Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) longer form Chapters 36-42 - Chapter 39 (continued)
Therefore, we regard no man in the mortal sense. Though we once regarded Christ in the mortal sense, we no longer do. Therefore, if any man lives for Christ, he is a new creature and the old has passed away; behold, everything has been renewed. And everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling everyone to himself, no longer holding their sins against them; and hath committed to us the message of reconciliation. And so we are ambassadors for Christ, and God is reaching out to you through us, as we pray in Christ's name, that you are reconciled to God. For God had appointed Him, who had no sin, to stand for our sins; that we might find the righteousness of God through Him.
We then, as workers for His cause, beg you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (For He had said, "I heard you when the time was right, and in the day of salvation have I helped you. Behold, now is that time; behold, now is the day of salvation.") Causing no offense in any way, that the ministry could be blamed for. But in all things exemplifying ourselves as true ministers of God, through great patience enduring injury, hardship and distress, in lashings, in imprisonments, in riots, in hard work, in sleepless nights, in hunger; through purity, knowledge, persistence, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and sincere love, through the word of truth, the power of God, and the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise; Through accusations of deceit while remaining true; ignored, even though we are known; near death, and yet we live on; punished, but not killed; somber, yet always rejoicing; poor, but enriching others; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Oh Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you, our heart is opened to you. You are not held back by us, but you hold yourselves back. Now for the sake of fairness, (and I speak to you as my children), open your hearts as well.
Do not be tied with unbelievers, for what partnership does righteousness have with unrighteousness? What fellowship does light have with darkness? And what harmony does Christ have with the Devil? What does a believer share in common with an infidel? And what agreement does the temple of God share with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God had said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." "Therefore step away from them, and stand apart", said the Lord, "And do not touch unclean things, and I will receive you", "And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters", said the Lord Almighty. So with these promises, my friends, let's wash ourselves clean of all filth of body and mind, perfecting holiness in awe of God.
Accept us, for we have hurt no man, corrupted no man, deceived no man. I don't say this to condemn you, since I've told you already that you're in our hearts whether we live or die with you. I speak with great boldness to you, and the great pride I have in you comforts me, bringing me great joy through all our hardship.
For when we had arrived in Macedonia, we had no rest, and we were assailed from all side; with conflict around us and fear within us. Nevertheless, God, Who comforts those those who are downcast, comforted us through the arrival of Titus; and not only through his arrival, but by the news of how he was comforted by you; his telling us of your sincere desire, your sorrow, your eagerness to see; such that I rejoiced even more. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not regret it, although I was sorry that this epistle had brought you sorrow, even though it was temporary. Now I rejoice, not that you were saddened, but that your sadness led to repentance for it was brought upon you as God's will, and that you were not harmed in any way. For sorrow delivered in God's name brings the repentance that leads to salvation, and is not to be regretted, unlike the sorrows of the world that bring death. For see what this Godly sorrow has manifested in you; what focus it has brought in you, what desire to be pure, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what readiness to punish evil! In all these things you have shown yourselves to innocent in this regard. Therefore, though I had written to you, I did not do it to show who had done wrong, or who had suffered, but that our concern for how you are viewed by God would be apparent to you. Therefore, we were comforted by your understanding, even more grateful for the joy felt by Titus, because of how his spirit was restored by all of you. For if I have boasted of anything to him about you, I am not ashamed; but just as we have always been truthful to you, so was our boasting, made to Titus, nothing but the truth. And his deep affection for you only grew, as he remembered your obedience, and how you received him with fear and trembling. I therefore rejoice that I have trust in you in all things.
So, brothers, we'll tell of how God has bestowed his grace on the Macedonian churches. How, though severely suppressed, their overflowing joy and deep poverty produced incredible generosity. I recall that they gave up all they had, and even more than they had! They prayed and prayed that we would receive God's gift, join the fellowship, and minister to the saints. They did this, not because we hoped it. First they gave themselves to God, and to us by God's will. In that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, he would also finish you in the same grace. Therefore, as you have much of everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, and love to us, see that you have much of this grace too.
I do not speak by commanding, but by the occasional forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For you know the boundless generosity of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, he for your sakes became poor, so that you, through his poverty, could be rich. And here I give my advice, for this is quick to you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now, therefore, perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which you have. For if there is first an open mind, it is accepted according to what that man has, and not to what he does not have. For I do not mean that other men be eased, and you burdened, but by an equality, so now your abundance may be a supply for them, that their abundance may also be a supply for you so there may be equality As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing extra, and he who gathered little had no lack."
But thanks are to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. For he accepted the incitement, but being more forward, he went to you of his own free will. And we have sent the brother with him, whose praise is in the gospel in all the churches. And not only that, but who was also chosen from the churches to travel with us with this amazing generosity, which we administer to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind. Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this surplus which we administer, providing for honesty, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we have sent our brother with them, who we have often proven diligent in much, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence I have in you. Whether any inquire of Titus, he is my partner and volunteer concerning you or our brethren be asked of, they are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. Why show yourself to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
For as touching the ministering is to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know the directness of your minds, which I boast of to those in Macedonia, and how Achaia was served a year ago; and how your zeal had inspired so many. Still I have sent the brothers, so that our boasts about you in this regard would not have been in vain; namely, as I had said, that you are ready. Otherwise if any of the Macedonians were to come with me, and find you unprepared, we (as opposed to you) would be ashamed of having boasted like that. Therefore, I considered it necessary to reach out to the brothers, that they would go to you in advance, and prepare with you in advance against the unexpected, that you would be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
Because I tell you this; he who sows sparingly reaps sparingly, and he who sows bountifully reaps bountifully. Every man should give as his heart compels him to; not grudgingly, or out of necessity, because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to cause all forms of grace to come upon you; so that you, always having what you need, may continue to do good works (as it is written, "He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor his everlasting righteousness. Now He who provides seed to the sower accordingly provides bread for your food, and multiplies what you have sown, and increases the fruits of your righteousness;) being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which brings through us thanksgiving to God. For the fulfillment of this service not only meets the needs of the saints, but is abundant in its thanksgivings to God; while by the testing of this ministry they glorify God for your proclaimed dedication to the gospel of Christ, and for your generous sharing among them, and to all men; and by their prayer for you, which long after you for the surplus grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His gratitude.
Now I myself, Paul, ask you in the humble and gentle manner of Christ, being lowly in your presence despite being bold when away. But I ask you, since I don't have to bold when I'm present, because I think I'll have to be toward some who act as if we live by the flesh. Although we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war for the flesh. (Our weapons of warfare are not sinful, but are made so mighty by God that they can destroy fortresses). Casting down speculation, and every lofty opinion held against the knowledge of God, and capturing every thought towards obedience to Christ; and being ready to punish all disobedience, once your obedience has been pledged.
Do you only judge by appearances? If any man believes himself to be in Christ's service then let him reconsider this, since, as he is in Christ's service, so are we. For while I claim more authority in this regard, which the Lord had bestowed on us for your benefit rather than your detriment, I am not ashamed that I am not the terrifying figure you would have expected based on my letters. "His letters", they would say, "are grave and powerful; but in person he is meek, and his speech contemptible". These people should understand, then, that as we appear in our writings from afar, we will act in person if we are here. For we do not dare to number or compare ourselves with those who praise themselves by their own standards, for those who rate themselves only against each other are unwise.
But we will not boast of things beyond our measure, but rather by the standards which God has given to use, a standard that applies to you as well.
For we do not exceed our mandate in reaching out to you, and in coming as far as this place to preach the Gospel of Christ. Not boasting of things beyond our mandate, that is, of other mens' effort; but in the hope, when your faith grows, that we will have grown with you in proportion to our own effort, to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast of the works accomplished by others. But he who boasts, let him boast of the Lord. For it is not the one who praises himself that is righteous, but the one who is praised by the Lord.
God willing, please bear with me a bit in my recklessness, and continue to do so For I covet you in God's name, and betrothed you in marriage to one husband, presenting you like a sanctified virgin to Christ. Yet I fear that, as the serpent beguiled Eve with his trickery, so also your minds might be corrupted away from the simplicity of Christ. For if someone comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you hear of another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might stand firm with Him. For I suppose that I am no less than the leading apostles. But though I be self-promoting in speech, not so in knowledge; we have made everything crystal clear to you.
Have I done something wrong in lowering myself in order to elevate you, because I preached the good news of God as a gift to you? I robbed other churches by taking payment from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and I was in need, I didn't financially burden any man, because the church members from Macedonia provided me what I was lacking. I have in all regards kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do so. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man in all of Achaia will stop me from boasting of this. Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do.
But I will do what I must, in order to deny the opportunity to those who would seize it, as if they are equal to us in what they take pride in. They are false apostles, deceitful workers, posing as apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for even Satan himself poses as an angel of light. So it's no great surprise that Satan's ministers also pose as the ministers or righteousness; what they get in the end will be according to their works.
Again I say, don't think I'm being foolish, but if you do, listen to this fool anyway, so I can boast about myself a little. When I'm speaking, I don't do it as the Lord would, but rather as fool might, because of my boasting from faith. Since many people take pride in worldly things, I will take some pride too. For you tolerate fools easily, considering yourselves to be wise. You even put up with it if a man enslaves you, steals from you, takes all you have, looks down on you, or even hits you in the face. It’s a shame, as though we had been weak.
However, if others are bold, I will be bold too. (There I go again, speaking foolishly.) Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I’m speaking craziness again, but I am more of one. I do more work than they do, I’ve been beaten more than they have, I’ve spent more time in prison, and I’ve faced death more times than they have. Five times, I received 39 lashes from the Jews. I’ve been beaten with rods three times, I’ve been stoned once, I’ve been shipwrecked three times. I spent a night and a day floating at sea. I've traveled often, in danger of drowning, of robbers, of my own countrymen, of gentiles, in the city, in the wilderness, at sea, and from those who deceitfully claim to be church members. I've worked in fatigue and pain, without sleeping, in hunger and thirst without any food, in the cold without clothing. On top of all those things, what weighs on me daily is my concern for all the churches. Who can be weak without making me feel weak? Who can stumble without making me burn?
If I really need to boast, I will boast regarding my weaknesses. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damacenes in order to capture me. But I escaped his hands by being let down the wall through a window in a basket.
Boasting, though not helpful, is necessary. I will now come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a follower of Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up to the third heaven (whether in the body or out of the body, I can't tell; God only knows) And I know that this man (whether in the body or out of the body, I can't tell; God only knows) was snatched up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which man is not allowed to say. I will boast about someone like that, but I won't boast about myself except my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I wouldn't be a fool; I'd be telling the truth. But I will hold back, so that no man will think of me other than what he sees or hears in me. And so that I wouldn't become unsufferably proud by having received such an abundance of revelations, I was given a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to beat me down so that I wouldn't be insufferably proud. Regarding this thing, I asked the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He told me, "My grace is enough for you; my strength is perfected in weakness." So I will gladly take pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmity, in criticism, in hardship, in persecution, and in distress for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong.
I have made a fool of myself over this boasting; you have made me do this, even though I should have been commended by you. For in no way am I lesser than the leading apostles, though I am a nobody myself. Truly the evidence of being an apostle were shown to you through patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For was there any way in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I wasn't a burden to you as well? Forgive me for this wrong.
