APPEAL TO CAESAR

25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.f 2 The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,g 3 asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.h 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”

6 When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in.i 7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove.j 8 Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,k nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,l replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?”

10 Paul replied, “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. 11 If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”m

12 Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

KING AGRIPPA AND BERNICE VISIT FESTUS

13 Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14 Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There’s a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned.n 16 I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone upA before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.o 17 So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils I was expecting. 19 Instead they had some disagreementsp with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. 20 Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor,* I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”

“Tomorrow you will hear him,” he replied.q

PAUL BEFORE AGRIPPA

23 So the next day, Agrippa and Bernicer came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. 24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.a 25 I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.b 26 I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”

PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE AGRIPPA

26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.c 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.d 6 And now I stand on trial because of the hopee in what God promisedf to our ancestors, 7 the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.g 8 Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.h 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them.i 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme.j Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

PAUL’S ACCOUNT OF HIS CONVERSION AND COMMISSION

12 “I was traveling to Damascus underk these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic,A ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’l

15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.m 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to themn 18 to open their eyeso so that they may turnB from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’p

19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.q 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take placer—23 that the Messiah would suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”s

AGRIPPA NOT QUITE PERSUADED

24 As he was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You’re out of your mind,t Paul! Too much study is driving you mad.”

25 But Paul replied, “I’m not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I’m speaking words of truth and good judgment.u 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak boldly to him. For I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice, since this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe.”

28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?”C

29 “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty,D not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.”a

30 The king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, 31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, “This man is not doing anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”b

32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”c

SAILING FOR ROME

27 When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment.A,d 2 When we had boarded a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, intending to sail to ports along the coast of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.e 3 The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care.f 4 When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast* of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 After sailing through the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.g 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 Sailing slowly for many days, with difficulty we arrived off Cnidus. Since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone. 8 With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.

PAUL’S ADVICE IGNORED

9 By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of AtonementC,h was already over, Paul gave his advice 10 and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.i 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Cretej facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

STORM-TOSSED SHIP

13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island. 15 Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda,D we were barely able to get control of the skiff. 17 After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along. 18 Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day.k 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.

21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss. 22 Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by mel 24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.m 26 But we have to run aground on some island.”n

27 When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be a hundred twenty feetA deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feetB deep. 29 Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come. 30 Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow. 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.

33 When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing. 34 So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”a 35 After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.b 36 They all were encouraged and took food themselves. 37 In all there were 276 of us on the ship.c 38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.

SHIPWRECK

39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they could.d 40 After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach. 41 But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.

42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore.e

MALTA’S HOSPITALITY

28 Once safely ashore, wef then learned that the island was called Malta.g 2 The local peopleh showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”i 5 But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.j 6 They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.k

MINISTRY IN MALTA

7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.l 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.

ROME AT LAST

11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin GodsA as its figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast,B we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and sistersm and were invited to stay a week with them.

And so we came to Rome. 15 Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we entered Rome,C Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.n

PAUL’S FIRST INTERVIEW WITH ROMAN JEWS

17 After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.a 18 After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.b 19 Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar;c even though I had no charge to bring against my people. 20 For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”d

21 Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”e

THE RESPONSE TO PAUL’S MESSAGE

23 After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.f 24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.g

25 Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement:A “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to yourB ancestors through the prophet Isaiah 26 when he said,

Go to these people and say:

You will always be listening,

but never understanding;

and you will always be looking,

but never perceiving.

27 For the hearts of these people

have grown callous,

their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,

understand with their heart

and turn,

and I would heal them.C,h

28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”*

PAUL’S MINISTRY UNHINDERED

30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of Godi and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldnessj and without hindrance.

ROMANS