Acts 21-28
Darby Translation
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.
2 And having found a ship passing over into Phoenicia, we went on board and sailed;
3 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.
4 And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
5 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.
6 And having embraced one another, we went on board ship, and they returned home.
7 And we, having completed the voyage, arrived from Tyre at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained one day with them.
8 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.
9 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.
2 And hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more quiet; and he says,
3 *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;
4 who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women;
5 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.
6 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.
7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And *I* answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, *I* am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom *thou* persecutest.
9 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.
2 But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.
3 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?
4 And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?
5 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.
6 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.
7 And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
8 For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.
9 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.
24 And after five days came down the high priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator called Tertullus, and laid their informations against Paul before the governor.
2 And he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse, saying, Seeing we enjoy great peace through thee, and that excellent measures are executed for this nation by thy forethought,
3 we receive [it] always and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 But that I may not too much intrude on thy time, I beseech thee to hear us briefly in thy kindness.
5 For finding this man a pest, and moving sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a leader of the sect of the Nazaraeans;
6 who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we also had seized, [and would have judged according to our law;
7 but Lysias, the chiliarch, coming up, took [him] away with great force out of our hands,
8 having commanded his accusers to come to thee;] of whom thou canst thyself, in examining [him], know the certainty of all these things of which we accuse him.
9 And the Jews also joined in pressing the matter against [Paul], saying that these things were so.
10 But Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered, Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge to this nation, I answer readily as to the things which concern myself.
11 As thou mayest know that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
12 and neither in the temple did they find me discoursing to any one, or making any tumultuous gathering together of the crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;
13 neither can they make good the things of which they now accuse me.
14 But this I avow to thee, that in the way which they call sect, so I serve my fathers' God, believing all things which are written throughout the law, and in the prophets;
15 having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust.
16 For this cause I also exercise [myself] to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men.
17 And after a lapse of many years I arrived, bringing alms to my nation, and offerings.
18 Whereupon they found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult. But it was certain Jews from Asia,
19 who ought to appear before thee and accuse, if they have anything against me;
20 or let these themselves say what wrong they found in me when I stood before the council,
21 [other] than concerning this one voice which I cried standing amongst them: I am judged this day by you touching [the] resurrection of [the] dead.
22 And Felix, knowing accurately the things concerning the way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the chiliarch is come down I will determine your affair;
23 ordering the centurion to keep him, and that he should have freedom, and to hinder none of his friends to minister to him.
24 And after certain days, Felix having arrived with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee;
26 hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him.
27 But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.
25 Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,
3 asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.
4 Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.
5 Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.
6 And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:
8 Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.
9 But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?
10 But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as *thou* also very well knowest.
11 If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.
13 And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,
15 concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:
16 to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.
17 When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought:
18 concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as *I* supposed;
19 but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.
20 And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?
21 But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar.
22 And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer.
25 But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him;
26 concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write:
27 for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.
26 And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching out his hand answered in his defence:
2 I count myself happy, king Agrippa, in having to answer to-day before thee concerning all of which I am accused by the Jews,
3 especially because thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life then from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews,
5 who knew me before from the outset [of my life], if they would bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand to be judged because of the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 to which our whole twelve tribes serving incessantly day and night hope to arrive; about which hope, O king, I am accused of [the] Jews.
8 Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead?
9 *I* indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean.
10 Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prisons many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote.
11 And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And, being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to cities out [of our own land].
12 And when, [engaged] in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests,
13 at mid-day, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me.
14 And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against goads.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, *I* am Jesus whom *thou* persecutest:
16 but rise up and stand on thy feet; for, for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in,
17 taking thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom *I* send thee,
18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
19 Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;
20 but have, first to those both in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the nations, announced that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 On account of these things the Jews, having seized me in the temple, attempted to lay hands on and destroy me.
22 Having therefore met with [the] help which is from God, I have stood firm unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which both the prophets and Moses have said should happen,
23 [namely,] whether Christ should suffer; whether he first, through resurrection of [the] dead, should announce light both to the people and to the nations.
24 And as he answered for his defence with these things, Festus says with a loud voice, Thou art mad, Paul; much learning turns thee to madness.
25 But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness;
26 for the king is informed about these things, to whom also I speak with all freedom. For I am persuaded that of these things nothing is hidden from him; for this was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 And Agrippa [said] to Paul, In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
29 And Paul [said], I would to God, both in little and in much, that not only thou, but all who have heard me this day, should become such as *I* also am, except these bonds.
30 And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them,
31 and having gone apart, they spoke to one another saying, This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been let go if he had not appealed to Caesar.
27 But when it had been determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered up Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion, by name Julius, of Augustus' company.
2 And going on board a ship of Adramyttium about to navigate by the places along Asia, we set sail, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 And the next day we arrived at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and suffered him to go to his friends and refresh himself.
4 And setting sail thence we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 And having sailed over the waters of Cilicia and Pamphylia we came to Myra in Lycia:
6 and there the centurion having found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy, he made us go on board her.
7 And sailing slowly for many days, and having with difficulty got abreast of Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete abreast of Salmone;
8 and coasting it with difficulty we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near to which was [the] city of Lasaea.
9 And much time having now been spent, and navigation being already dangerous, because the fast also was already past, Paul counselled them,
10 saying, Men, I perceive that the navigation will be with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.
