Chapter 7

026:004 "The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.

026:005 For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact-- how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of a Pharisee.

026:006 And now I stand here impeached because of my hope in the fulfilment of the promise made by God to our forefathers--

026:007 the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and night with intense devotedness, hope to have made good to them. It is on the subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused by the Jews.

026:008 Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God raises the dead to life?

026:009 "I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

026:010 And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.

026:011 In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased them even to foreign towns.

026:012 "While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

026:013 and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from Heaven-- brighter than the brightness of the sun--shining around me and around those who were travelling with me.

026:014 We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me in Hebrew, "`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'

026:015 "`Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.

026:016 `But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My witness both as to the things you have already seen and as to those in which I will appear to you.

026:017 I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,

026:018 that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Me.'

026:019 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

026:020 but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance.

026:021 "It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

026:022 Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen,

026:023 since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

026:024 As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."

026:025 "I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking words of sober truth.

026:026 For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.

026:027 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe them."

026:028 Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."

026:029 "My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul, "would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day, might become such as I am--except these chains."

026:030 So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them;

026:031 and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

026:032 And Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar."

027:001 Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius, a Captain of the Augustan battalion;

027:002 and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica, forming one of our party.

027:003 The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul with thoughtful kindness and allowed him to visit his friends and profit by their generous care.

027:004 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us;

027:005 and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

027:006 There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.

027:007 It took several days of slow sailing for us to come with difficulty off Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not allow us to get on in the direct course, we ran under the lee of Crete by Salmone.

027:008 Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place called `Fair Havens,' near the town of Lasea.

027:009 Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and the navigation being now unsafe and the Fast also already over, Paul warned them.

027:010 "Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship but to our own lives also."

027:011 But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the owner rather than by Paul's arguments;

027:012 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.

027:013 And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so that they supposed they were now sure of their purpose. So weighing anchor they ran along the coast of Crete, hugging the shore.

027:014 But it was not long before a furious north-east wind, coming down from the mountains, burst upon us and carried the ship out of her course.

027:015 She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we gave up and let her drive.

027:016 Then we ran under the lee of a little island called Cauda, where we managed with great difficulty to secure the boat;

027:017 and, after hoisting it on board, they used frapping-cables to undergird the ship, and, as they were afraid of being driven on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the gear and lay to.

027:018 But, as the storm was still violent, the next day they began to lighten the ship;

027:019 and, on the third day, with their own hands they threw the ship's spare gear overboard.

027:020 Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were seen and the terrific gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope was now vanishing.

027:021 When for a long time they had taken but little food, Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.

027:022 But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of life among you, but of the ship only.

027:023 For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,

027:024 and he said, "`Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must stand before Caesar; and God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'

027:025 "Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God, and am convinced that things will happen exactly as I have been told.

027:026 But we are to be stranded on a certain island."

027:027 It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when, about midnight, the sailors suspected that land was close at hand.

027:028 So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of water; and after a short time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms.

027:029 Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern and waited impatiently for daylight.

027:030 The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.

027:031 But Paul, addressing Julius and the soldiers, said, "Your lives will be sacrificed, unless these men remain on board."

027:032 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship's boat and let her fall off.

027:033 And continually, up till daybreak, Paul kept urging all on board to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been anxiously waiting for the storm to cease, and have fasted, eating little or nothing.

027:034 I therefore strongly advise you to take some food. This is essential for your safety. For not a hair will perish from the head of any one of you."

027:035 Having said this he took some bread, and, after giving thanks to God for it before them all, he broke it in pieces and began to eat it.

027:036 This raised the spirits of all, and they too took food.

027:037 There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all told.

027:038 After eating a hearty meal they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.

027:039 When daylight came, they tried in vain to recognise the coast. But an inlet with a sandy beach attracted their attention, and now their object was, if possible, to run the ship aground in this inlet.

027:040 So they cut away the anchors and left them in the sea, unloosing at the same time the bands which secured the paddle-rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

027:041 But coming to a place where two seas met, they stranded the ship, and her bow sticking fast remained immovable, while the stern began to go to pieces under the heavy hammering of the sea.