See, for the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you for I seek nothing of yours. You as the children should not have to support the parents, rather the parents should support the children. And I will very gladly spend and expend myself on your behalf; even though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved in return. But be that as it may, I did not burden you; nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of the men I had sent to you? I had chosen Titus, and I sent a brother along with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
Again, do you think we're defending ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your benefit. For I fear, however, that when I come, I won't find you as I expect, and that you will regard me likewise, leading to debate, envy, anger, strife, recrimination, gossip, arrogance and fights. And I fear, that when I come again, God will humble me before you, and that I shall grieve over the many who have already sinned, and who have not repented of the filth, depravity and lechery that they have committed.
So this is the third time I have come to you. Every word will be established by two or three witnesses. Today I tell you, as I have told you before; I tell those who have sinned that if I come again I will not have mercy. Each of you seeks proof that Christ speaks from within me, which is not weak but mighty to you. Perceiving that he was crucified through weakness, we yet know that he lived by the power of God. We also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God.
Hasten to understand yourselves, whether or not you have faith; prove yourselves. If you do not know yourselves, how will you know that Jesus Christ is in you? Each of you I trust is not a reprobate. Now I pray to God that none of you do evil acts; not for the sake of being approved, but so that you do that which is honest, despite being a reprobate. For we cannot act against the truth, only in support of it. For we are glad, when we are weak but you are strong, and we wish continue to wish for this, and for your perfection. Therefore, I write these things while being absent, because if I were present I might be more harsh, per the authority the Lord has bestowed on me for purposes of edification and not destruction.
Brethren, farewell. Be perfect, of good comfort, of one mind, and live in peace. Do these things and the God of love and peace will be with you. Great each other with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you.
May the grace of Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.
Forty
| Chapter 40 | Bible texts |
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About that time, in Asia Minor there arose no small stir concerning the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. Not only is there danger that this our trade will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.” When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the public amphitheater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel. When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples did not allow him. Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them did not know why they had come together. They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people. But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we would not be able to give an account of this commotion.” When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia. When he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece. When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. These men accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week, Sunday, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech to midnight. Among them was Luke, a physician from Antioch. There were many lights in the upper room where we were gathered together. A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third floor, and was taken up dead. Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted. When Paul had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even to the break of day, he departed. But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene across from Pergamum. Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the Presbyters of the Assembly. When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all humility with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, Teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. But these things do not count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God. “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you Episcopes, to shepherd as guardians the Assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver, or gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. When we had departed from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo. Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way to where we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed. After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day. On the next day, we, who were Paul’s companions, departed, and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, 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.” When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.” The Holy Spirit had revealed what would happen to him, but had not forbidden Paul to go. Those at Tyre in Syria and these, knowing in the Spirit what would happen to him, had done to him as Peter had done to Jesus, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.” Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem for the sake of the Joyful Proclamation of God. After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay. When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the Presbyters were present. When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry. They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law of Moses. They have been informed about you, that you Teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. What then? The Assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law of Moses. But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.” Paul obeyed them, submitting himself to their authority in all humility. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purified himself and went with them into the Temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, before the offering was offered for every one of them. When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the Temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who Teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law of Moses, and this Place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the Temple, and has defiled this Holy Place!” For they had seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the Temple. All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the Temple. Immediately the doors were shut. As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment in the Antonia fortress that all Jerusalem was in an uproar, rioting. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done. Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he could not find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks. When he came to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!” As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, “May I speak to you?” He said, “Do you know Greek? Are you not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?” But Paul said, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, “Brothers and Fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.” When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky. I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’ “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me. I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’ When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. One Ananias, a devout man according to the law of Moses, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him. He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ “When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the Temple, I fell into a trance, and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’ I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’ “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ” They listened to him up to the moment he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he is not fit to live!” As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air, the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that. When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?” When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!” The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and withdrew, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him. But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the restraints, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them. Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience to this day.” The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?” Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?” Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written,
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the confident expectation and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God!” When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, “Courage, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.” When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink before they had killed Paul. There were more than forty men who had made this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing before we have killed Paul. Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.” But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you.” The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him quietly, “What is it that you have to tell me?” He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink before they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.” So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.” (This corresponds to 9 P.M., twenty-one hundred hours military time.) He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. He wrote a letter like this:
So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace. After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul. When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this nation, we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But, that I do not delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the Temple, and we arrested him and would have judged him according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took him out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so. When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. In the Temple they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city. Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law of Moses, and which are written in the prophets; having confident expectation toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. Now after some years, I came to bring alms, gifts for the needy, to my nation, and offerings; amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the Temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’ ” But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.” He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him. But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” Meanwhile, he also confidently expected that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore, also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. Two years passed. About this time the Apostle Peter wrote the following encyclical letter to the assemblies that Paul had established:
In Rome, at first Nero revealed only gradually and secretly his insolence, lust, extravagance, greed and cruelty. They were not merely youthful mistakes. There was no doubt that they were faults of his character. During Nero’s reign a great many public abuses were suppressed by imposing heavy penalties, and among the novel enactments were sumptuary laws limiting private expenditure, the substituting of simple cash disbursements for public banquets, and a decree affecting wine shops restricting the food sold in them to green vegetables, dried beans and similar stuffs, where before all kinds of tasty snacks had been displayed. He gave an immense variety of entertainments: youth games, chariot races in the Roman Circus, stage plays, a gladiatorial show. The series of plays devoted to the hope of his reigning forever he called “the Great Games”. He made four hundred senators and six hundred of the equestrian class, equites, many of them rich and respectable, do battle in the arena, and some had to fight wild beasts and perform various duties about the ring. He staged a naval battle on an artificial lake of salt water which had large sea creatures swimming in it; also ballets and competitions of poetry and oratory. Throughout the games all kinds of gifts were scattered to the people: one thousand assorted birds daily, quantities of food parcels, vouchers for grain, clothes, gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, paintings, slaves, transport animals, trained wild beasts, and for ships, blocks of income tenements and farms. Merchants dealt in cargoes of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine four and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is human souls. When he judged a case, he preferred to defer his judgment to the following day, and then gave it in writing. He ruled that a case should not be presented whole, first by one side, then the other, but that every relevant charge be debated separately. He made each of his judicial advisors write out an opinion on a problem of law instead of consulting them openly, withdrew to study and consider these documents in private, then came to his own conclusion, and passed it off as a majority opinion. He ordered his consuls to read certain of his speeches sent for the Senate’s information, going over the heads of the quaestors, whose business it should have been. He considered a scheme for extending the city wall as far as Ostia, and cutting a canal which would allow ships to sail straight up to Rome; but neither of these plans was realized. In the time of Nero, Vespasian, a general, of the obscure Flavii family, in great consternation after he was forbidden access to the court, and asking those about him what he should do, or where he should go, one of those whose office it was to introduce people to the emperor, on thrusting him out, bid him go to Morbonia, to “Plagueville”. |
Acts 19:23–24:27 Compare
List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca) Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament The Works of Flavius Josephus William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com) Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus (roman-emperors.org) Eutropius: Breviarium - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org) Cassius Dio: Roman History Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu) Early Christian Writings A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com) Archaeology and the Book of Acts John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187 pdf
CHRONOLOGY OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT See the following articles:
"Asiarchs"
"On the first day of the week, Sunday, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread"
"Among them was Luke, a physician from Antioch."
"the Holy Spirit has made you Episcopes, to shepherd as guardians the Assembly of the Lord and God"
"Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears."
"They all, with wives and children
"...pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads.
"Gamaliel"
"be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord"
"God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!"
"I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest."
"a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes ... after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers ..."
"...believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets"
"Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials ... may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ
"even though it is tested by fire...do not be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice"
"Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ"
"If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear"
"the useless way of life handed down from your fathers"
"precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world"
"All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls"
"to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God"
"Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed."
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light"
"no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
"who did not sin, 'neither was deceit found in his mouth.'"
"baptism which saves you now"
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?"
"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
"She who is in Babylon..."
"Eusebius the Christian historian states that Peter’s first letter was composed in Rome, witnesses testifying that he indicated this city figuratively with the words, ‘Your sister church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark.’ "
"equestrian class, equites" see the following:
"the genius of the emperor"
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Compare the Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):
At the same time, no small dispute arose about the Way:
A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Artemis, brought no small profit to the local craftsmen. He called them together with other silversmiths, and said, "Gentlemen, you know that by this trade we have our livelihood and our business. Furthermore, you can see and hear, that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all of Asia Province, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that there are no such things as gods made with hands. Not only is our craft in danger of having its market ruined, but the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being disrespected, and her magnificence of being destroyed--and all of Asia Province and the Roman world worships her!"
When they heard these things that he said, they were full of rage, and cried out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Then the city was filled with confusion. Then they rushed with one accord into the theater and captured Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's traveling companions. When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the students wouldn't let him. Certain of the leading men of Asia Province, who were his friends, sent messages to him, asking him not to take his chances in the theater. And so some were crying out one thing, and some another, because the assembly was confused. Most of them did not even know why they had come together. They dragged Alexander out of the crowd, when the Jews put him forward. Alexander motioned with his hand, and was about to make his defense to the people. When they realized that he was a Jew, everyone with one voice cried out for two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Then the town clerk calmed the people down, and said, "Men of Ephesus, does any man exist who does not know that the city of the Ephesians worships the great goddess Artemis, and the image that fell out of the sky? So if you realize that these things can't be spoken against, you should be quiet, and take no rash actions! You have brought these men here, who are neither church-robbers or blasphemers of your goddess. So if Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have a case against any man, then the Forum is open, and the magistrates are available, so they can plead their case to them. But if you are inquiring about other matters, then let that be determined by a lawful assembly. We could all be arrested for this day's work, because we have no just cause by which we can excuse this riot."
When he had delivered that message, he dismissed the assembly.
After the riot had stopped, Paul called the students (of Christ) to him, embraced them, and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone over those parts of the country, and had given them a great deal of exhortation, he came into Greece. He stayed there for three months. Then when the Jews lay in wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he decided instead to return through Macedonia. The following men traveled with him there into Asia Priovince: Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychichus and Trophimus of Asia Province. These people, traveling ahead, were waiting for us at Troas. We sailed away from Philippi after the Passover season, and came to these men in Troas in five days. We stayed there for another seven days.
On the first day of the week, when the students came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart the next day. He continued speaking until midnight. There were many lights shining in the upper room when they were gathered together. A certain young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window, having fallen into a deep sleep. As Paul continued preaching for a long time, he sank down with sleep, and fell down from a three-story height and was taken up dead. Paul went down, and fell on him, and embraced him. He said, "Don't disquiet yourselves; he's still alive."
Then Paul came up again, and broke bread, and talked for a long time, until daybreak, and then he left. They brought the young man in alive, and were not a little relieved. He [Eutychus] went ahead to a ship, and sailed to Assos, intending to join Paul: he had decided to do just that, and even to walk.
When he met us at Assos, we let him join us, and came to Mitylene. We sailed from there, and came the next day toward Chios. On the next day we arrived at Samos, and stayed at Trogyllium, and the next day we came to Miletus. Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus. He did not want to spend the time in Asia Province, because he was in a hurry, if it were possible, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
From Miletus he sent letters to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. When they had come to him, he told them, "You know, from the first day that I came into Asia Province, the way that I have been with you in all seasons,...serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with tears, and testings, which happened to me by the ambush of the Jews,...and how I held back nothing that would be useful to you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,...testifying, to the Jews and the Greeks, repentance toward God,l and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now look here: I am bound in the spirit to go to Jerusalem, and I don't know what's going to happen to me there,...except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions always happen to me. But none of these things can faze me, nor do I reckon my life dear to myself. I'm going to finish my course, and the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
"Now listen carefully: I know that all of you, among whom I have gone to preach the kingdom of God, will never see my face again. So bear witness this day: I am clean from the blood of all men. I have not shrunk back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. So pay attention to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the church of God, that He purchased with His Own Blood. I know this: as soon as I leave, some ravenous wolves will enter in among you, and won't spare the flock. And even among yourselves men will arise, speaking twisted things, to draw students of Christ away after him. So watch out, and remember, that for three years I never stopped warning everyone, night and day with tears. Now, brothers, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which can build you up, and give you an inheritance among all of those that are sanctified. I have never coveted any man's silver or gold or apparel. In fact, you yourselves know that these hands have worked for my necessities, and for them who were with me. I have showed you all things, how that, working in this way, you should support the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
When he had delivered this address, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. They all wept bitterly, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him. They were sad most of all on account of these words that he spoke: that they would never see his face again. And they walked with him to the ship.
It came to pass that after we had gotten away from them, and our ship had put out, we came directly to Coos, and the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. We found a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, went aboard, and embarked. When we had discovered Cyprus, we passed it on our port, and sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, which was where the ship was scheduled to unload. We found some students of Christ, and stayed there for seven days. The students said to Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
When we had finished those days, we left and went on our way. They all brought us on our way, with their wives and children, until we were out of the city. Then we knelt on the shore and prayed. When we had said our good-byes to one another, we got on a ship, and they went home again.
When we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and said hello to the brothers, and stayed with them for one day. The next day those members of Paul's company left and came to Caesaria, and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. This man had four daughters, all never-married, who used to prophesy.
While we were staying there for several days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, "The Holy Spirit says this: the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt in just this way, and will hand him over to the Gentiles."
When we had heard these things, we and the members of the household both pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not merely to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus."
When he would not be dissuaded, we stopped, saying, "The Lord's will be done."
After those days we packed up our bundles and went up to Jerusalem. Some of the Christ-students of Caesaria went with us, and brought with them a man named Mnason of Cyprus, a mature student, with whom we intended to stay. When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
The next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had said hello to them, he reported in detail what things God had worked among the Gentiles by his ministry. When they heard it, they gave glory to the Lord, and told him, "You can see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, all of whom are zealous for the Law. They are informed from you, that you are teaching all the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they shouldn't circumcise their children or walk after the customs. So what should we do? The crowd will have to come together. They will hear that you have come back. So do as we say: We have four men who have a vow on them. Take them, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses, so that they can shave their heads. That way, everyone may know that those rumors that they were told about you are false, and in fact you yourself walk in an orderly fashion, and keep the Law.
"Now about the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, except that they abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from strangled foods, and from sexual immorality."
Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them and entered the Temple, to signal the fulfillment of the days of purification, until an offering should be made for each man among them. When the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia Province, when they saw him in the Temple, incited all the people, and laid violent hands on him. They cried out, "Men of Israel, help! This is that man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people, and the Law, and this place! And furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the Temple and polluted this holy place!"
(They had previously seen an Ephesian named Trophimus with him, and got a notion into their heads that Paul had brought him into the Temple.) The whole city was moved, and the people were running together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. As they were about to kill him, reports came to the Roman tribune and commander of the garrison of Jerusalem that all of Jerusalem was running riot. He immediately took some soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. When they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
Then the tribune came near, and arrested him, and ordered him bound with chains. He then demanded to know who he was and what he had done. Some men cried out one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he could not learn the truth for all the commotion, he ordered him brought into the Fortress of Antonia. When he reached the stairs, the people were so violent that he was being carried by the soldiers. The crowd of people were following after him, crying, "Away with him!"
As Paul was about to be led into the fortress, he said to the tribune, "May I speak to you?"
The tribune said, "Can you speak Greek? Aren't you that Egyptian who earlier incited a riot and led four thousand cutthroats out into the desert?"
But Paul said, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no undistinguished city. I am asking you as a favor: let me speak to the people."
When the tribune had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps, and motioned with his hand to the people. When a great silence fell, he said these words to them in Aramaic:
"Men, brothers and father, hear my defense that I am now making to you!"
(When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they quieted down still more. So he said:) "I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to a strict interpretation of the Law of the father, and was zealous toward God, as are all of you today. I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and delivering men and women into prisons. The High Priest can tell you, as can the entire council of elders. I also received from them letters to the brothers, and went to Damascus, to bring those who were there to Jerusalem under arrest, to be punished. And then this happened: as I was on my journey, and had come close to Damascus at about the noon hour, suddenly a great light from heaven shown all around me. I fell to the ground, and heard a Voice saying to me, 'Saul Saol why are you persecuting Me?' And I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He told me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom you are persecuting.' And those who were with me also saw the light, and were afraid, but they didn't hear the Voice of the One Who spoke to me. And I said, 'What must I do, Lord?' And the Lord told me, 'Get up, and go into Damascus. There you will be told all the things that are appointed for you to do.' Then when I couldn't see on account of the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
"A man named Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, who had a good report from all the Jews who were living there,...came to me, and stood, and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And in that very moment I could look up at him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know His will, and see that Just One, and hear the Voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, and call on the Name of the Lord.'
And it happened that when I had gotten back to Jerusalem, even while I was praying in the Temple, I was in a trance,...and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get quickly out of Jerusalem! They won't receive your evidence concerning Me.' And I said, 'Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You in every synagogue. When the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I was standing there, too, and going along with his death, and held the coats of those who killed him.'
"He told me, 'Depart. I am sending you far away from here to the Gentiles.'"
They listened to him until he said that word "Gentiles," and then they raised their voices, and said, "Rid the earth of a fellow like this! It is not fitting for him to live!"
As they were crying out, and throwing off their clothes and throwing dust into the air, the tribune ordered him brought into the fortress (of Antonia) and then ordered him interrogated under scourging, so that he would know why they were crying out in that way against him. As they were tying him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman citizen, and has not been convicted of any crime?"
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the tribune, saying, "Be careful what you are doing, Tribune! This man is a Roman citizen!"
Then the tribune came, and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?"
And he said, "Yes."
The tribune answered, "I bought my citizenship and paid handsomely for it."
And Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."
Then those who were about to interrogate him immediately left the room. The tribune was also afraid, after he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen, and he had had him chained.
The next day, because he wanted to know exactly what the Jews were accusing him of, he had him unchained. He then ordered the ranking priests and the entire Sanhedrin to assemble, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. Paul, looking the members of the Sanhedrin straight in the eye, said, "Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."
The High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. Paul then said back to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you going to sit there to judge me according to the law, and order me to be struck, contrary to that law?"
Those who were standing by his side said, "Are you insulting God's High Priest?"
Then Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the High Priest. Scripture does say, 'You must not speak ill of the ruler of your people.'"
Then when Paul realized that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out during the session, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of a Pharisee! And I am being judged here in a case arising out of the hope and resurrection of the dead!"
When he had said that, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the crowd was divided. The Sadducees insist that there is no resurrection, and no Messengers of God, and no spirit, while the Pharisees believe in all these things. So a great cry rose up, and the scribes belonging to the Pharisees' faction rose up and started an argument, saying, "We don't find anything wrong with this man! Maybe a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel!"
When a great dispute had arisen, the tribune, afraid that Paul might be torn to pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force from among them, and bring him back into the Fortress of Antonia. The next night, the Lord stood beside him, and said, "Cheer up! Just as you gave evidence about Me in Jerusalem, you must also give evidence in Rome."
When day came, some of the Jews conspired together, and swore a deadly oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men participated in this conspiracy. They came to the ranking priests and elders, and said, "We have sworn an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. So we want you, by order of the Sanhedrin, to signal the tribune that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as if you want to inquire more closely about him. We are ready to kill him before he ever comes close."
When Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the fortress, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, "Bring this young man to the tribune; he has something to tell him."
So he took him and brought him to the tribune, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."
Then the tribune took him by the hand, and went with him aside in private, and asked him, "What is it that you have to tell me?"
And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, as if they wanted to inquire into his case more closely. But don't yield to them! More than forty men are lying in ambush for him. They have sworn a terrible oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him, and now they are ready, looking for a promise from you."
So the tribune allowed the young man to leave, and ordered him, "Do not tell any man that you have laid this information with me."
Then he summoned two centurions, and gave them these orders: "Have two hundred infantrymen ready to go to Caesaria, and seventy cavalrymen, and two hundred spearmen, three hours past sunset. Provide mounts for Paul to ride on, and bring him securely to Procurator Felix."
He then wrote a letter to this effect:
"From: Claudius Lysias. To: His Excellency Procurator Felix.
Sir: This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them. I then came with an armed force and rescued him, after I understood that he was a Roman citizen. When I wanted to know the cause that they were accusing him of, I brought him out into their Sanhedrin. Then I realized that he was accused on issues concerning their Law, and was accused of no capital or even arrestable offense. Then I was informed that the Jews were lying in ambush for the man. So I sent him directly to you, and gave orders to his accusers to make their case against him to you. Sincerely, [Claudius Lysias, Tribune]."
Then the soldiers, acting on their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. The next day they left the cavalry to go with him, and returned to the Fortress of Antonia. The cavalrymen, when they came to Caesaria, and delivered the letter to the procurator, also presented Paul before him. When the procurator had read the letter, he asked from what province he came. When he understood that Paul came from Cilicia, he said, "I will hear you when your accusers have also come."
And he ordered him kept in Herod (the Great)'s Praetorium.
After five days, High Priest Ananias came down, with the elders and with a certain rhetorician named Tertullus, who pleaded the case against Paul before the procurator. When he was recognized, Tertullus began to accuse Paul, saying, "Given that by you we enjoy great peace, and that very worthy things are done for this nation by your providence,...we accept it always, and in all places, Your Excellency Felix, with all thankfulness. Still, so that I might not try Your Excellency's patience any further, I ask that you would grant us the clemency of hearing a few words. We have found this man to be a troublemaker, a creator of division among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. In fact he has even set about profaning the Temple. And so we arrested him."
[The rest of the verse is an interpolation] But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, [This verse is an interpolation.]
"If you would examine him yourself, you will understand all the things that we accuse him of."
The Jews also agreed, saying that these things were true.
Then Paul, after the procurator motioned to him to speak, answered, "Given that I realize that you have been for many years a judge for this nations, I now even more cheerfully answer for myself: So that you may understand, it has been only twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship,...and they have never found me in the temple arguing with any man, or inciting the people to riot, not in the synagogues, nor in the city. Nor can they prove the things that they are now accusing me of. But I confess this to you: that after the Way that they call a heresy, I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets: and have hope toward God, a thing that they themselves also grant, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, just and unjust. In this I exercise myself: always to have a conscience clear of offense toward God and toward men. Now after many years, I came back to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. And when I did, certain Jews from Asia Province found me properly purified in the Temple, neither with a large crowd, nor associated with any riot. They should have come here ahead of me to object, if they had anything against me. Or else: why don't these same men say right here, whether they found me guilty of any wrongdoing, when I stood before the Sanhedrin,...unless it is just one thing that I cried out while standing among them: that I stood accused on account of the resurrection of the dead."
When Felix heard these things, because he knew much more about the Way than they did, he put them off, and said, "When Tribune Lysias comes down, I will hear your case in full."
He ordered a centurion to guard Paul, and to let him have full privileges, and forbid none of his acquaintances to wait on him or come to him.
