Agrippa declares

THE ACTS, 26.

Paul innocent. 11 And I punished them oft tiles, that they should repent in every synagogue, and com- and turn to God, and do works pelled them to blaspheme; and meet for repentance. being exceedingly mad against 21 For these causes the Jews them, I persecuted them even caught me in the temple, and unto strange cities. went about to kill me.

12 Whereupon as I went to 22 Having therefore obtained Damascus with authority and help of God, I continue unto commission from the chief this day, witnessing both to priests, small and great, saying none 13 At midday, O king, I saw other things than those which in the way a light from hea- the prophets and Moses did ven, above the brightness of say should come: the sun, shining round about 23 That Christ should suffer, me and them which journeyed and that he should be the with me. first that should rise from the

14 And when we were all fall-dead, anu snou, shew light en to the earth, I heard a voice unto the people, and to the speaking unto me, and saying Gentiles.

in the Hebrew tongue, Saul,, 24 And as he thus spake for Saul, why persecutest thou himself, Festus said with a loud me? it is hard for thee to kick voice, Paul, thou art beside against the pricks. thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak soberness. forth the words of truth and

16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared 26 For the king knoweth of unto thee for this purpose, to these things, before whom also make thee a minister and a I speak freely: for I am perwitness both of these things suaded that none of these which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in appear unto thee;

a corner.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to 28 Then Agrippa said unto turn them from darkness to Paul, Almost thou persuadest light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they 29 And Paul said, I would to me to be a Christian. may receive forgiveness of God, that not only thou, but sins, and inheritance among also all that hear me this day, them which are sanctified by were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except faith that is in me. these bonds.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and 20 But shewed first unto them they that sat with them: of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, 31 And when they were gone and throughout all the coasts aside, they talked between of Judæa, and then to the Gen- themselves, saying, This man

Paul's voyage

THE ACTS, 27.

towards Rome. doeth nothing worthy of death fast was now already past, Paul or of bonds. admonished them,

32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.

CHAPTER 27.

ND when it was deter

10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

into Italy, they delivered Paul 12 And because the haven and certain other prisoners un- was not commodious to winter to one named Julius, a cen- in, the more part advised to turion of Augustus' band. depart thence also, if by any 2 And entering into a ship of means they might attain to Adramyttium, we launched, Phenice, and there to winter; meaning to sail by the coasts which is an haven of Crete, and of Asia; one Aristarchus, a lieth toward the south west Macedonian of Thessalonica, and north west.

being with us.

13 And when the south wind 3 And the next day we touch- blew softly, supposing that ed at Sidon. And Julius courte- they had obtained their purously entreated Paul, and gave pose, loosing thence, they sailed him liberty to go unto his close by Crete. friends to refresh himself. 14 But not long after there 4 And when we had launched arose against it a tempestuous from thence, we sailed under wind, called Euroclydon. Cyprus, because the winds 15 And when the ship was were contrary. caught, and could not bear up 5 And when we had sailed into the wind, we let her drive. over the sea of Cilicia and 16 And running under a cer Pamphylia, we came to Myra, tain island which is called a city of Lycia. Clauda, we had much work to

6 And there the centurion come by the boat: found a ship of Alexandria 17 Which when they had sailing into Italy; and he put taken up, they used helps, unus therein. dergirding the ship; and, fear7 And when we had sailed ing lest they should fall into slowly many days, and scarce the quicksands, strake sail, and were come over against Cnidus, so were driven. the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone:

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 8 And, hardly passing it, 19 And the third day we cast came unto a place which is out with our own hands the called The fair havens; nigh tackling of the ship.

whereunto was the city of 20 And when neither sun nor Lasea. stars in many days appeared, 9 Now when much time was and no small tempest lay on spent, and when sailing was us, all hope that we should be now dangerous, because the saved was then taken away.

Paul shipwrecked. THE ACTS, 27.

Escapes to land.

21 But after long abstinence 33 And while the day was Paul stood forth in the midst coming on, Paul besought of them, and said, Sirs, ye them all to take meat, saying, should have hearkened unto This day is the fourteenth day me, and not have loosed from that ye have tarried and conCrete, and to have gained this tinued fasting, having taken harm and loss. nothing.

