serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there;

"Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the Kingdom, will see my face no more.

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men,

for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Now I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,

sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.

They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

What then? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Law.

When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him,

crying out, "Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place."

All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

"I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.

As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.'

One Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

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.

For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

"It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'

"He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.'"

But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."

Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.

we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

8 By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."

But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the Law, and which are written in the Prophets;

having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust.

But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case."

As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you."

while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

"Indeed, all Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;

Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you;

but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."

and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."

When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

Therefore, sirs, cheer up. For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.

While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads."

When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.

Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.

and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.

The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

saying, 'Go to this people, and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

"Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations. They will also listen."

30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him,

proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

through whom we received grace and the office of apostle, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake;

to all who are in Rome, loved by God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

always in my prayers, requesting, if by any means now at last I may succeed by the will of God to come to you.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,

And do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

who "will pay back to everyone according to their works:"

to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality -- eternal life.

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Christ Jesus.

and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

Much in every way. Because first of all, they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

May it never be. For then how will God judge the world?

What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.

They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, there is not even one."

Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.

What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?