A few days later, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard from him about faith in Christ. While he was debating about righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, "Go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you. Felix also hoped that someone would give him a bribe to free Paul. So he sent for him that much more often, and held converse with him.
From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christs, to the chosen refugees among the elect scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen by foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, by obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be upon you many times over.
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose abundant mercy we have the hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, one that will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. You are kept by the power of God through faith, to a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. You greatly rejoice in that, although now for a little while, if need be, you suffer injury through various trials, so that the proof of your faith, which is much more precious than gold (which is perishable even if it is examined under fire), might be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, Whom, though you have never seen Him, you love, and in Whom, though you do not see HIm now, but still believe, you rejoice with joy that is indescribable and fully glorious. You receive the purpose of your faith, which is the salvation of your souls. The prophets have inquired and searched diligently about that salvation, and prophesied about the grace that should come to you, searching out what time, or what kind of time, the Spirit of Christ that was in them indicated, when it bore witness before to the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow. This was revealed to them, so that not to themselves, but to us they ministered the things now reported to you by those who have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Spirit, sent down from heaven. Even the angels would like to look into this.
So prepare your mind for battle, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, like obedient children, not living after the pattern of the lusts that you, in your ignorance, were used to feeling. He Who has called you is Holy, so you be holy in all types of conversation. As it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
And if you call on the Father, Who judges according to every man's deeds without regard to who he is, then pass the time of your journey here in fear. To the extent that you know that you were not bought with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your empty conversation that you received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish and without spot. In fact he was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was shown plainly in these last times for you. By Him you believe in God, Who raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.
Given that you have cleansed your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit into genuine love of the brothers, make sure that you love one another fervently and with a clean heart. You are born again, not from a corruptible seed, but from an incorruptible one: by the Word of God, Which lives and abides forever. Because: "All flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away. But the Word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the Word that by the gospel is preached to you.
So: laying aside all malice, and all trickery, and hypocrisies, and envious thoughts, and all evil speaking, like newborn babies, you should desire the sincere milk of the Word, so that you may grow in it. If you have learned from experience that the Lord is gracious, coming to HIm as you would come to a living stone, in fact rejected by men but chosen by God, and precious, then you also, as living stones, are built on a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. That is why it is also contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, chosen and preciouis, and he who believes on Him will never be put to shame." Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to them who are disobedient, "the stone that the builders rejected, is now the chief cornerstone," and "a stone for stumbling, and a rock to cause men to sin." But you are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people into possession, that you should show forth the praises of Him Who has called you" out of darkness into His marvelous light. In the past, you were not a people. But now you are the people of God. You had not obtained mercy, but now you have obtained mercy.
Beloved, I beg of you as refugees and pilgrims, abstain from the lusts of the flesh, that make war against the soul. Have honest conversation among the Gentiles, so that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they might, by your good works, which they will see, glorify God in the Day of Visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or to governors, as to those sent by the king to punish evildoers, and for the praise of those who do well. That is the will of God, that by doing well, you can put the ignorance of foolish men to silence, like free men, and not using your liberty as a cloak for maliciousness, but like the servants of God.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. You house servants, subject yourselves to your masters with all fear, not only to good and gentle masters, but also to those who are less than honest. This is a blessing, if a man, for a conscience toward God, endures grief and suffers wrongfully. What glory can you have if, when you are harassed for things that are your fault, you take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for that, you take that patiently, this is acceptable with God. For you were called even to this: because Christ also suffered for us, and left us an example, so that we should follow in His steps: "He did no sin, nor was any guile found in His mouth." And when he was reviled, he did not revile back. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to Him Who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins on His own body on the tree, so that we, being dead to sins, might live to righteousness. By His stripes we are healed. You were like sheep going astray, but have now been returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
In the same way, wives should be subject to their own husbands, so that, if anyone does not obey the Word, they also might, even without the Word, be won by the conversation of the wives, when they see your chaste conversation tempered with fear. Wives should not adorn themselves merely outwardly, with hair-dos, gold jewelry, and apparel, but instead the hidden man of the heart, in something that cannot be corrupted, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which God finds very precious. In fact, in the old times the holy women, who trusted in God, used to adorn themselves in this way, and were in subjection to their own husbands. Sarah obeyed Abraham, and called him "lord." You are her daughters, as long as you do well, and are not afraid with the sort of thing that arouses ordinary fear.
In the same way, husbands should live with them according to understanding, giving honor to the wife, as they would to the weaker vessel, and understanding that you are heirs together of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be held back.
Finally, you should be all of one mind, and have compassion for one another. Love as brothers, full of pity, and courteous. Do not return evil for evil, or railing for railing. To the contrary, render blessing, knowing that you are called to this, so that you will inherit a blessing. For: "Let him who wishes to love life, and see good days, restrain his tongue from speaking evil, and his lips from speaking any guile. Let him avoid evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and make an effort for it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the just, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord turns against those who do evil." And what kind of person can truly hurt you, if you are followers of the good? On the other hand, if you suffer for the cause of justice, be happy, and don't be afraid of their fearsome aspect, or be troubled. Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be always ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a question about the hope that you have in you with meekness and fear. Have a good conscience, so that, whereas they speak ill of you, as they would of evildoers, they who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ will be ashamed of themselves. If it's God's will that you suffer, better to suffer for doing well than for doing ill. For Christ has also suffered—once—for sins, the Just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but revived in the Spirit.
By that Spirit he also went and preached to other imprisoned spirits. These spirits were disobedient, while God was patiently waiting in the days of Noah, while he was building his Ark, in which a few souls—eight, to be exact—were saved by water. Today, baptism also saves us, the antitype of Noah and his family (not putting away the filth of the flesh, but having an answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has gone into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God. Messengers and authorities and powers are made subject to him.
Just as Christ has physically suffered for us, prepare yourselves mentally just as He did: for anyone who suffers physically is released from sin, so that he no longer lives out his life in the physical lusts of men, but abides by God's will. We have moved beyond our pasts when we imitated the Gentiles by pursuing lasciviousness, lusts, material excess, partying, feasting, and hateful idolatries. They ostracize you if you do not pursue the same riotous living, and will speak badly about you; they will be accountable to He who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the Gospel was preached even to the dead, so that they might be judged according to the living, and come alive in God's Spirit.
But the end of all is near: sober up, and keep a prayerful watch. Above all have earnest charity with each other, for charity can compensate for many sins. Be hospital to each other without complaint. As every man has received the gift, nevertheless minister it each other, as good stewards of the abundant grace of God. If any man speaks, he ought to speak according to the Word of God, and if any man does any sort of dustman's service, let him do that according to his God-given abilities, so that God might have glory in all things through Jesus Christ, to Whom be praise and lordship for ever and ever.
Beloved, do not suppose that the test-by-fire that is about to test you is some kind of strange thing that has happened to you. Be glad about it—glad to participate in Christ's sufferings, so that when His glory is revealed, you may be exceedingly glad yourselves. If you are insulted on account of the Name of Christ, you can be happy about that, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. But make sure that none of you suffer for being a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or a busybody in other people's business. Yet if you suffer for being a Christian, don't be ashamed of that. Rather, glorify God for this. For the time is at hand in which a verdict must be handed down, beginning with the house of God. If it first begins with us, what will be the fate of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And: "If the just will be saved with difficulty, then where will the ungodly and the sinners appear?" So let those who suffer at the will of God trust Him, in well-doing, as one trusts a faithful Creator, to keep their souls.
I exhort the elders among you (for I am an elder myself, a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and a participant in the glory that will be revealed): Feed the flock of God among you, not by constraint, but willingly according to God, and not with greed for material gain, but with readiness and zeal, and not as if you were lords of the heritage, but fellow members of the flock. And when the ranking Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will not fade away.
Likewise, you new men, submit yourselves to the elders. In fact all of you should subject yourselves to one another, and be clothed in humility. "God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble." So humble yourselves under the strong Hand of God; He will exalt you all in good time. Throw all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.
Be sober, and be on the lookout. Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat! Resist him steadfastly in the faith, and know that the same afflictions are fulfilled in your brothers that are in the world. But may the God of all grace, Who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered for a while, cleanse you, establish you, strengthen you, and found you. To him be the rulership for ever and ever.
By Silas, a faithful brother to you, as I reckon him, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
The church at Babylon, chosen together with you, salutes you, and so does my son Marcus.
Greet one another with a kiss of charity. May peace be with all of you in Christ.
Forty-one
| Chapter 41 | Bible texts |
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While Paul was in prison, James the Episcopos of Jerusalem wrote the following encyclical letter:
Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way. However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. “Let them therefore”, said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.” When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.” But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?” But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.” Now when some days had passed, King Herod Agrippa the Second and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. (This Agrippa was the son and successor of the same Herod Agrippa the First who killed James the brother of John with the sword, and whom the angel struck down because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died.) As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. When therefore they had come together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept, before I send him to Caesar.” Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the Place of Hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write to the Lord Nero. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write. For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.” Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. Now I stand here to be judged for the confident expectation of the promise made by God to our fathers, which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, confidently expect to attain. Concerning this expectation I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead? “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 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 an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the Temple, and tried to kill me. Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.” As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Your great learning is driving you insane!” But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these fetters and chains.” The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them. When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of chains.” Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board. In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast of Yom Kippur had now already gone by, Paul admonished them, and said to them, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul. Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore. But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon, a Mediterranean typhoon or nor'easter. When the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat. After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to undergird the hull and help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along. As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard. On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all confident expectation that we would be saved was now taken away. When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night a messenger, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore, sirs, take heart! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me. But we must run aground on a certain island.” But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land. They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms. Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight. As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off. While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you continue fasting, in suspense, having taken nothing. Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.” When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat. Then they all cheered up, and they also took food. In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it. Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves. The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape. But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land; and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land. When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.” However he shook off the creature into the fire, and was not harmed. But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days. The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him. Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured. They also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed. After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead on the bow was “The Divine Twin Brothers”, Castor and Pollux, the Gemini. Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. From there we circled around, making a compass of the coast, and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli, where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. From Rome the brothers, when they heard of us, came south to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage. So we came to Rome. When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation. For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the expectation of Israel I am bound with this chain.” They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning to evening. Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. When they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers, saying,
“Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. They will also listen.” When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves. |
James Compare
List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca) Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament The Works of Flavius Josephus William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com) Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus (roman-emperors.org) Eutropius: Breviarium - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org) Cassius Dio: Roman History Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu) Early Christian Writings A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com) Archaeology and the Book of Acts John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187 pdf
CHRONOLOGY OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT See the following articles:
"coming down from the Father of lights"
"let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger"
"'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness'; and he was called the Friend of God."
"You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not by faith alone."
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom."
"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
"Your gold and your silver are corroded"
"You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous one. He does not resist you."
"call for the presbyters of the Assembly"
"he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
"I have no certain thing to write to the Lord Nero"
"...of the Augustan band" Acts 27:1.
"Castor and Pollux"
"From there we circled around, making a compass of the coast"
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Compare the Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):
From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered afar:
My brothers, chalk it up to joy when you face various trials; knowing that the testing of your faith gives you stamina. Continue to endure, so that you may perfect your stamina and desire nothing.
If any of you lack wisdom, then request it of God, who gives it freely to all men. Do not complain, and it shall be given you. But ask only in faith, without doubt. For he who waivers is like a wave of the sea tossed around by the wind. Such a man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. A man with a divided mind is unstable in all his ways.
