This

So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

…explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.

On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.

Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”

“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.

But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear your complaint.

At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.

Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.

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.

When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.

For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”

After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had arranged this because he was going there on foot.

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

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

When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

…crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

…crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

…crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,

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!”

…the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”

At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

More than forty of them were involved in this plot.

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

So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

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

This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,

When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.

In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.

We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.

In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

…unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.

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.

I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry I may have something to write.

…the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

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.”

On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

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

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.

After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

The rest were to follow on planks and various parts of the ship. In this way everyone was brought safely to land.

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.”

After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.

So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

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

Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.

This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

…through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”

What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

…as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

…do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.