and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesar’s decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!”

So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming?

The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,

because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!”

This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering.”

Then you’re not that Egyptian who started a rebellion and led the four thousand men of the ‘Assassins’ into the wilderness some time ago?”

Since I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me.

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.”

The commanding officer answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” “But I was even born a citizen,” Paul replied.

Paul looked directly at the council and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day.”

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

This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I came up with the detachment and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

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.

I have a hope in God (a hope that these men themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

other than this one thing I shouted out while I stood before them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’”

But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, and when he appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.

As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”