But Paul said to the police officers,<n id="1" /> &#8220;They had us beaten in public<n id="2" /> without a proper trial<n id="3" /> &#8211; even though we are Roman citizens<n id="4" /> &#8211; and they threw us<n id="5" /> in prison. And now they want to send us away<n id="6" /> secretly? Absolutely not! They<n id="7" /> themselves must come and escort us out!&#8221;<n id="8" />

For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship,<n id="1" /> I even found an altar with this inscription:<n id="2" /> &#8216;To an unknown god.&#8217; Therefore what you worship without knowing it,<n id="3" /> this I proclaim to you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Paul, after staying<n id="1" /> many more days in Corinth,<n id="2" /> said farewell to<n id="3" /> the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by<n id="4" /> Priscilla and Aquila.<n id="5" /> He<n id="6" /> had his hair cut off<n id="7" /> at Cenchrea<n id="8" /> because he had made a vow.<n id="9" />

After the city secretary<n id="1" /> quieted the crowd, he said, &#8220;Men of Ephesus, what person<n id="2" /> is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper<n id="3" /> of the temple of the great Artemis<n id="4" /> and of her image that fell from heaven?<n id="5" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">We went on ahead<n id="1" /> to the ship and put out to sea<n id="2" /> for Assos,<n id="3" /> intending<n id="4" /> to take Paul aboard there, for he had arranged it this way.<n id="5" /> He<n id="6" /> himself was intending<n id="7" /> to go there by land.<n id="8" />

After we sighted Cyprus<n id="1" /> and left it behind on our port side,<n id="2" /> we sailed on to Syria and put in<n id="3" /> at Tyre,<n id="4" /> because the ship was to unload its cargo there.

Then Paul replied, &#8220;What are you doing, weeping and breaking<n id="1" /> my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,<n id="2" /> but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">The crowd<n id="1" /> was listening to him until he said this.<n id="2" /> Then<n id="3" /> they raised their voices and shouted,<n id="4" /> &#8220;Away with this man<n id="5" /> from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!&#8221;<n id="6" />

<p class="bodytext">The following night the Lord<n id="1" /> stood near<n id="2" /> Paul<n id="3" /> and said, &#8220;Have courage,<n id="4" /> for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,<n id="5" /> so you must also testify in Rome.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance<n id="1" /> as a servant and witness<n id="2" /> to the things<n id="3" /> you have seen<n id="4" /> and to the things in which I will appear to you.

The local inhabitants<n id="1" /> showed us extraordinary<n id="2" /> kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain<n id="3" /> and was cold.

So do not let them persuade you to do this,<n id="1" /> because more than forty of them<n id="2" /> are lying in ambush<n id="3" /> for him. They<n id="4" /> have bound themselves with an oath<n id="5" /> not to eat or drink anything<n id="6" /> until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.&#8221;<n id="7" />

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>For the heart of this people has become dull,i>b><n id="1" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and their ears are hard of hearing,i>b><n id="2" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and they have closed their eyes,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>so that they would not see with their eyesi>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and hear with their earsi>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and understand with their hearti>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and turn,i>b><n id="3" /> <i><b>and I would heal themb>.i>&#8221;&#8217;<n id="4" />p>