Let the brother of the lowest status rejoice in being exalted. But the rich, in that he is lowered, because he will pass away as a dandelion does. For the sun no sooner rises with a burning heat before it withers the grass, and the dandelion falls, and its grace perishes; so too does the rich man fade away in his style.
Blessed be the man who survives temptation; when tried, he shall receive the prize of life, which the Lord promised to those who live him. Let no man claim when he is tempted, "I am tempted of God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt any man. But every man is tempted when he is carried away by his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust conceives, it brings forth sin; and sin, when consummated brings forth death.
Do not err, my dear brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of light, with whom nothing varies, not even shadows from turning. Of his own will he gave us the true facts, that we shall be special among his creatures. Hence, my dear brothers, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger: For the wrath of man does not serve God's righteousness. Thus set aside all the filth and superficiality of naughtiness, and accept with humility the implanted truth that is able to save your souls.
But you should be doers of the spoken truth, not merely hearers who deceive yourselves. For if any man is a hearer of the truth, and not a doer, then he is like a man who beholds his natural face in a mirror. He looks at himself, and then proceeds in his own way, immediately forgetting what he really is. But who recognizes the perfect law of liberty, and continues with it, does not forget what he hears and does the works, this man shall be blessed for his deed.
If any man among you seems religious, yet does not curb his speech, and does deceive his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father consists of the following: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and remain uncontaminated by the world
My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, to favor persons. If there comes into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in expensive clothes, and there also enters a poor man wearing rags; and you respect the man wearing the flashy clothes, and tell him, "Sit up front of all"; and say to the poor, "Stand in the back, or sit under the table"; Do you not favor yourselves, and become judges allowing evil thoughts? Listen up, my dear friends, has not God endowed the poor of this world with the richness of faith, and as heirs of the heaven that He promised to those who love him? Yet you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and sue you? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called? If you obey the rules of scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted for violating the law. For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet violates one part, is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, yet do murder, you become a violator of the law. So speak and also act as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he who has shown no mercy, will stand a merciless trial—and mercy rejoices against trial at law.
Of what use is it, my brothers, if a man says that he has faith, and has nothing to show for it? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked, and is not even sure where his or her next meal will come from, and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, and be warmed and filled," even though you did not give them the things that their bodies needed, what use is that? This shows that faith, if it has nothing to show for it, is dead, because it is alone. In contrast, a man might say, "You have faith, and I have deeds to show. Show me your faith with no deeds, and I will show you my faith through my deeds."
If you believe that there is one God, you are doing well. The demons believe, too, and tremble. But you, vain man, are you willing to realize that faith without deeds is dead? Wasn't our ancestor Abraham justified by his deeds, when he had offered his son Isaac on the altar? Do you see how faith worked itself out with his deeds, and by deeds faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to his account for righteousness, and he was called Friend of God." So you see that a man is justified by deeds, and not by faith alone. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by deeds, when she had received the messengers, and sent them out through a different door? For as the body without a spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is also dead.
Do not become many teachers, my brothers. Know that we will receive even more condemnation for that. For in many things we give offense to everybody. If any man never gives offense in word, that man must be a perfect man, and also able to restrain the whole body. Look: we put bits into the horses' mouths, so that they might obey us, and we turn their whole body around. Look also at the ships: although they are so large, and are driven by powerful winds, they can be turned about by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants the ship to go. In the same way the tongue is a little body part, and boasts great things. See how great a dispute a little fire will kindle! And the tongue is a fire, a world of injuustice. So is the tongue among our body parts, that it defiles the whole body, and sets fire to the course of nature, and it is set on fire from the place of everlasting fire. For every kind of dangerous wild animal, and bird, and snake, and creature of the sea, can be tamed, and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. We bless God with it, even the Father, and we curse men with it, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not work that way. Does a fountain send out both sweet and bitter water at the same place? Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives? Can a vine produce figs? In fact, no founntain can produce both salt water and fresh water.
Who among you is a wise man, endowed with knowledge? Let him show his deeds from good conduct with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, do not think yourself glorious, and do not lie against the truth. This wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and strife exist, there also exist confusion and every evil deed. But the wisdom that comes from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to ask something from, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of justice is sown in peace by them who make peace.
Where do war and fighting among you come from? Don't they come here from your own lusts that strive in your body parts? You want things very badly, and do not have them. You kill, and want to have, and cannot get. You fight and make war, but you don't have, because you won't ask. You ask, and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, for something to consume in your lusts. You adulterous people, don't you know that the friendship of the world is hostility with God? So whoever is a friend to the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that Scripture says for no reason, "The spirit that lives in us lusts toward envy?" But He gives more grace. To that end He says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you.
Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you. Clean your hands, sinners, and clean your hearts, double-minded ones. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Do not say bad things about one another, brothers. A man who says bad things about a brother, says bad things against the Law, and judges the Law. But if you just the Law, you are not obeying the Law, but trying to judge it. There is one Lawgiver, Who can save and destroy. Who are you to judge someone else?
Just a moment, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into some particular city, and stay there for a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," when you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what does your life amount to? It is no more than vapor, that appears for a little while, and then vanishes. So what you should say is, "Lord willing, we will live, and do this thing and that thing." But now you are rejoicing in your bragging. That kind of rejoicing is evil. So to him who knows how to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Wait just a moment, you rich men. Weep and howl for your miserable punishment that will come upon you. Your wealth is corrupt, and your expensive clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is rusted through, and their rust will be a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh as if it were fire. You have hoarded a treasure for the last days. Look! The wages of the workers who harvested your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cries out, and the cries of the reapers have been entered into the ears of the All-sufficient Lord. You have indulged yourselves on the earth, and been wanton. You have been nourishing your hearts, as one might in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed the just, and he does not resist you.
So be patient, brothers, for the Coming of the Lord. Look: the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and waits patiently for a long time for it, until the early rain and the latter rain fall. So you be patient, too. Make your hearts steady, for the Coming of the Lord is drawing very close. Do not bear a grudge against one another, brothers, if you do not want to be condemned. Look: the Judge is standing before the door.
Brothers, take the prophets, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord, as an example of how to suffer affliction, and of patience. Look: we count them happy who can last. You have heard about the patience of Job, and have seen the final plan of the Lord. The Lord is very full of pity, and of tender mercy.
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath. Let your "yes" be a "yes," and your "no" be a "no," if you do not want to fall into condemnation.
Is any man among you afflicted? He should pray. Is any man merry? He should sing psalms. Is any man sick among you? He should call for the church elders, and they should pray over him and rub him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, they will be forgiven him.
Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man will go a long way. Elijah was a man subject to the same passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that the rain might not fall. And it did not rain on the arth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced her fruit.
Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and anyone converts him, let him know, that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.
But after two years, Marcus Porcius Festus succeeded Felix in his office. Felix, wanting to show a favor to the Jews, left Paul in custody.
When Festus arrived in Judea Province, after three days he went up from Caesaria to Jerusalem. Then the High Priest and the leading men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and pleaded with him, and asked a favor against Paul, that he would send for him to come to Jerusalem. (They were lying in wait to kill him.) But Festus said in answer that Paul would be kept at Caesaria, and that he himself would depart shortly for that city. He told them, "So let those among you who are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if he has done anything wrong."
When he had stayed among them for more than ten days, he went down to Caesaria. The next day, sitting on his tribunal, he asked Paul to be brought forward. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood all around him, and laid many serious accusations against Paul, which they were not able to prove. For his part, Paul answered in his own behalf, "I have done nothing wrong, either against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or even against Caesar."
But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul in answer, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and answer these charges before me?"
Then Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's tribunal, where I have a right to be tried. I have done no wrong against the Jews, as you know very well. If I am guilty of any offense, or have committed any capital crime, I don't refuse to die. But if none of these things that they accuse me of are true, then no man is allowed to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar!"
Festus, after first conferring with his own advisers, answered, "Have you indeed appealed to Caesar? Then to Caesar you will go!"
After several days King Herod Agrippa II and his sister and consort Berenike II came to Caesaria to pay their respects to Festus. When they had been there for many days, Festus described Paul's case to the king. He said, "There is a certain man left in custody by Felix. When I was at Jerusalem, the leading priests and elders of the Jews informed me about him, and wanted to have a judgment against him. I answered them that it is not the Roman way to deliver any man to be executed, until the accused meets the accusers face to face, and is allowed to answer for himself about the crime laid against him. So when they had come here, the next day I sat on my tribunal without delay and ordered the man brought before me. His accusers stood up against him, and brought no accusation of the type that I had supposed that they would,...but had certain issues with him about their own superstition, and about one Jesus, Who was dead, except that Paul affirmed that He was alive. Because I didn't understand this kind of question, I asked him whether he would go up to Jerusalem and be tried on those charges there. But when Paul appealed to have his case reserved for a hearing before the Emperor, I ordered him kept until I might send him to Caesar."
Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself."
"Tomorrow," said Festus, "you will hear him."
The next day, Agrippa and Berenike came with great pomp, and entered into the courtroom, with the tribunes, and the leading men of the city, and at Festus' order, Paul was brought out. Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men present with us: You see this man. All the multitude of the Jews have pleaded with me about this man, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed no capital offense, and that he himself appealed to the Emperor, I have decided to send him. But I have no certain thing to write to the Emperor about thim. So I have brought him here before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after this examination, I might have something to write. Because it doesn't seem reasonable to send a prisoner and not write exactly what crime is laid against him!"
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself."
Then Paul reached out with his hand and answered for himself: "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, because I can answer for myself today before you all the charges that I am accused of by the Jews. Especially because I know that you are an expert in Jewish customs and legal issues. So I ask you to hear me patiently. My way of life, since I was a lad, which was at first among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know about. They knew me from the beginning, if they are willing to talk, that I lived as a Pharisee, a member of the strictest sect of our religion. Now I stand, and am being judged, for the hope and promise made by God to our fathers: to which promise our Twelve Tribes, who serve God day and night, hope to come. And on account of that hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should you find it incredible that God should raise the dead? I indeed considered to myself that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. I also did this thing in Jerusalem. I incarcerated many of the saints, after receiving authority from the leading priests. When they were put to death, I raised my voice against them. I punished them often in every synagogue, and forced them to blaspheme. I was extremely crazy with zeal against them, and persecuted them and chased them to foreign cities. On such an errand I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the leading priests. At mid-day, Your Majesty, I saw on the road a light from the sky, brighter even than the sun, shining all around me and around those who traveled with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a Voice speaking to me, saying in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It's rather hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. But get up, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose: to make you a servant and a witness both of the things that you have seen, and the things in which I will appear to you,...delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles. And now I send you to them,...to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by the faith that is in Me.'
"From that time forward, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but showed, first to those of Damascus, and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they needed to repent and turn to God, and do the kind of things most becoming of repentance. For these reasons the Jews caught me in the Temple, and set out to kill me. So now that I have had help from God, I am still alive today, bearing witness both to the small and the great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said should come: that Christ had to suffer, and that He should be the first to rise from the dead, and should show a light to the people, and to the Gentiles."
As he was defending himself in this way, Festus said loudly, "Paul, you are crazy! All your book-learning has driven you over the edge!"
But he said, "I am not crazy, Your Excellency Festus. I am speaking out the words of truth and soberness. The King knows about these things, and now I speak freely before him. Because I am convinced that none of these things are any secret to him, because this did not happen in any dark corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do!"
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you really expect me to become a Christian in such a short while?"
Then Paul said, "I would wish before God that not only you, but everyone hearing me today, would, in a little while and all the way, be what I am, except for these chains."
