Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



And, as they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion; who, at once, taking with him soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them; and they, seeing the chief captain and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. Then the chief captain, coming near, laid hold of him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains; and he was inquiring who he was, and what he had done. read more.
And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd; and, when he could not ascertain the certainty because of the tumult, he ordered that he be brought into the castle. And, when he came upon the stairway, it happened that he was borne along by the soldiers on account of the violence of the multitude; for the throng of the people was following after, crying out, "Away with him!" And, when about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not, then, the Egyptian who, before these days, caused a revolt, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people." And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying:

And, as they were crying out, and throwing off their garments, and casting dust into the air, the chief captain gave orders that he should be brought into the castle, saying that he should be examined by scourges, that he might fully know for what cause they were thus clamoring against him. And, as they stretched him out for the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and uncondemned?" read more.
And the centurion, hearing it, going to the chief captain, reported it, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman!" And the chief captain, going forward, said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yes." And the chief captain answered, "I, for a great sum, acquired this citizenship." And Paul said, "But I have been born a citizen." Straightway, therefore, those who were about to examine him departed from him; and the chief captain also was struck with fear, having ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. And, on the morrow, wishing to know the certainty, wherefore he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and gave orders that the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin should assemble together; and, bringing Paul down, he set him among them.



Now there is in Jerusalem, by the sheep-gate, a pool, which is called, in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

This title, therefore, many of the Jews read; because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, in Greek.

And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying:

And, hearing that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they kept more quiet;

And, we all having 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.'



And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying:

And Peter, seeing it, spake to the people, "Men of Israel, why do ye wonder at this? Or why look ye so intently on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk


Then the chief captain, coming near, laid hold of him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains; and he was inquiring who he was, and what he had done. And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd; and, when he could not ascertain the certainty because of the tumult, he ordered that he be brought into the castle. And, when he came upon the stairway, it happened that he was borne along by the soldiers on account of the violence of the multitude; read more.
for the throng of the people was following after, crying out, "Away with him!" And, when about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not, then, the Egyptian who, before these days, caused a revolt, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people." And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying:

"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now make to you." And, hearing that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they kept more quiet; and he says, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been trained according to the exactness of the ancestral law, being zealous for God, even as ye all are to-day; read more.
and I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women; as also the high priest testifies for me, and all the eldership; from whom, having received letters, I was journeying to Damascus, intending to bring those also who were there bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I was journeying, and was drawing nigh to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly flashed around me a great light out of the heaven; and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?' And I answered, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus, the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.' And those who were with me beheld, indeed, the light, but they did not understand the voice of Him Who spake to me. And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arising, go into Damascus, and there it shall be told you concerning all things which have been arranged for you to do.' And, as I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those accompanying me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout, man according to the law, well spoken of by all the resident Jews, coming to me, and standing by, said to me, 'Brother Saul, look up.' And I, in that very hour, looked up on him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth; because you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what you have seen, and heard. And now why do you delay? Arising, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance; and saw Him, saying to me, 'Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that I was imprisoning and beating, throughout the synagogues, those believing on Thee; and, when the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, was poured forth, I myself also was standing by, and approving, and guarding the garments of those who slew him. And He said to me, 'Depart, because I will send you far hence to the gentiles.'


But her masters, seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, laying hold on Paul and Silas, dragged them into the market-place before the rulers; and, leading them forward to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are greatly disturbing our city; and are declaring customs, which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. read more.
And the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates, having torn off their garments, were giving orders to beat them with rods; and, having laid upon them many stripes, they thrust them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And about midnight Paul and Silas, while engaged in prayer, were singing praise to God; and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were loosed. And the jailer, being aroused from sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing a sword, was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." And, calling for a light, he sprang in, and, being in fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas; and, having brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, and your house." And they spake to him the word of the Lord with all that were in his house. And, having taken them with him, at that hour of the night he washed their stripes; and was immersed, himself and all his, immediately; and, bringing them up into his house, he placed a table near them; and he rejoiced greatly with all his house, having believed in God. And, when it was day, the magistrates sent forth the serjeants, saying, "Release these men." And the jailer reported these words to Paul, "The magistrates have sent that ye be released; now, therefore, going forth, go on your way in peace." But Paul said to them "Having beaten us in public, uncondemned, being Romans, they cast us into prison; and now are they casting us out secretly? Nay, verily; but, coming themselves, let them lead us out." And the serjeants reported these words to the magistrates; and they were afraid, when they heard that they were Romans; and, coming, they besought them; and, leading them forth, they kept asking them to go away from the city. And, coming out from the prison, they entered into the house of Lidia; and, seeing the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

And, when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having beheld him in the temple, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands upon 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! and, further, he brought Greeks also into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" (For they had previously seen with him in the city Trophimus, the Ephesian, whom they were supposing that Paul brought into the temple). read more.
And all the city was moved, and there was a running together of the people; and, laying hold of Paul, they were dragging him out of the temple; and straightway the doors were shut. And, as they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion; who, at once, taking with him soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them; and they, seeing the chief captain and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul. Then the chief captain, coming near, laid hold of him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains; and he was inquiring who he was, and what he had done. And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd; and, when he could not ascertain the certainty because of the tumult, he ordered that he be brought into the castle. And, when he came upon the stairway, it happened that he was borne along by the soldiers on account of the violence of the multitude; for the throng of the people was following after, crying out, "Away with him!" And, when about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not, then, the Egyptian who, before these days, caused a revolt, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" But Paul said, "I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech you, permit me to speak to the people." And, when he gave him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and, when there was great silence, he spake to them in the Hebrew language, saying: