Add parallel Print Page Options

And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater [son] of Pyrrhus, a Berean; and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

These going before waited for us in Troas;

but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and we came to them to Troas in five days, where we spent seven days.

And the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread, Paul discoursed to them, about to depart on the morrow. And he prolonged the discourse till midnight.

And there were many lights in the upper room where we were assembled.

And a certain youth, by name Eutychus, sitting at the window-opening, overpowered by deep sleep, while Paul discoursed very much at length, having been overpowered by the sleep, fell from the third story down to the bottom, and was taken up dead.

10 But Paul descending fell upon him, and enfolding [him] [in his arms], said, Be not troubled, for his life is in him.

11 And having gone up, and having broken the bread, and eaten, and having long spoken until daybreak, so he went away.

12 And they brought [away] the boy alive, and were no little comforted.

13 And we, having gone before on board ship, sailed off to Assos, going to take in Paul there; for so he had directed, he himself being about to go on foot.

14 And when he met with us at Assos, having taken him on board, we came to Mitylene;

15 and having sailed thence, on the morrow arrived opposite Chios, and the next day put in at Samos; and having stayed at Trogyllium, the next day we came to Miletus:

16 for Paul thought it desirable to sail by Ephesus, so that he might not be made to spend time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible for him, to be the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.

17 But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over [to him] the elders of the assembly.

18 And when they were come to him, he said to them, *Ye* know how I was with you all the time from the first day that I arrived in Asia,

19 serving the Lord with all lowliness, and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

20 how I held back nothing of what is profitable, so as not to announce [it] to you, and to teach you publicly and in every house,

21 testifying to both Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, bound in my spirit *I* go to Jerusalem, not knowing what things shall happen to me in it;

23 only that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and tribulations await me.

24 But I make no account of [my] life [as] dear to myself, so that I finish my course, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom [of God], shall see my face no more.

26 Wherefore I witness to you this day, that I am clean from the blood of all,

27 for I have not shrunk from announcing to you all the counsel of God.

28 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own.

29 [For] *I* know [this,] that there will come in amongst you after my departure grievous wolves, not sparing the flock;

30 and from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking perverted things to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one [of you] with tears.

32 And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up and give [to you] an inheritance among all the sanctified.

33 I have coveted [the] silver or gold or clothing of no one.

34 Yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my wants, and to those who were with me.

35 I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring [we] ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

36 And having said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

37 And they all wept sore; and falling upon the neck of Paul they ardently kissed him,

38 specially pained by the word which he had said, that they would no more see his face. And they went down with him to the ship.

21 And when, having got away from them, we at last sailed away, we came by a direct course to Cos, and on the morrow to Rhodes, and thence to Patara.

And having found a ship passing over into Phoenicia, we went on board and sailed;

and having sighted Cyprus, and left it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and made the land at Tyre, for there the ship was to discharge her cargo.

And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

But when we had completed the days, we set out and took our journey, all of them accompanying us, with wives and children, till [we were] out of the city. And kneeling down upon the shore we prayed.

And having embraced one another, we went on board ship, and they returned home.

And we, having completed the voyage, arrived from Tyre at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained one day with them.

And leaving on the morrow, we came to Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was of the seven, we abode with him.

Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

10 And as we stayed there many days, a certain man, by name Agabus, a prophet, came down from Judaea,

11 and coming to us and taking the girdle of Paul, and having bound his own hands and feet, said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose this girdle is shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver him up into the hands of [the] Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we and those of the place besought [him] not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 But Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for *I* am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 And when he would not be persuaded, we were silent, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

15 And after these days, having got our effects ready, we went up to Jerusalem.

16 And [some] of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing [with them] a certain Mnason, a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we were to lodge.

17 And when we arrived at Jerusalem the brethren gladly received us.

18 And on the morrow Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders came there.

19 And having saluted them, he related one by one the things which God had wrought among the nations by his ministry.

20 And they having heard [it] glorified God, and said to him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of the Jews who have believed, and all are zealous of the law.

21 And they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews among the nations apostasy from Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children, nor walk in the customs.

22 What is it then? a multitude must necessarily come together, for they will hear that thou art come.

23 This do therefore that we say to thee: We have four men who have a vow on them;

24 take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved; and all will know that [of those things] of which they have been informed about thee nothing is [true]; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law.

25 But concerning [those of] the nations who have believed, we have written, deciding that they should [observe no such thing, only to] keep themselves both from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication.

26 Then Paul, taking the men, on the next day, having been purified, entered with them into the temple, signifying the time the days of the purification would be fulfilled, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

27 And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, set all the crowd in a tumult, and laid hands upon him,

28 crying, Israelites, help! this is the man who teaches all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and has brought Greeks too into the temple, and profaned this holy place.

29 For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.

30 And the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people; and having laid hold on Paul they drew him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;

32 who, taking with him immediately soldiers and centurions, ran down upon them. But they, seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, ceased beating Paul.

33 Then the chiliarch came up and laid hold upon him, and commanded [him] to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he might be, and what he had done.

34 And different persons cried some different thing in the crowd. But he, not being able to know the certainty on account of the uproar, commanded him to be brought into the fortress.

35 But when he got upon the stairs it was so that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd.

36 For the multitude of the people followed, crying, Away with him.

37 But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?

38 Thou art not then that Egyptian who before these days raised a sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins?

39 But Paul said, *I* am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people.

40 And when he had allowed him, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people; and a great silence having been made, he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

22 Brethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you.

And hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the 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, educated according to [the] exactness of the law of [our] fathers, being zealous for God, as *ye* are all this day;

who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women;

as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.

And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me.

And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And *I* answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, *I* am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom *thou* persecutest.

But they that were with me beheld the light, [and were filled with fear], but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me.

10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do.

11 And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.

12 And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews who dwelt [there],

13 coming to me and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And *I*, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him.

14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth;

15 for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

16 And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.

17 And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy,

18 and saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

19 And *I* said, Lord, they themselves know that *I* was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee;

20 and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.

21 And he said to me, Go, for *I* will send thee to the nations afar off.

22 And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live.

23 And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air,

24 the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him.

25 But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood [by], Is it lawful for you to scourge a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned?

26 And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art *thou* a Roman? And he said, Yes.

28 And the chiliarch answered, *I*, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But *I* was also [free] born.

29 Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

30 And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty [of the matter] why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.

23 And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day.

But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.

Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And *thou*, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?

And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?

And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.

But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, *I* am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: *I* am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.

And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.

And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel …

10 And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.

11 But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.

12 And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.

13 And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;

14 and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.

15 Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.

16 But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.

17 And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.

18 He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee.

19 And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?

20 And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.

21 Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee.

22 The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.

23 And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

24 And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,

25 having written a letter, couched in this form:

26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.

27 This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman.

28 And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;

29 whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds.

30 But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.]

31 The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,

32 and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.

33 And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.

34 And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,

35 he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.

He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus(A) and Secundus from Thessalonica,(B) Gaius(C) from Derbe, Timothy(D) also, and Tychicus(E) and Trophimus(F) from the province of Asia.(G) These men went on ahead and waited for us(H) at Troas.(I) But we sailed from Philippi(J) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,(K) where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

On the first day of the week(L) we came together to break bread.(M) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room(N) where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man(O) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”(P) 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread(Q) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.(R) 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus(S) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,(T) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,(U) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.(V)

17 From Miletus,(W) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders(X) of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,(Y) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.(Z) 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears(AA) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.(AB) 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything(AC) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews(AD) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance(AE) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.(AF)

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,(AG) not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me(AH) that prison and hardships are facing me.(AI) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;(AJ) my only aim is to finish the race(AK) and complete the task(AL) the Lord Jesus has given me(AM)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.(AN)

25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(AO) will ever see me again.(AP) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(AQ) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(AR) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(AS) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(AT) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](AU) which he bought(AV) with his own blood.[b](AW) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(AX) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(AY) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(AZ) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(BA) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(BB)

32 “Now I commit you to God(BC) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(BD) among all those who are sanctified.(BE) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(BF) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(BG) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(BH) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(BI) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(BJ) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(BK)

