Not

But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.

…and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.

Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.

Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.

But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”

I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.

For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.

I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.

Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.

My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

…and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”

“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

But in order not to delay you any further, I beg your indulgence to hear us briefly.

Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.

At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia

When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.

But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

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

“Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well.”

But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.

After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.

But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship.

…and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’

So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.

But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.

When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

The leaders replied, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

For God does not show favoritism.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

…you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.

No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”

Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!

What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

…and the way of peace they have not known.”

Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.

Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.