<t /><p class="bodytext">So the next day Agrippa<n id="1" /> and Bernice came with great pomp<n id="2" /> and entered the audience hall,<n id="3" /> along with the senior military officers<n id="4" /> and the prominent men of the city. When Festus<n id="5" /> gave the order,<n id="6" /> Paul was brought in.

Paul replied, &#8220;I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time<n id="1" /> not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Since many of them had no desire to eat,<n id="1" /> Paul<n id="2" /> stood up<n id="3" /> among them and said, &#8220;Men, you should have listened to me<n id="4" /> and not put out to sea<n id="5" /> from Crete, thus avoiding<n id="6" /> this damage and loss.

<p class="bodytext">As day was about to dawn,<n id="1" /> Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, &#8220;Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense<n id="2" /> and have gone<n id="3" /> without food; you have eaten nothing.<n id="4" />

But the centurion,<n id="1" /> wanting to save Paul&#8217;s life,<n id="2" /> prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,<n id="3" />

The father<n id="1" /> of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him<n id="2" /> and after praying, placed<n id="3" /> his hands on him and healed<n id="4" /> him.

The brothers from there,<n id="1" /> when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius<n id="2" /> and Three Taverns<n id="3" /> to meet us. When he saw them,<n id="4" /> Paul thanked God and took courage.

So they began to leave,<n id="1" /> unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: &#8220;The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors<n id="2" /> through the prophet Isaiah

<t /><p class="bodytext">From Paul,<n id="1" /> an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth,<n id="2" /> with all the saints who are in all Achaia.<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now I, Paul, appeal to you<n id="1" /> personally<n id="2" /> by the meekness and gentleness<n id="3" /> of Christ (I who am meek<n id="4" /> when present among<n id="5" /> you, but am full of courage<n id="6" /> toward you when away!) &#8211;

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm,<n id="1" /> without shifting<n id="2" /> from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.p>

Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously,<n id="1" /> &#8220;It was necessary to speak the word of God<n id="2" /> to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy<n id="3" /> of eternal life, we<n id="4" /> are turning to the Gentiles.<n id="5" />

He came<n id="1" /> to us, took<n id="2" /> Paul&#8217;s belt,<n id="3" /> tied<n id="4" /> his own hands and feet with it,<n id="5" /> and said, &#8220;The Holy Spirit says this: &#8216;This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over<n id="6" /> to the Gentiles.&#8217;&#8221;

Then Paul took the men the next day,<n id="1" /> and after he had purified himself<n id="2" /> along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice<n id="3" /> of the completion of the days of purification,<n id="4" /> when<n id="5" /> the sacrifice would be offered for each<n id="6" /> of them.