Study Desk

But Festus, because he wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?"

But Paul said, "I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

concerning whom when I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.

To them I replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met his accusers face to face and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation.

Therefore, when they had assembled here, I made no delay; on the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and gave orders for the man to be brought.

But when Paul appealed that he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar."

For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him."

So Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended his hand and began to defend himself:

having known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that in accordance with the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.

And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads!'

But get up and stand on your feet, because for this reason I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both to the things in which you saw me and to the things in which I will appear to you,

For the king knows about these things, to whom also I am speaking freely, for I am not convinced that these things in any way have escaped his notice, because this was not done in a corner.

And Paul replied, "I pray to God, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who are listening to me today may become such people as I also am, except for these bonds!"

And on the next day, we put in at Sidon. And Julius, treating Paul kindly, allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for.

And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board it.

And because the harbor was unsuitable for spending the winter in, the majority decided on a plan to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing toward the southwest and toward the northwest, to spend the winter there.

But when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and with not a little bad weather confronting us, finally all hope was abandoned that we would be saved.

And now I urge you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life from among you, but only of the ship.

For this night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve came to me,

saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar, and behold, God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.'