When he had so spoken, the king rose up, and the procurator, and Berenike, and those who were sitting with them. When they were gone to one side, they talked among themselves, and said, "This man has done nothing to deserve execution or imprisonment."
Then Agrippa told Festus, "This man might have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar."
When it was decided that we must sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and several other prisoners to an officer named Julius, a centurion of the Imperial cohort. After boarding a ship from Adramyttium, we launched, the plan being to sail near the coasts of Asia Province. A man named Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. The next day we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul with every courtesy, and gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself.
When we had put out from that place, we sailed to the leeward of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. When we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myrak, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. When we had sailed slowly for many days, and had scarcely come near to Cnidus (for the wind did not permit us), we sailed to the lee of Crete, near Salmone. After passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called the Fair Havens, near which lay the city of Lasea.
Much time had gone by, and sailing was now dangerous, because the fast had already passed. So Paul admonished them, saying, "Gentlemen, I'm afraid that this voyage will result in much injury and damage, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."
Nevertheless, the centurion believed the ship's captain and owner, more than the things that were spoken by Paul. Because the harbor was not a good harbor to spend the winter in, most of the men advised to leave that place as well, if they could possibly reach Phoenicia, and winter there. (This Phoenicia is a Cretan harbor, and lies toward the southwest and northwest.) When the south wind was blowing softly, because they thought that they had succeeded in their purpose, they cast off from there and sailed close by Crete.
But not long afterward a great storm wind, the Eurostorm, arose against the ship. When the ship was caught, and could not steer into the wind, we let her be driven. We ran in the lee of a certain island called Clauda, and with much hard work managed to get the lifeboat aboard. When they had taken the boat up, they used hawsers to undergird the ship. Then, in fear that they would fall into the Syrtis, they struck sail and scudded under a bare mast. We were being tossed with great violence by the storm. On the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw out the ship's tackle with our own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm lay upon us, we lost all hope that we should be saved alive.
But after we had abstained for a long time, Paul stood out in the middle of them, and said, "Gentlemen, you should have listened to me, and not cast off from Crete, and incurred this harm and loss. But I urge you now to cheer up. There will be no loss of any man's life among you; only the ship will be lost. Tonight a Messenger of God, to Whom I belong, and Whom I serve, stood beside me. He said, 'Don't be afraid, Paul. You must be brought before Caesar, and listen: God has given you all of those who are sailing with you.' So, gentlemen, cheer up. I believe God, and will be just as it was told to me, but we will have to be cast away on an island."
When the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven up and down in Adria, at about midnight the crew judged that they were drawing near to some land. They took a sounding, and found their depth 20 fathoms. When they had gone a little further, they took another sounding, and found their depth fifteen fathoms. Then, afraid that we might fall upon rocks, they deployed four drogue anchors at the stern, and wished for daylight. As the crewmen were about to desert the ship, when they had let down the lifeboat into the sea, under the pretext of deploying drogue anchors from the bow, Paul told the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."
Then the soldiers cut off the lifeboat's ropes and let her fall away.
When the day was breaking, Paul pleased with all of them to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have waited and fasted, and you have had nothing to eat! So please take some food. This is for your health. Not a hair will fall from any of your heads."
When he had so spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in front of them all. When he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they all cheered up and took some food. All of us in the ship numbered 276 souls. When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship some more by throwing the wheat into the sea.
When the day came, they did not know the land. But they discovered a certain creek with a beach, and decided, if they could, to run the ship aground on that beach. When they had taken up the drogue anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, and cut the lashes with which they had tied the tiller, and hoisted the mainsail into the wind, and steered toward shore. They then fell into a place where two seas met, and ran the ship aground. The bow stuck fast, and remained immobile, but the stern was broken with the violence of the waves. The soldiers' advice was to kill all the prisoners, so that none of them would be able to swim out and escape. But the centurion, who wanted to save Paul, stopped them from doing this, and ordered that anyone who could swim should dive into the sea first, and get to land, and the rest would make for land, some on boards, and some on broken fragments of the ship. And so it happened that we all escape safely to land.
After we escaped, we learned that the island we were on was called Malta. The natives of the island showed us no little kindness. They started a fire, and received every one of us, because it was raining and cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a snake came out of the heat and clamped onto his hand. When the natives saw the venomous snake hanging onto his hand, they said to themselves, "This man must be a murderer, and even though he escaped the sea, vengeance won't allow him to live."
But Paul shook the snake off into the fire, and suffered no injury. In fact, they looked at him and expected him to swell up, or fall down suddenly. After they had stared at him for a great while, and saw that he remained uninjured, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
In the same part of the island were the belongings of the island's governor, a man named Publius. He received us, and gave us lodging for three days with every courtesy. And as it happened, Publius' father was sick with a fever and a hemorrhagic discharge. Paul entered in to his house, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. When this was done, other people on the island who had diseases came, and were healed. They also honored us with many honors, and when we left, they gave us many necessary provisions.
After three months we left in a ship from Alexandria, which had spent the winter in the island, whose sign was the Gemini. We landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. From there we cast off and came to Rhegium, and after one day a south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli. There we found some brothers, and were asked to stay with them for seven days. And so we went toward Rome.
From Rome, when the brothers heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appiiforum, and Tres Tabernae. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage. When we came to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with one soldier to guard him.
It happened that after three days Paul called the leading men of the Jews together. When they had come together, he said to them, "Men and brothers, although I have done no wrong against the people, or the customs of our fathers, I was still delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they were willing to let me go, because they found no capital charge against me. But when the Jews spoke against it, I had to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything to accuse my nation of. So I have called you here for this reason: to see you, and to speak with you. For the hope of Israel I am under arrest."
They told him, "But we have received no letters from Judea concerning you, and nor have any of the brothers that came showed or spoken any harm from you. But we would like to hear from you what you think: because as for this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
When they had fixed a day, many came to him where he was staying. He expounded and testified to them the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, from the Law of Moses, and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some of them believed the things that were spoken, and some did not. When they disagreed among themselves, they left, after Paul had spoken one word: "The Holy Spirit spoke well by Isaiah the prophet to hour fathers, saying, 'Go to this people, and say, "Hearing you will hear, and not understand. Seeing you will see, and not perceive. For the heart of this people has grown heavy, and their ears are dull from hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they will not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them."' So understand this: the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it."
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. [This verse is an interpolation.]
Forty-two
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When Porcius Festus replaced Felix, the Jewish leaders accused him before Nero, and Felix would have been punished if his brother Pallas had not interceded. Meanwhile, Festus had to contend with the sicarii who were plundering Judea, and with assorted imposters, and with the controversy over a newly erected western wall of the Temple which blocked Roman surveillance. The priests built a high wall to block the Romans' view and that of King Agrippa the Second, who had the right to appoint high priests, and enjoyed watching activities inside the Temple as he dined high in the Hasmonean palace to the west. Both he and Festus ordered it demolished, but the Jews appealed to Nero. Poppaea, Nero’s wife, was sympathetic to the Jews and gained his permission to let the wall stand. While the Roman-Parthian War of A.D. 58 to 63 continued in the east into its second year, A.D. 60, Porcius Festus meanwhile remained procurator of Judea. That same year, Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, who had been preaching the Gospel of the Lord first in Parthia, and then in Ethiopia, suffered martyrdom in the latter country in the city of Nadabah, being slain with a halberd, a combined spear with axe-head, in A.D. 60. In A.D. 60 Nero appointed Galba governor of Nearer Spain, who served in that post for eight years. At this time in A.D. 60 or 61 a revolt in Britain was headed by Queen Boudicca, also called Boadicea. A monument to her and to her daughters who had been murdered by the Romans during the occupation and oppression of Britain stands in London to this day. Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house in Rome, A.D. 60 into A.D. 63, and received all who were coming to him, preaching God’s Kingdom, and Teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance. During this time Paul wrote the following letters:
Nero finally announced that his wife Octavia was barren, and divorced her. This act of divorcing Octavia in 62 made Nero so unpopular and caused so great a scandal that he banished Octavia. He was motivated also by his fear that his repudiated wife Octavia was fomenting disaffection at court and among the populace. Nero then stole Otho’s wife Sabina Poppaea. Twelve days after he had divorced Octavia, he married Poppaea, and finally murdered Octavia, having her executed in June A.D. 62 on a charge of adultery. Such was the state of affairs in that Babylon called Rome. Now about this same period, during the reign of Nero, the Roman-Parthian War of A.D. 58 to 63 was occurring. |
Josephus Antiquities 20.8.9-11 [182-195] Compare
List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca) Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament The Works of Flavius Josephus William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com) Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus (roman-emperors.org) Eutropius: Breviarium - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org) Cassius Dio: Roman History Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu) Early Christian Writings A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com) Archaeology and the Book of Acts John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187 pdf
CHRONOLOGY OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT See the following articles:
Paul's First Roman Imprisonment (biblecharts.org)
"That same year, Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, who had been preaching the Gospel of the Lord first in Parthia, and then in Ethiopia, suffered martyrdom in the latter country in the city of Nadabah, being slain with a halberd, a combined spear with axe-head, in A.D. 60. "
"Queen Boudicca"
"Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house"
"Onesimus, who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me."
"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him"
"and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"
"Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness"
"Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. ... And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"
"an ambassador in chains"
"episcopes and deacons"
"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
"to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away"
"I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ for his body’s sake, which is the Assembly"
"if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained ... I press on, if it is so that I may take hold ... I do not regard myself as yet having taken hold ... I press on toward the goal
"love, which is the bond of perfection"
"the letter from Laodicea"
"LETTER TO THE LAODICEANS"
"the Roman-Parthian War of A.D. 58 to 63 was occurring."
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Compare the Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):
Paul stayed for two full years in his own rented house, and received everyone who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, and no man forbade him.
Paul, in prison for Jesus Christ, and our brother Timothy, say to our friend and fellow volunteer Philemon, and to dear Apphia and our colleague Archippus, and to your home church.
God's grace to you, and peace of mind, from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God, as my prayers always do, hearing of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and all saints, that sharing your faith may be effective through acknowledging that every good thing comes from Christ Jesus. For we enjoy great joy and comfort from your love, because the hearts of believers are cheered by you, my brother. Though I could be so bold in the name of Christ to beg you to do what is right, Instead, for the sake of love I, Paul, urge you, in my old age and from prison for Jesus Christ. I beg you on behalf of my convert Onesimus, to whom I successfully witnessed while imprisoned; (which in the past was ineffective for you, but now is effective for you and for me) whom I have sent again: you should therefore accept him, for he is of my faith, who I would have kept with me, that he might have witnessed to other prisoners here the Gospel, instead of you. But without you, am I to do nothing? You must volunteer, not be forced into this work.
For he who departs for a season should still always be welcomed back. Not as a servant, but as more than a servant, a beloved brother, especially to me, but even more to you, both in this world and in the next? If you consider me a partner, treat him as you would treat me. If he has done some wrong to you, or owes you anything, I, Paul, have written with my own hand that I shall repay it, although I do not say how you owe me even your very self.
Colleague, let me have joy of you in the Lord: refresh my strength and faith in the Lord. I write to you because I am confident in your obedience, doing even more than I ask. But still, I ask you prepare me a lodging, for I believe that through your prayers, I shall be released and delivered to you. Epaphras, a colleague in prison for Christ Jesus, sends his best wishes; as do my colleagues Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
From Paul, one of Jesus Christ's apostles by God's will, to the Ephesian saints and those faithful to Jesus Christ:
Our Father God and Jesus Christ's grace and peace of mind be on you.
