Study Desk

Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me.

We continued the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptolemais, and when we had greeted the brothers, we stayed with them for one day.

While we remained there for a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

Then Paul took the men the next day, and after he had purified himself along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice of the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

(For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.)

for a crowd of people followed them, screaming, "Away with him!"

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated with strictness under Gamaliel according to the law of our ancestors, and was zealous for God just as all of you are today.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'

The crowd was listening to him until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!"

When they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, "Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen without a proper trial?"

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commanding officer and reported it, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

Paul replied, "I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘ You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people .'"

(For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to report to him."

So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request."

and provide mounts for Paul to ride so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor."

For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.