11 But the centurion believed rather the helmsman and the shipowner than what was said by Paul.
12 And the harbour being ill adapted to winter in, the most counselled to set sail thence, if perhaps they might reach Phoenice to winter in, a port of Crete looking north-east and south-east.
13 And [the] south wind blowing gently, supposing that they had gained their object, having weighed anchor they sailed close in shore along Crete.
14 But not long after there came down it a hurricane called Euroclydon.
15 And the ship being caught and driven, and not able to bring her head to the wind, letting her go we were driven [before it].
16 But running under the lee of a certain island called Clauda, we were with difficulty able to make ourselves masters of the boat;
17 which having hoisted up, they used helps, frapping the ship; and fearing lest they should run into Syrtis and run aground, and having lowered the gear they were so driven.
18 But the storm being extremely violent on us, on the next day they threw cargo overboard,
19 and on the third day with their own hands they cast away the ship furniture.
20 And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no small storm lying on us, in the end all hope of our being saved was taken away.
21 And when they had been a long while without taking food, Paul then standing up in the midst of them said, Ye ought, O men, to have hearkened to me, and not have made sail from Crete and have gained this disaster and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good courage, for there shall be no loss at all of life of [any] of you, only of the ship.
23 For an angel of the God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me this night,
24 saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted to thee all those that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore be of good courage, men, for I believe God that thus it shall be, as it has been said to me.
26 But we must be cast ashore on a certain island.
27 And when the fourteenth night was come, we being driven about in Adria, towards the middle of the night the sailors supposed that some land neared them,
28 and having sounded found twenty fathoms, and having gone a little farther and having again sounded they found fifteen fathoms;
29 and fearing lest we should be cast on rocky places, casting four anchors out of the stern, they wished that day were come.
30 But the sailors wishing to flee out of the ship, and having let down the boat into the sea under pretext of being about to carry out anchors from the prow,
31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these abide in the ship *ye* cannot be saved.
32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall.
33 And while it was drawing on to daylight, Paul exhorted them all to partake of food, saying, Ye have passed the fourteenth day watching in expectation without taking food.
34 Wherefore I exhort you to partake of food, for this has to do with your safety; for not a hair from the head of any one of you shall perish.
35 And, having said these things and taken a loaf, he gave thanks to God before all, and having broken it began to eat.
36 And all taking courage, themselves also took food.
37 And we were in the ship, all the souls, two hundred and seventy-six.
38 And having satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea.
39 And when it was day they did not recognise the land; but they perceived a certain bay having a strand, on which they were minded, if they should be able, to run the ship ashore;
40 and, having cast off the anchors, they left [them] in the sea, at the same time loosening the lashings of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the strand.
41 And falling into a place where two seas met they ran the ship aground, and the prow having stuck itself fast remained unmoved, but the stern was broken by the force of the waves.
42 And [the] counsel of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim off and escape.
43 But the centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim, casting themselves first [into the sea], to get out on land;
44 and the rest, some on boards, some on some of the things [that came] from the ship; and thus it came to pass that all got safe to land.
28 And when we got safe [to land] we then knew that the island was called Melita.
2 But the barbarians shewed us no common kindness; for, having kindled a fire, they took us all in because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
3 And Paul having gathered a [certain] quantity of sticks together in a bundle and laid [it] on the fire, a viper coming out from the heat seized his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer, whom, [though] saved out of the sea, Nemesis has not allowed to live.
5 *He* however, having shaken off the beast into the fire, felt no harm.
6 But *they* expected that he would have swollen or fallen down suddenly dead. But when they had expected a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, changing their opinion, they said he was a god.
7 Now in the country surrounding that place were the lands belonging to the chief man of the island, by name Publius, who received us and gave [us] hospitality three days in a very friendly way.
8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay ill of fever and dysentery; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed and laid his hands on him cured him.
9 But this having taken place, the rest also who had sicknesses in the island came and were healed:
10 who also honoured us with many honours, and on our leaving they made presents to us of what should minister to our wants.
11 And after three months we sailed in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian, with [the] Dioscuri for its ensign.
12 And having come to Syracuse we remained three days.
13 Whence, going in a circuitous course, we arrived at Rhegium; and after one day, the wind having changed to south, on the second day we came to Puteoli,
14 where, having found brethren, we were begged to stay with them seven days. And thus we went to Rome.
15 And thence the brethren, having heard about us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.
16 And when we came to Rome, [the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but] Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who kept him.
17 And it came to pass after three days, that he called together those who were the chief of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, Brethren, *I* having done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, have been delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18 who having examined me were minded to let me go, because there was nothing worthy of death in me.
19 But the Jews speaking against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to accuse my nation of.
20 For this cause therefore I have called you to [me] to see and to speak to you; for on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain about me.
21 And they said to him, For our part, we have neither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor has any one of the brethren who has arrived reported or said anything evil concerning thee.
22 But we beg to hear of thee what thou thinkest, for as concerning this sect it is known to us that it is everywhere spoken against.
23 And having appointed him a day many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded, testifying of the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from early morning to evening.
24 And some were persuaded of the things which were said, but some disbelieved.
25 And being disagreed among themselves they left; Paul having spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Esaias the prophet to our fathers,
26 saying, Go to this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive.
27 For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
28 Be it known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; *they* also will hear [it].
29 [And he having said this, the Jews went away, having great reasoning among themselves.]
30 And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging, and received all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly.
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