The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  18So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”

  19Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

  20And he said, r“The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.

  21“But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

  22So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

  Sent to Felix

  23And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to sCaesarea at the third hour of the night;

  24“and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

  25He wrote a letter in the following manner:

  26Claudius Lysias,

  To the most excellent governor Felix:

  Greetings.

  27tThis man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

  28uAnd when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.

  29I found out that he was accused vconcerning questions of their law, wbut had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.

  30And xwhen it was told me that 4the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and yalso commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him.

  Farewell.

  31Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

  32The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks.

  33When they came to zCaesarea and had delivered the aletter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

  34And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from bCilicia,

  35he said, c“I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in dHerod’s 5Praetorium.

  Acts 24

  Accused of Sedition

  1Now after afive days bAnanias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.

  2And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and 1prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight,

  3“we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

  4“Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your 2courtesy, a few words from us.

  5c“For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

  6d“He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, 3and wanted eto judge him according to our law.

  7f“But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,

  8g“commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”

  9And the Jews also 4assented, maintaining that these things were so.

  The Defense Before Felix

  10Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself,

  11“because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem hto worship.

  12i“And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.

  13“Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.

  14“But this I confess to you, that according to jthe Way which they call a sect, so I worship the kGod of my fathers, believing all things which are written in lthe Law and in the Prophets.

  15m“I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, nthat there will be a resurrection 5of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

  16o“This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

  17“Now after many years pI came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,

  18q“in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me rpurified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult.

  19s“They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me.

  20“Or else let those who are here themselves say 6if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,

  21“unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, t‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ”

  Felix Procrastinates

  22But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the uWay, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When vLysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.”

  23So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and wtold him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

  24And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the xfaith in Christ.

  25Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”

  26Meanwhile he also hoped that ymoney would be given him by Paul, 7that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

  27But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, zwanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

  Acts 25

  Paul Appeals to Caesar

  1Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from aCaesarea to Jerusalem.

  2bThen the 1high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him,

  3asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—cwhile they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.

  4But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.

  5“Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see dif there is any fault in him.”

  6And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

  7When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about eand laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,

  8while he answered for himself, f“Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

  9But Festus, gwanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, h“Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”

  10So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.

  11i“For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. jI appeal to Caesar.”

  12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”

  Paul Before Agrip
pa

  13And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

  14When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: k“There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,

  15l“about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him.

  16m“To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man 2to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’

  17“Therefore when they had come together, nwithout any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.

  18“When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I 3supposed,

  19o“but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

  20“And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

  21“But when Paul pappealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”

  22Then qAgrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

  23So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great 4pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command rPaul was brought in.

  24And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom sthe whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was tnot fit to live any longer.

  25“But when I found that uhe had committed nothing deserving of death, vand that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.

  26“I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.

  27“For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”

  Acts 26

  Paul’s Early Life

  1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:

  2“I think myself ahappy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer bfor myself before you concerning all the things of which I am caccused by the Jews,

  3“especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

  4“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.

  5“They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to dthe strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

  6e“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of fthe promise made by God to our fathers.

  7“To this promise gour twelve tribes, earnestly serving God hnight and day, ihope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

  8“Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

  9j“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things 1contrary to the name of kJesus of Nazareth.

  10l“This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority mfrom the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

  11n“And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

  Paul Recounts His Conversion

  (Acts 9:1–19; 22:6–16)

  12o“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

  13“at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

  14“And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

  15“So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

  16‘But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, pto make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

  17‘I will 2deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, qto whom I 3now send you,

  18r‘to open their eyes, in order sto turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, tthat they may receive forgiveness of sins and uan inheritance among those who are vsanctified4 by faith in Me.’

  Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

  19“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

  20“but wdeclared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do xworks befitting repentance.

  21“For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

  22“Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those ywhich the prophets and zMoses said would come—

  23a“that the Christ would suffer, bthat He would be the first to rise from the dead, and cwould proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

  Agrippa Parries Paul’s Challenge

  24Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, dyou are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”

  25But he said, “I am not 5mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.

  26“For the king, before whom I also speak freely, eknows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.

  27“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.”

  28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

  29And Paul said, f“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

  30When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them;

  31and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, g“This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”

  32Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set hfree iif he had not appealed to Caesar.”

  Acts 27

  The Voyage to Rome Begins

  1And when ait was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment.

  2So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. bAristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.

  3And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius ctreated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.

  4When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

  5And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

  6There the centurion found dan Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board.

  7When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of eCrete off Salmone.

  8Passing it with difficulty, we ca
me to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

  Paul’s Warning Ignored

  9Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous fbecause 1the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,

  10saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”

  11Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.

  12And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.

  In the Tempest

  13When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.

  14But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called 2Euroclydon.

  15So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her 3drive.

  16And running under the shelter of an island called 4Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.

  17When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the 5Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.

  18And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.

  19On the third day gwe threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.

  20Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

  21But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.

  22“And now I urge you to take 6heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

  23h“For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and iwhom I serve,

  24“saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’