Paul said in his defense,<n id="1" /> &#8220;I have committed no offense<n id="2" /> against the Jewish law<n id="3" /> or against the temple or against Caesar.&#8221;<n id="4" />

Rather they had several points of disagreement<n id="1" /> with him about their own religion<n id="2" /> and about a man named Jesus<n id="3" /> who was dead, whom Paul claimed<n id="4" /> to be alive.

But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor,<n id="1" /> I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">As Paul<n id="1" /> was saying these things in his defense, Festus<n id="2" /> exclaimed loudly, &#8220;You have lost your mind,<n id="3" /> Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">When it was decided we<n id="1" /> would sail to Italy,<n id="2" /> they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion<n id="3" /> of the Augustan Cohort<n id="4" /> named Julius.

The next day we put in<n id="1" /> at Sidon,<n id="2" /> and Julius, treating Paul kindly,<n id="3" /> allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed.<n id="4" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous<n id="1" /> because the fast<n id="2" /> was already over,<n id="3" /> Paul advised them,<n id="4" />

and said,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before<n id="2" /> Caesar,<n id="3" /> and God has graciously granted you the safety<n id="4" /> of all who are sailing with you.&#8217;

Paul said to the centurion<n id="1" /> and the soldiers, &#8220;Unless these men stay with the ship, you<n id="2" /> cannot be saved.&#8221;

When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood<n id="1" /> and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

When the meeting of the synagogue<n id="1" /> had broken up,<n id="2" /> many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes<n id="3" /> followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading<n id="4" /> them<n id="5" /> to continue<n id="6" /> in the grace of God.p>

But the Jews incited<n id="1" /> the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out<n id="2" /> of their region.

<p class="bodytext">The whole group kept quiet<n id="1" /> and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs<n id="2" /> and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

<p class="bodytext">Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided<n id="1" /> to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas,<n id="2" /> leaders among the brothers, to Antioch<n id="3" /> with Paul and Barnabas.

<t /><p class="bodytext">After some days Paul said to Barnabas, &#8220;Let&#8217;s return<n id="1" /> and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord<n id="2" /> to see how they are doing.&#8221;<n id="3" />

Paul wanted Timothy<n id="1" /> to accompany him, and he took<n id="2" /> him and circumcised<n id="3" /> him because of the Jews who were in those places,<n id="4" /> for they all knew that his father was Greek.<n id="5" />

A<n id="1" /> vision appeared to Paul during the night: A Macedonian man was standing there<n id="2" /> urging him,<n id="3" /> &#8220;Come over<n id="4" /> to Macedonia<n id="5" /> and help us!&#8221;

A<n id="1" /> woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth<n id="2" /> from the city of Thyatira,<n id="3" /> a God-fearing woman, listened to us.<n id="4" /> The Lord opened her heart to respond<n id="5" /> to what Paul was saying.

She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out,<n id="1" /> &#8220;These men are servants<n id="2" /> of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way<n id="3" /> of salvation.&#8221;<n id="4" />

She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed,<n id="1" /> and turned<n id="2" /> and said to the spirit, &#8220;I command you in the name of Jesus Christ<n id="3" /> to come out of her!&#8221; And it came out of her at once.<n id="4" />