Blessed is God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ in the heavenly realm. Since He chose us to serve Him before the world began, that we would be holy and blameless and loving before Him, and in fact planned ahead of time to adopt us as His children through Jesus Christ, as He willed, which praises the glory of His grace, which He gave to us in the Beloved. We are redeemed by His blood, and forgiven our sin thanks to His rich grace, which He has give to us in His wisdom and prudence, since He told us the truth of His will, according to the plan He had created, so that at the end of the full execution of that plan over time, He might gather everything together in Christ in one place, both the things in heaven, and the things on earth.
We also have received an inheritance in Him, having been destined ahead-of-time according to the plan of Him Who makes all things work out according to the counsel of His own will, so that we, who first trusted in Christ, should exist to the praise of His glory. You also trusted in HIm, after you heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation in Him. Also, after you believed in that, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, the collateral for our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
For that reason I, too, after I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints, have not stopped giving thanks for you, and mentioning you in my prayers, so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge about Him, and so that the eyes of your understanding will be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and how rich is the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and how exceedingly great is His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His of his ruling power. He created that power in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above every kind of principality, and authority, and power, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come, and has put all things under His feet, and given Him to be the head over all things to the church. The church is His Body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
You were once dead with sin and wrongdoings. While in the past you followed the custom of the day, catering to the prince of earth, the evil spirit that guides men and women who behave like disobedient children. Furthermore, we all had our dealings in the past with such people in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of flesh and mind. We were by nature children of wrath, the same as these others. But God, Who is rich in mercy, on account of His great love that He loved us with, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved—and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might demonstrate the exceeding wealth of His grace in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this did not come from yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no man has any room to boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has preordained for us to walk in. So remember that you, who in the past were Gentiles in the flesh, who are called the "uncircumcision" by the thing that is called the "circumcision" in the flesh made by hands, were at that time without Christ, and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and foreign to the covenants of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, you, who ere once far away, are brought near by the blood of Christ. He is our peace, and has made both classes one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. He has abolished in His flesh the enmity, and even the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, in order to make in Himself one new man of two natures, thus making peace, and so that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the Cross, having destroyed the enmity through the agency of that Cross, and come and preached peace to you who were far away from Him, and to those who were much closer to Him. Because through Him, both classes have access by one Spirit to the Father.
So now you are not strangers and foreigners anymore, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone, and in Him the entire building, properly framed, grows together to a Holy Temple in the Lord. And in Him you also are built together as a dwelling-place of God through the Spirit.
This is why I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ on behalf of you, the Gentiles, if you heard (and I assume you have) of the management of the grace of God that is given from me to you, that by revelation He let me in on the secret (as I wrote before in a few words, by which, when you read this, you might understand my comprehension of the secret of Christ) that in other ages was kept from the sons of men, as it is revealed now to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles must be fellow-heirs, and belong to the same body, and partake in His Promise in Christ by the gospel of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of the grace of God given me by the working-out of His power. I am less than the least of all the saints, and yet this grace has been given me, so that I might preach, among the Gentiles, the unsearchable wealth of Christ, and make all men realize the fellowship of the secret, which has been hidden from the beginning of the world in God, Who created all things through Jesus Christ, so that now, to the principalities and authorities in heavenly places, the manifold wisdom of God might be known by the church, according to the eternal purpose that he set in Christ Jesus our Lord, in Whom we have boldness and access, with confidence, by His faith. So I would not have you give up in the face of the oppression that I suffer for you, the oppression that is your glory.
This is why I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant to you, according to the richness of His glory, to be strengthened greatly by His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ might live in your hearts by faith, so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, can comprehend with all the saints the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, so that you might be filled with the fullness of God.
Now to Him WHo can do with exceeding abudance anything that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.
And so I, the prisoner of the Lord, beg of you that you will walk worthy of your calling, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, doing your best to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, just as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of everyone. He is above all, and through all, and in all of you.
But grace is given to every one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ. That is why He says, "When He went up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." Now that He has ascended, did He not also descend first into the lower parts of the earth? He Who has descended is the same One Who has ascended far above all heavens, so that He might fill all things. He made some men apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some for making the saints complete, for the work of service, for the building-up of the body of Christ, until we all come in the unity of the faith, and the understanding of the Son of God, to a complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that from now on we will not be children anymore, tossed here and there, and carried around with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive, but, speaking the truth in love, we might grow up into Him in all things, He Who is the head: Christ. From Him the whole body, joined properly together and brought together by that which every joint supplies, according to the working-out in the measure of every part, makes itself increase for its own building-up in love.
All that to say this, and to testify in the Lord: from now on you must not walk the way other Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thinking. They have their understanding darkened, and are alienated from the lief of God through the ignorance that is in them. They, being past feeling, have given themselves over to loose living, to work all types of uncleanness with greed. You have not thus learned about Christ, if it is true that you have heard Him, and been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus, so that you will put off, as regards the old conversation, the old man, who is corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and allow yourself to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who is created after God in righteousness and true holiness.
So put away lying, and let every man speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are all members of one another. Be angry in a controlled way and with just cause, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no quarter to the devil.
He who steals, let him steal no more. Instead, let him work, making good things with his hands, so that he can give something to a needy person. Do not say anything rotten, but rather speak of good that builds so that others may understand grace.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. After all, you are sealed with the spirit of God until redemption. Cease all bitterness, wrath, anger, outrage and blasphemy along with all forms of malice Be kind to each other, compassionate and forgiving as God in Christ has forgiven you.
So you must be followers of God, like beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us as well, and gave Himself for us as an Offering and a Sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling flavor. But make sure that sexual immorality, or perversion, or covetousness is never once named among you, as becomes the set-apart people that you are, nor filthiness, nor the speaking of foolish things, nor making fun of others. These do not become you well. Instead, you should be giving thanks. You know this: no client of prostitutes, no unclean person, and no covetous man, who is a worshipper of idols, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Do not let any man deceive you with empty words. Because of these things, the righteous and magisterial anger of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. So do not be a participant with them in that disobedience.
You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. So walk like children of light, (the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,) discerning what is acceptable to the Lord. Do not have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. You should instead be showing such things up for what they are. It is a shameful thing even to talk about the things that they do in hiding. All things that are shown for what they are, are made obvious by the light—for anything that makes a thing obvious, is light. For He Who makes things obvious says: "Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
So see that you tread carefully, not like ignorant people, but like wise people, and redeeming the time, because the days are evil. On this account you must not be unlearned, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And do not intoxicate yourselves with material luxuries; that sort of thing leads to excess. Instead, by filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual odes, singing and making melody inm your heart to the Lord. always giving thanks for all things to God and the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In a spirit of mutual submission in the fear of God, you wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as you do to the Lord. A husband is the head of his wife, in the same way that Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body. So, as the church is subject to Christ, let wives be subject to their own husbands in everything.
You husbands: love your wives, in the same way that Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it, so that he might set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the (spoken) word, so that he might present it to Himself as a glorious church, having no spot or wrinkle or anything of that kind, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Men ought to love their wives as much as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife, loves himself. No man has ever yet treated his own flesh with indifference. He nourishes it and cherishes it, the same way that the Lord does for the church. For we are members of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones. "This is why a man leaves his father and mother, and is joined to his wife, and the two of them will be one flesh." This is an important secret. But I am speaking about Christ and the church. Still, let every one of you in particular love his wife in this way, even as he loves himself. And let the wife see that she shows reverence for her husband.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord. This is the right thing to do. "Honor your father and mother," (this is the first commandment carrying a promise) "so that it will be well with you, and you may live long on the earth."
You fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the instruction and admonition of the Lord.
Slaves, be obedient to those that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in single-mindedness of your heart, as you are to Christ, not with eye-service, as men do to please other men, but like the slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, doing your job with good will, as if you are doing it for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that whatever good thing any man does, he will get back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a free man.
And you masters: do likewise for them, and lay off threatening. Remember: your Master is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with Him.
Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His strength. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the tricks of the Devil. We are not in a fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities, authorities, and world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in heavenly places. So take up to yourselves the full armor of God, so that you can stand fast in the evil day and, having done everything, remain standing. So stand, having the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and your feet protected with the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and staying alert to it with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, so that the power of speech might be given me, so that I may open my mouth boldly, to share the secret of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, so that I may speak boldly in that, as I should.
But so that you may also know about my business, and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for that very purpose, so that you may know what we are doing, and he might comfort your hearts.
May peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May grace be with all of those who sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
From Paul and Timothy, Jesus Christ's servants, to His Philippian saints, bishops, and deacons.
Our Father God and Lord Jesus Christ's grace and peace of mind be upon you.
I thank God whenever I think of you. I pray for your joy in every one of my prayers, for your faith in the gospel from the beginning until now. I am confident that He, having begun great work in you, will continue it until Jesus Christ returns. It is right for me to think of you all, as you remain in my mind. You all join in my salvation, just as you join my imprisonment, and defense and proof of the gospel. God can testify how I care for you all in the way of Jesus Christ. So I pray that your love will still grow in knowledge and insight, so you can discern what is best and be truthful and sinless until Christ's return, and be filled with Jesus Christ's fruits of righteousness, to God's praise and glory.
I want you to understand, Brothers, that the trials which have fallen on me only further the gospel, so my alliance with Christ is shown to the palace and all other places. Many of the Lord's brothers, made confident by my imprisonment, courageously and fearlessly speak the truth. Some actually preach Christ out of envy and strife, but many also out of good will. The first preach Him deceitfully, hoping to harm me in prison. But the others do so from love, knowing I am destined to defend the gospel.
Now what? Regardless of the motives - false or true - Christ is preached and I rejoice for it and will continue to rejoice. I know from your prayer and the sustenance from Jesus Christ's spirit that this will end in my salvation. My earnest expectation and hope is that I will be ashamed of nothing, but Christ will be magnified in me courageously as ever, whether I live or die. For me, to live is Christ, to die is to profit.
If I go in living in body, this will be the profit of my work, but what will I choose? I am currently torn between two options: I desire to leave and be with Christ, which is much better, but continuing to live is more helpful to you. I'm confident I'll continue to live with you all to assist your faith and joy. So your rejoicing for me in Jesus Christ will be greater when I return. Have your conversation attune to Christ's Gospel, so whether I'm with you or not, I'll hear of you that you remain strong with one spirit and one mind in faith to the gospel.
Never be terrified by your enemies. It is a sign of damnation for them, but God's salvation to you. It is given to you on Christ's behalf to believe in him and suffer for his cause, since you're undergoing the same struggle I did and I've told you of. So if there's any consolation, loving comfort, fellowship of the Spirit, kindness and mercy in Christ, make my joy by being of one mind, sharing the same love, having one decision, one conclusion.
Don't do anything in anger or selfishness, but with humbleness consider others better than yourself. Don't obsess over your own affairs, but consider others'. Have the same outlook as while in the form of God, He didn't think it was theft to be equal with God. He didn't make a reputation for Himself, but became a servant in the likeness of men. As He lived like men, He humbled Himself, and obeyed until He died upon the cross. So God has exalted Him highly, and so all knees bow in heaven, earth, and underneath at Jesus' name, and all tongues confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to God the Father's glory.
