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Acts has 28 Chapters.

Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26 – Chapter 28

Acts 21

¹And when it came to pass that were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: ² and having found a ship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. ³And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden. ⁴And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. ⁵And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out of the city: and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell; ⁶and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again. ⁷And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. ⁸And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. ⁹Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied. ¹⁰And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. ¹¹And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. ¹²And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁴And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. ¹⁵And after these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶And there went with us also i of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing [with them] one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge. ¹⁷And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. ¹⁸And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. ¹⁹And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law: ²¹and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. ²²What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that thou art come. ²³Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them; ²⁴these take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads: and all shall know that there is no truth in the things whereof they have been informed concerning thee; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law. ²⁵But as touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication. ²⁶Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them. ²⁷And 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, ²⁸crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place. ²⁹For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple. ³⁰And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut. ³¹And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion. ³²And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul. ³³Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. ³⁴And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle. ³⁵And when he came upon the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd; ³⁶for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him. ³⁷And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek? ³⁸Art thou 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? ³⁹But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people. ⁴⁰ And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying,

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Acts 22

¹Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you. ²And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith, ³I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day: ⁴and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. ⁵As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. ⁶And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. ⁷And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁸And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. ⁹And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. ¹⁰And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. ¹¹And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus. ¹²And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, ¹³ came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him. ¹⁴And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. ¹⁵For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. ¹⁶And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. ¹⁷And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, ¹⁸and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me. ¹⁹ And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: ²⁰and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. ²¹And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles. ²²And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. ²³And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, ²⁴the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him. ²⁵ And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? ²⁶And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman. ²⁷And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea. ²⁸And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am [a Roman] born. ²⁹They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. ³⁰But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

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Acts 23

¹And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. ²And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. ³Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ⁴And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? ⁵And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people. ⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? ¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should 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 castle. ¹¹And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. ¹²And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him. ¹⁶But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the castle and told Paul. ¹⁷And Paul called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him. ¹⁸So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say to thee. ¹⁹And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, What is it that thou hast to tell me? ²⁰And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow unto the council, as though thou wouldest inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. ²¹ Do not thou therefore yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him: and now are they ready, looking for the promise from thee. ²²So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified these things to me. ²³ And he called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night: ²⁴and [he bade them] provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. ²⁵And he wrote a letter after this form: ²⁶Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. ²⁷This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸And desiring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him down unto their council: ²⁹whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. ³⁰ And when it was shown to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forthwith, charging his accusers also to speak against him before thee. ³¹So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³²But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: ³³and they, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him. ³⁴And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, ³⁵I will hear thee fully, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s palace.

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Acts 24

¹And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and i an orator, one Tertullus; and they informed the governor against Paul. ²And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by the providence evils are corrected for this nation, ³we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴But, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency a few words. ⁵For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: ⁶who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold: [and we would have judged him according to our law.] ⁷[But the chief captain Lysias came, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,] ⁸[commanding his accusers to come before thee.] from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him. ⁹And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were so. ¹⁰And when the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I cheerfully make my defense: ¹¹Seeing that thou canst take knowledge that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem: ¹²and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city. ¹³Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me. ¹⁴But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; ¹⁵having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. ¹⁶Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always. ¹⁷Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings: ¹⁸ amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but [there were] certain Jews from Asia– ¹⁹who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me. ²⁰Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found when I stood before the council, ²¹except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day. ²²But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter. ²³And he gave order to the centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him. ²⁴But after certain days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵And as he reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me. ²⁶He hoped withal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. ²⁷But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

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Acts 25

¹Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him, ³asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. ⁴Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart i shortly. ⁵Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him. ⁶And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. ⁷And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove; ⁸while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all. ⁹But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? ¹⁰But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest. ¹¹If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is [true] whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. ¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go. ¹³Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and saluted Festus. ¹⁴And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the King, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; ¹⁵about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me], asking for sentence against him. ¹⁶To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. ¹⁷When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought. ¹⁸Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed; ¹⁹but had certain questions against him of their own religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ²⁰And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters. ²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar. ²²And Agrippa i unto Festus, I also could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him. ²³So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in. ²⁴And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. ²⁶Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write. ²⁷For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.

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