So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia.

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

So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together.

But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours.

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

For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering."

After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left to go to Macedonia.

where he stayed for three months. Because the Jews had made a plot against him as he was intending to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

These had gone on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas.

We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and within five days we came to the others in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

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.

But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, put his arms around him, and said, "Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!"

We went on ahead to the ship and put out to sea for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way. He himself was intending to go there by land.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so as not to spend time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to arrive in Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

except that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me.

For I did not hold back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.

Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

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

We continued the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptolemais, and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day.

(He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.)

While we remained there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

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

Then Paul took the men the next day, and after he had purified himself along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice of the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

(For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.)

for a crowd of people followed them, screaming, "Away with him!"

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 am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated with strictness under Gamaliel according to the law of our ancestors, and was zealous for God just as all of you are today.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'

Then he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

The crowd was listening to him until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!"

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?"

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commanding officer and reported it, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

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.'"

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

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."

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 do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request."

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

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.

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.

As you can verify for yourself, not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

After several years I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings,

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.

When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.

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."

For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him."

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

But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you.

For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me.

For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.

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."

There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it.

We sailed slowly for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. Because the wind prevented us from going any farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.

With difficulty we sailed along the coast of Crete and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea.

When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent storm continued to batter us, we finally abandoned all hope of being saved.

And now I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost.

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

Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be just as I have been told.

Because they were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast, they threw out four anchors from the stern and wished for day to appear.

Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your survival. For not one of you will lose a hair from his head."

The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold.

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.

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

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.

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 they had heard my case, they wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel."

But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know that people everywhere speak against it."

For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."'

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

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

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

For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

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 righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, "The righteous by faith will live."

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

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

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

For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones,

and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

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.

Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God's kindness leads you to repentance?

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed!

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

For there is no partiality with God.

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.

For just as it is written, "the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

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

Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world?

For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?

What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,