly in the sight of God. For it is written, "He entangleth the wise in their own craftiness."

For even to this present hour we undergo hunger and thirst and nakedness, and are buffeted about, and have no settled abode;

being injuriously spoken of, we entreat; we are made as the ordures of the world, as the sweepings of all things unto this day.

For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my son beloved and faithful in Christ, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ Jesus, as I teach every where in every church.

And ye are puffed up, though ought ye not rather to be grieved? that he who hath done this deed might be plucked from the midst of you.

For I indeed, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already, as present, passed judgment on him who hath so done this thing;

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters: for then must ye indeed go out of the world.

Know ye not that we shall judge angels, much more things pertaining to this life?

If then ye have disputes about the things of this life, do you seat those on the bench who are least esteemed in the church?

But brother goes to law with brother, and this before the unbelievers.

But in this I speak my opinion only, not authoritatively.

For I would that all men were even as myself: but every man hath his peculiar gift from God, one of this sort, and another of that.

I think then that this is becoming, considering our present straits, that it is proper for a man to be thus.

Now this I say, brethren, that the time is short. The conclusion is, that even they who have wives, should be as though they had not;

and they who use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

Now I say this for your own advantage, and not that I should lay a snare in your way, but as what is seemly, and that you may wait on the Lord without distraction.

But he that is stedfast in his heart, not having any necessity, but retaineth power over his own inclination, and hath determined this in his heart that he will preserve his own virgin state, doeth well.

For though there are gods so called, whether celestial or terrestrial, (as [of this sort] there are gods many, and lords many;)

Howbeit there is not in all men this knowledge; but some having conscientious respect for the idol to this moment, eat the meat as sacrificed to the idol; and their conscience being weak, is defiled.

But take heed that this power of yours become not an occasion of stumbling to the weak.

My apology to those who interrogate me is this,

if others partake of this power over you, ought not we much more? But we have not used this power, and we suffer all things, that we might not put any obstruction in the way of the gospel of Christ.

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with the dispensation [of it].

And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you.