027:042 Now the soldiers recommended that the prisoners should be killed, for fear some one of them might swim ashore and effect his escape.

027:043 But their Captain, bent on securing Paul's safety, kept them from their purpose and gave orders that those who could swim should first jump overboard and get to land;

027:044 and that the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. In this way they all got safely to land.

028:001 Our lives having been thus preserved, we discovered that the island was called Malta.

028:002 The strange-speaking natives showed us remarkable kindness, for they lighted a fire and made us all welcome because of the pelting rain and the cold.

028:003 Now, when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and had thrown them on the fire, a viper, driven by the heat, came out and fastened itself on his hand.

028:004 When the natives saw the creature hanging to his hand, they said to one another, "Beyond doubt this man is a murderer, for, though saved from the sea, unerring Justice does not permit him to live."

028:005 He, however, shook the reptile off into the fire and was unhurt.

028:006 They expected him soon to swell with inflammation or suddenly fall down dead; but, after waiting a long time and seeing no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

028:007 Now in the same part of the island there were estates belonging to the Governor, whose name was Publius. He welcomed us to his house, and for three days generously made us his guests.

028:008 It happened, however, that his father was lying ill of dysentery aggravated by attacks of fever; so Paul went to see him, and, after praying, laid his hands on him and cured him.

028:009 After this, all the other sick people in the island came and were cured.

028:010 They also loaded us with honours, and when at last we sailed they put supplies on board for us.

028:011 Three months passed before we set sail in an Alexandrian vessel, called the `Twin Brothers,' which had wintered at the island.

028:012 At Syracuse we put in and stayed for two days.

028:013 From there we came round and reached Rhegium; and a day later, a south wind sprang up which brought us by the evening of the next day to Puteoli.

028:014 Here we found brethren, who invited us to remain with them for a week; and so we reached Rome.

028:015 Meanwhile the brethren there, hearing of our movements, came as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Huts to meet us; and when Paul saw them he thanked God and felt encouraged.

028:016 Upon our arrival in Rome, Paul received permission to live by himself, guarded by a soldier.

028:017 After one complete day he invited the leading men among the Jews to meet him; and, when they were come together, he said to them, "As for me, brethren, although I had done nothing prejudicial to our people or contrary to the customs of our forefathers, I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the power of the Romans.

028:018 They, after they had sharply questioned me, were willing to set me at liberty, because they found no offence in me for which I deserve to die.

028:019 But, at last, the opposition of the Jews compelled me to appeal to Caesar; not however that I had any charge to bring against my nation.

028:020 For these reasons, then, I have invited you here, that I might see you and speak to you; for it is for the sake of Him who is the hope of Israel that this chain hangs upon me."

028:021 "For our part," they replied, "we have not received any letters from Judaea about you, nor have any of our countrymen come here and reported or stated anything to your disadvantage.

028:022 But we should be glad to hear from you what it is that you believe; for as for this sect all we know is that it is everywhere spoken against."

028:023 So they arranged a day with him and came to him in considerable numbers at the house of the friends who were entertaining him. And then, with solemn earnestness, he explained to them the subject of the Kingdom of God, endeavouring from morning till evening to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

028:024 Some were convinced; others refused to believe.

028:025 Unable to agree among themselves, they at last left him, but not before Paul had spoken a parting word to them, saying, "Right well did the Holy Spirit say to your forefathers through the Prophet Isaiah:

028:026 "`Go to this people and tell them, you will hear and hear, and by no means understand; and will look and look, and by no means see.

028:027 For this people's mind has grown callous, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might cure them.'

028:028 "Be fully assured, therefore, that this salvation--God's salvation-- has now been sent to the Gentiles, and that they, at any rate, will give heed."

028:029 []

028:030 After this Paul lived for fully two years in a hired house of his own, receiving all who came to see him.

028:031 He announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, and taught concerning the Lord Jesus Christ without let or hindrance.