Acts 26:24-27:12

New International Version

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(A) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(B) is driving you insane.”

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent^(C) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things,^(D) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(E)

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(F)

³⁰ The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice^(G) and those sitting with them. ³¹ After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”^(H)

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free^(I) if he had not appealed to Caesar.”^(J)

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we^(K) would sail for Italy,^(L) Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.^{(M) 2} We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia,^(N) and we put out to sea. Aristarchus,^(O) a Macedonian^(P) from Thessalonica,^(Q) was with us.

³ The next day we landed at Sidon;^(R) and Julius, in kindness to Paul,^(S) allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.^{(T) 4} From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.^{(U) 5} When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia^(V) and Pamphylia,^(W) we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship^(X) sailing for Italy^(Y) and put us on board. ⁷ We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course,^(Z) we sailed to the lee of Crete,^(AA) opposite Salmone. ⁸ We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

⁹ Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement.^[a](AB) So Paul warned them, ¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”^{(AC) 11} But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. ¹² Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete,^(AD) facing both southwest and northwest.