Then Felix, who understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, adjourned their hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.”

When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to prove.

because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversial issues of the Jews. Therefore I ask you to listen to me patiently.

The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius, treating Paul kindly, allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed.

Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because the fast was already over, Paul advised them,

The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold.

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.”

But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires. For apart from the law, sin is dead.

For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us.

nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For I could wish that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen,

nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.”

What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith,

because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief – will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.”

but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”