On to Jerusalem

21 After we(BL) had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia,(BM) went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.(BN) We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. We sought out the disciples(BO) there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit(BP) they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.(BQ) After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

We continued our voyage from Tyre(BR) and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters(BS) and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea(BT) and stayed at the house of Philip(BU) the evangelist,(BV) one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.(BW)

10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus(BX) came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says,(BY) ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind(BZ) the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”(CA)

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die(CB) in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”(CC) 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up(CD) and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”(CE)

15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem.(CF) 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea(CG) accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus(CH) and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters(CI) received us warmly.(CJ) 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James,(CK) and all the elders(CL) were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles(CM) through his ministry.(CN)

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous(CO) for the law.(CP) 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses,(CQ) telling them not to circumcise their children(CR) or live according to our customs.(CS) 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.(CT) 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites(CU) and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved.(CV) Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”(CW)

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.(CX)

Paul Arrested

27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,(CY) 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”(CZ) 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus(DA) the Ephesian(DB) in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,(DC) they dragged him(DD) from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.(DE)

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound(DF) with two(DG) chains.(DH) Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,(DI) and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(DJ) 35 When Paul reached the steps,(DK) the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”(DL)

Paul Speaks to the Crowd(DM)

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks,(DN) he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness(DO) some time ago?”(DP)

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus(DQ) in Cilicia,(DR) a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned(DS) to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[c]:(DT) 22 “Brothers and fathers,(DU) listen now to my defense.”

When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,(DV) they became very quiet.

Then Paul said: “I am a Jew,(DW) born in Tarsus(DX) of Cilicia,(DY) but brought up in this city. I studied under(DZ) Gamaliel(EA) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.(EB) I was just as zealous(EC) for God as any of you are today. I persecuted(ED) the followers of this Way(EE) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,(EF) as the high priest and all the Council(EG) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates(EH) in Damascus,(EI) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.(EJ) I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,(EK) whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light,(EL) but they did not understand the voice(EM) of him who was speaking to me.

10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’(EN) 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.(EO)

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me.(EP) He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.(EQ) 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors(ER) has chosen you to know his will and to see(ES) the Righteous One(ET) and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness(EU) to all people of what you have seen(EV) and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized(EW) and wash your sins away,(EX) calling on his name.’(EY)

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem(EZ) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance(FA) 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison(FB) and beat(FC) those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[d] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’(FD)

21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ (FE)

Paul the Roman Citizen

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him!(FF) He’s not fit to live!”(FG)

23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks(FH) and flinging dust into the air,(FI) 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(FJ) He directed(FK) that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”(FL)

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29 Those who were about to interrogate him(FM) withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,(FN) in chains.(FO)

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.(FP) So the next day he released him(FQ) and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin(FR) to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin(FS) and said, “My brothers,(FT) I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience(FU) to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias(FV) ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.(FW) Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!(FX) You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”(FY)

Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[e](FZ)

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees(GA) and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,(GB) I am a Pharisee,(GC) descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”(GD) When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,(GE) and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees(GF) stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,”(GG) they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”(GH) 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.(GI)

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!(GJ) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”(GK)

The Plot to Kill Paul

12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy(GL) and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.(GM) 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.(GN) 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin(GO) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks(GP) and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,(GQ) sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin(GR) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.(GS) 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty(GT) of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.(GU) They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[f] to go to Caesarea(GV) at nine tonight.(GW) 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”(GX)

25 He wrote a letter as follows:

26 Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency,(GY) Governor Felix:

Greetings.(GZ)

27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him,(HA) but I came with my troops and rescued him,(HB) for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.(HC) 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.(HD) 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law,(HE) but there was no charge against him(HF) that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed(HG) of a plot(HH) to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers(HI) to present to you their case against him.

31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry(HJ) go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.(HK) 33 When the cavalry(HL) arrived in Caesarea,(HM) they delivered the letter to the governor(HN) and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,(HO) 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers(HP) get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard(HQ) in Herod’s palace.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son
  3. Acts 21:40 Or possibly Hebrew; also in 22:2
  4. Acts 22:20 Or witness
  5. Acts 23:5 Exodus 22:28
  6. Acts 23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.