So, my friends, since you've obeyed when I was with you but also now that I'm away, work to your salvation with great awe. God is working through you to bring about His plans. Never mutter or bicker, so you will be blameless and unharmed, sons of God, within a corrupt and perverted nation. You will shine like lights in the world among them, holding forth the Word of Life, so that I may be glad in the Day of Christ that I did not either run or work for nothing. To the contrary, and if I am offered into the sacrifice and service of your faith, I have joy, and rejoice with all of you. For that same reason, you should have joy and rejoice with me.
I hope, in the Lord Jesus, that I can send Timothy to you soon, so that I may also be comforted when I know how you stand. I have no man of like mind who will be naturally concerned about you. For everyone seeks his own, and not the things that pertain to Jesus Christ. But you can trust [Timothy]: as a son serves with his father, so he has served with me in the Gospel. So I hope to send him to you shortly, as soon as I know how I am doing. But I hope in the Lord that I can shortly come myself as well.
But I felt that I had to send you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your agent, and the one who ministered to my needs. He longed after all of you, and was full of grief, because you had heard that I had been ill. For in fact he had fallen mortally ill. But God had mercy on him, and not only him but me also, so that I wouldn't have sorrow after sorrow. So I sent him with much greater deliberation, so that, when you see him again, you can rejoice, and I can be less sad. So welcome him in the Lord with all gladness, and hold men like him in high regard, because on account of the work of Christ he was near death, disregarding his own life, to make up for your lack of service to me.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is not a problem for me to write these things to you, and it is safe for you. Watch out for men who behave like dogs, watch out for men who work evil, and watch out for the mutilation. We are the circumcision. We worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and place no reliance on the flesh. Although I might also rely somewhat on the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has reason to trust in the flesh, I have more reason:
I was circumcised on the eight day, I am of the caste of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and as to the Law, I am a Pharisee. As to zeal, I once persecuted the church; and as regards any justice to be found in the Law, I am blameless. But those things that were profit to me, I counted them as loss for Christ. But no doubt I indeed count all things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For Him I suffered the loss of all things, but I reckon them as a total waste, so that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having any justice for myself, which is from the Law, but that justice that comes through the faith of Christ, the justice that is from God by faith, so that I may know Him, and the power of HIs Resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, after being made moldable to His death, if I can possibly win a part of the resurrection of the dead. And not as if I had already won that, or were already made complete, but I follow after, if I may understand that for which I am also understood by Christ Jesus.
Brothers, I don't pretend to have understood. But I am doing this one thing, forgetting the things behind me, and reaching for the things that are ahead of me: I am pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ. So let as many of us as might be complete, think this way. And if you think otherwise in anything, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to what we have already attained, let us walk by that same rule, and let us mind the same thing.
Brothers, follow together after my lead, and take note of those who walk in this way, so that you can have us for an example. (For many are walking, whom I told you about before, and I tell you now and cry as I say it, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame, when they think about earthly things.) For our place of citizenship is in heaven, and we also look there for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our humiliated body, so that it might be fashioned like His glorious body, according to the working that enables Him also to subdue all things to Himself.
So, my dearly beloved and longed-for brothers, my joy and crown, stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. I beg of Euodias, and bed of Syntyche, that they will be of the same mind in the Lord. I also ask you, my true fellow subjugate, to help those women who worked with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with others of my fellow workers, whose names are found in the Book of Life.
Rejoice in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Rejoice. Let your graciousness and forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Don't worry about a thing. To the contrary, bring your requests in everything to the Lord, by prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will preserve your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers: whatever is true, whatever honest, whatever just, whatever clean, whatever lovely, and whatever well-spoken-of, if there is any excellence, and if there is any praise, consider these things. Those things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, you do. The God of peace will be with you.
And I have rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that now at last your concern about me has flourished once again. You were always concerned about that, but you hadn't the opportunity. I am not speaking about my wants. I have learned to be content with whatever state I find myself in. I now how to handle scarcity and abundance. I am instructed everywhere and in all things, how to be full and how to be hungry, how to have abundant resources, and how to handle need. I can do everything through Christ who makes me strong. All that to say that you have done well, because you helped me when I was ill.
Now you Phillipians also know, that in the beginning of my gospel mission, when I left Macedonia, no church had anything in common about giving or receiving, except yourselves alone. For even in Thessalonica you sent me things I needed again and again. It's not that I want a gift. I want to see fruit that will redound abundantly to your credit. But I have everything, and plenty of it. I am full, because I received from Epaphroditus the things that were sent by you, a sweet-smelling odor, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God. But my God will supply everything you need according to His wealth in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now: glory be to our God and Father for ever and ever. Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those who belong to the household of Caesar. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
From: Paul, God's appointed apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our companion,
To: the faithful members and brothers in Christ at the church of Colossae. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace of mind.
We thank God the Father of Jesus Christ, and we are always praying for you. We have heard of your faith in Jesus Christ and the love you have for all the believers, on account of the hope laid up for you in heaven, that you heard of before in the Word of the Truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, as in all the world, and brings out fruit, as it does in you as well, since the day you heard about it and knew the grace of God in truth.
You also learned from Epaphras our much-loved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and has also declared to us how much love you have in the Spirit. On this account we also, since the day we heard about it, have not stopped praying for you, and asking that you might be filled with the understanding of His will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension, so that you might walk in a manner worthy of the lord to all pleasing, and be fruitful in every good work, and increase in the knowledge of God, made powerful with all power, according to His glorious rulership, to all patient endurance and waiting with joyfulness, giving thanks to the Father, Who has made us fit to be participants in the inheritance of the saints in light, Who has rescued us from the authority of darkness, and has caused us now to stand in the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption by means of His blood, including the forgiveness of sins.
He is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. By Him all things were created, in heaven and earth, seen and unseen, including thrones, lordships, principalities, or authorities. All things were created by Him and for Him. He came before all things, and all things have been made to stand by Him. He is the Head of the body, the church. He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, so that in all things He should have pre-eminence. For it was pleasing to the Father that in Him all fullness should live, and, having made peace by means of the blood from His cross, to reconcile all things to Himself through Him. By Him, I say again, whether they are things in earth or things in heaven. You, who were at one time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked worth, he has now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you as a holy, flawless and unreproachable thing in His sight, if you continue to be grounded and founded in the faith, and not let yourselves be moved away from the hope of the gospel, that you have heard, and that was preached to every creature under the sky, of which I, Paul, was made a minister. I now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and fill up whatever is lacking from the oppression of Christ in my flesh for the sake of his body, the church, of which I have been made a minister, according to the managerial order of God that is given to me for you, to fulfill God's word, even the secret that has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is revealed fully to His saints.
God would have them know about the riches of the glory of this secret among the Gentiles: Christ in you, the hope of glory. We preach Him, and warn every man, and teach every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man as a complete man in Christ Jesus. And I also am working for HIm, striving according to His working, which works in me in great power.
For I want you to know that I am very much concerned about you, and about those at Laodicea, and about anyone who has not met me face-to-face, because I want their hearts to be comforted, and knit together in love, and to all the wealth of a full understanding, to the recognition of the secret of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. In HIm all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
And I say this, so that no one will lead you away with nice-sounding words. For though I am absent in the flesh, I am with you in spirit, taking joy as if I could look directly at your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. So as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, having it in abundance with thanksgiving.
Be careful not to let anyone spoil you through philosophy and vain decepsion, according to the tradition of men, according to the "principles" of the world, and not according to Christ. For all the full Godhead lives inside Him bodily. And you have been made complete in Him, and He is the Head of all rulership and authority. You are also circumcised in Him with the circumcision made without hands, in that you have put off the body of the sins of the flesh by means of the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with Him in baptism, and in that you are also risen with Him through the faith from the working-out by God, Who has raised Him from the dead. And you who were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has revived together with Him and forgiven you all your trespasses. He has obliterated the handwritten record of ordinances that lay against us, which was our enemy, and took it out of the way and nailed it to His Cross. He has despoiled rulerships and authorities, and exposed them openly and triumphed over them in it.
So don't let anyone judge you for what you eat or drink, or what holidays you keep or do not keep, or with regard to the new moon or the sabbaths. These are a shadow of things to come, but the body comes from Christ. Don't let anyone cheat you out of your reward by showing voluntary humility and angel worship, intruding into things that he has not seen, puffed up with vain pride by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head. From the Head all the body, having nourishment ministered by joints and tendons, and knit together, increases as God increases.
So if you are dead with Christ from the basic principles of the world, then why, as if you were living in the world, would you be subject to ordinances ("Don't touch!" "Don't taste!" "Don't handle!" All these will go away through usages.) according to the instructions and dogmas of men? To be sure, these things have an outward show of wisdom in will-worship, humility, and bodily neglect, but not in any honor to the satisfaction of the flesh.
So if you are risen with Christ, you should seek after the things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Keep your mind on the things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, our Life, appears, you will appear with him also in glory.
So mortify your members on the earth—things like sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful affection, lustful practice, and grasping and greedy behavior, which is actually a form of idolatry. On account of those things the righteous anger of God is coming on the children of disobedience. You also used to walk in these things before, when you lived in them. Now you should also put off all of these: anger, rage, malice, blasphemy, foul language. Do not tell one another lies. You have put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him. In him there is neither Greek nor Jew, nor circiumcision nor uncircumcision, nor uncivilized man, nor Scythian, nor slave nor free man. Christ is all and in all.
So as becomes the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and patience from your innermost being. Put up with one another and forgive one another, if any man has a quarrel against any other man. Christ forgave you, so you should do the same. Above all these things put on sacrificial love. This is the bond of perfection. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you are also called in one body, and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ live in you richly, teaching in all wisdom and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and give thanks to God and the Father through him.
Wives, submit to your own husbands. This is the proper thing to do in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter against them.
Children, obey your parents in everything. This will please the Lord well.
Fathers, do not provoke your children; you do not want to discourage them.
Slaves, obey your masters in all things according to the flesh, and not with eye-service, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as if you are doing it for the Lord, not for men. Remember that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, because you are in the service of Christ. But anyone who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong that has been done, and there is no respect of persons.
Masters, give your slaves what is just and equal. You know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Keep praying, and be on the lookout in prayer in thanksgiving, and pray for us as well, so that God will open a door of utterance to us, to share the secret of Christ, for which I also am a prisoner, so that I may make it obvious to all, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are outside of it, and redeem the time. Make sure your speech is always with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you might know you should given an answer to every man.
Tychicus will tell you everything that is happening with me. He is a beloved brothers, and a faithful minister and fello-servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for the same reason, so that he might know how you stand, and comfort your hearts, together with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will make sure that you know all the things that are happening here.
Aristarchus my fellow prisoner sends his respects, and Marcus, Barnabas' nephew (about whom you have this instruction: if he comes to you, make him welcome), and Jesus, also known as Justus. All these are of the circumcision. Only these men are my fellow-workers toward the kingdom of God, and have been a comfort to me.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a devoted servant of Christ, sends his respects to you. He is always working fervently for you in prayer, so that you might stand perfect and fulfilled in all the will of God. I will vouch for him, that he has a great zeal for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
Luke the beloved physician, and Demas, also send their respects.
Pay your respects to the brothers in Laodicea, and to Nymphas, and the church in his house. And when this letter is read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
Tell Archippus: Pay attention to the ministry that you have received in the Lord, so that you might fulfill it.
Sincerely, Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
[The Letter to the Laodiceans is not included in the Conservative Bible.]
Ad Gloriam Dei, 31 January 2019—developed by Michael Paul Heart and the editors of Conservapedia.
Revised on the Octave of the Ascension of the Lord, Thursday 28 May 2020, by Michael Paul Heart