22 And now I exhort you to 34 Wherefore I pray you to be of good cheer: for there take some meat: for this is for shall be no loss of any man's your health: for there shall life among you, but of the ship. not an hair fall from the head 23 For there stood by me this of any of you. night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; gave thanks to God in presence thou must be brought before of them all: and when he had Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given broken it, he began to eat. thee all them that sail with

thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told

me.

26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat

27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were into the sea. driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and hoised up the mainsail to the loosed the rudder bands, and wind, and made toward shore. 41 And falling into a place 30 And as the shipmen were where two seas met, they ran about to flee out of the ship, the ship aground; and the forewhen they had let down the part stuck fast, and remained boat into the sea, under colour unmoveable, but the hinder as though they would have part was broken with the viocast anchors out of the fore- lence of the waves. ship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

43 But the centurion, willing 32 Then the soldiers cut off to save Paul, kept them from the ropes of the boat, and let their purpose; and commanded her fall off. that they which could swim

44 And the rest, some

on

Paul's hand.

should cast themselves first into prayed, and laid his hands on the sea, and get to land: him, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, boards, and some on broken others also, which had diseases pieces of the ship. And so it in the island, came, and were came to pass, that they escaped healed:

all safe to land.

CHAPTER 28.

ND when they were es

Acaped, then they knew that

10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor

and Pollux.

the island was called Melita. 12 And landing at Syracuse, 2 And the barbarous people we tarried there three days. shewed us no little kindness: 13 And from thence we fetchfor they kindled a fire, and re-ed a compass, and came to ceived us every one, because of Rhegium: and after one day the the present rain, and because south wind blew, and we came of the cold. the next day to Puteoli:

14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 15 And from thence, when 4 And when the barbarians the brethren heard of us, they saw the venomous beast hang came to meet us as far as Apon his hand, they said among pii forum, and The three tathemselves, No doubt this man verns: whom when Paul saw, is a murderer, whom, though he thanked God, and took he hath escaped the sea, yet courage. vengeance suffereth not to live. 16 And when we came to 5 And he shook off the beast Rome, the centurion delivered into the fire, and felt no harm. the prisoners to the captain of 6 Howbeit they looked when fered to dwell by himself with the guard: but Paul was sufhe should have swollen, or

fallen down dead suddenly: but a soldier that kept him. after they had looked a great 17 And it came to pass, that while, and saw no harm come after three days Paul called to him, they changed their the chief of the Jews together: minds, and said that he was a and when they were come togod. gether, he said unto them, Men

In the same quarters were and brethren, though I have possessions of the chief man of committed nothing against the the island, whose name was people, or customs of our faPublius; who received us, and thers, yet was I delivered prilodged us three days courte- soner from Jerusalem into the ously. hands of the Romans.

8 And it came to pass, that 18 Who, when they had exthe father of Publius lay sick amined me, would have let me of a fever and of a bloody flux: go, because there was no cause to whom Paul entered in, and of death in me.

Paul preaches the THE ACTS, 28. Gospel at Rome.

19 But when the Jews spake parted, after that Paul had against it, I was constrained spoken one word, Well spake to appeal unto Cæsar; not the Holy Ghost by Esaias the that I had ought to accuse my prophet unto our fathers, nation of. 26 Saying, Go unto this peo20 For this cause therefore ple, and say, Hearing ye shall have I called for you, to see hear, and shall not underyou, and to speak with you; stand; and seeing ye shall see, because that for the hope of and not perceive: Israel I am bound with this 27 For the heart of this people chain. is waxed gross, and their ears 21 And they said unto him, are dull of hearing, and their We neither received letters eyes have they closed; lest but of Judæa concerning thee, they should see with their eyes, neither any of the brethren and hear with their ears, and that came shewed or spake understand with their heart, any harm of thee. and should be converted, and

22 But we desire to hear of I should heal them. thee what thou thinkest: for 28 Be it known therefore unas concerning this sect, we to you, that the salvation of know that every where it is God is sent unto the Gentiles, spoken against. and that they will hear it. 23 And when they had ap- 29 And when he had said pointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; ed, and had great reasoning these words, the Jews departto whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, among themselves.

persuading them concerning 30 And Paul dwelt two whole Jesus, both out of the law of years in his own hired house Moses, and out of the prophets, and received all that came in from morning till evening. unto him, 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus 25 And when they agreed not Christ, with all confidence, no among themselves, they de-man forbidding him.