Chapter 39 Acts 2

paul and barnabas In the church at Antioch, there were several influential prophets and teachers.They were Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, and Saul who changed his name to Paul after he became a Christian. During a fast and devotional, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Paul for the work to which I have called them." The man, being sent by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus. Passing through Salamis, he preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and John served as their assistant in preaching.When they came to Paphos, they met a false prophet with magic powers. This Jew was named Bar-Jesus, and he often communicated with Sergius Paul, the prefect. However, Sergius Paul was a reasonable man. He invited Barnabas and Paul to speak. road.The false prophet then acted as a hindrance, trying to prevent Fang Bo from converting to the true way.Filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul looked at this false prophet and said.

"You son of the devil full of all kinds of deceit and treachery, you enemy of all good, don't you stop disturbing the righteous way of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is on you to blind your eyes and make you temporarily blind ." While speaking, the eyes of the false prophet Panasus immediately dimmed, and he stretched out his hands frantically, begging people to help him.Seeing this miracle, Fang Bo believed in the word of the Lord. Paul and his companions came to Perga, and John left them and went back to Jerusalem.Paul and the others continued their journey and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. They sat down in the synagogue on the Sabbath and read the law and the books of the prophets. The elders asked them to explain something to everyone.Paul stood up and told the history of the nation of Israel and the story of Jesus.After the meeting was adjourned, these people who feared Judaism invited them to come and preach on the next Sabbath, and many people followed them.

When the next Sabbath came, the whole city came to the meeting place to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw that Paul and the others were able to attract so many people, they became jealous and refuted what Paul said with forceful words. Paul and Barnabas bravely said: "It is right that the word of God should be spoken to you first, After learning this way, we had no choice but to turn to the Gentiles to preach, because the Lord has commanded us thus: I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be a salvation to the ends of the earth.” When the Gentiles heard these words, they were satisfied, Many people believed in the religion, and the word of Jesus spread throughout that area.

But the Jews instigated the noble ladies and famous men in the city to force Paul and Barnabas to leave the country.They shook the dust off their feet in front of the crowd, and went to Iconium. In Iconium they continued to preach in the synagogues, and a part of the Jewish people separated and followed them.Those who opposed them, as well as the magistrate of the city, were furious, and tried to murder and abuse the apostles.After Paul and the others got the news, they fled to the cities of Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and their surrounding areas, where they preached the gospel. In the city of Lystra there was a lame man who could not walk from birth. He came to listen to Paul's sermon. Paul watched him and saw that he had faith, so he said loudly, "Get up and stand up straight."

The lame man jumped up, let his legs go, and walked.When the people saw this miracle, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "A god has come down to us in a human form." So they called Barnabas "Deuts" and Paul "Hermi." Because he speaks instructively. A priest from the Temple of Dieus outside the city, holding a bouquet of flowers, came to offer sacrifices to the apostles. When the two apostles, Barnabas and Paul, saw this, they tore their clothes, jumped into the crowd and shouted, "Gentlemen, why do you want to do this? We are not gods, but we are human beings just like you. We preach the gospel to you. Is that you cast away those vanities, and turn to the living God who created the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. He left the nations to their own way in previous ages. But that does not mean that he does not show his existence, such as he Let the rain come down from heaven and give you a good year, so that you will be well fed and filled with joy."

Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and they incited the crowd to stone Paul. After smashing for a while, thinking that Paul was dead, he was dragged outside the city.The believers wept around him, but Paul got up and went into the city. The next day, he went to Derbe with Barnabas and preached the gospel to the people there. Afterwards, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to strengthen the faith of the disciples there.Elders were appointed in each church.Then the two came to Pamphylia via Pisidia.After preaching at Perga, he sailed from Atalia to Antioch.At Antioch they gathered the congregation to preach and pray.Some men came from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the ordinance of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Paul and Barnabas debated with them, proclaiming that God had opened a door for the Gentiles to believe. The people didn't know right from wrong, so they asked Paul, Barnabas and those who proclaimed the Law of Moses to go to Jerusalem to meet the apostles and elders. When Paul and Barnabas passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they everywhere preached the truth that Gentiles could be converted to the Lord.When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the apostles and elders of the church, who related the matter of the controversy.Several Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and commanded to obey the law of Moses."

The apostles and elders met to discuss this matter, and after a long debate, Peter stood up and said, "Brothers, you know that God has chosen me among you, that the Gentiles may receive the word of the gospel from my mouth, and that God has given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles." , just as the Holy Spirit is given to us, there is no distinction between you and me. Why should we now put a yoke on the necks of the disciples that our fathers and we could not bear? We are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus. On this point, The same goes for the Gentiles." James also stood up to express his opinion. He said: "My opinion is that the Gentiles who surrender to God should not be troubled, but only write to them and tell them to abstain from idols and adultery, and not to eat animals that have not been bled."

The church finally decided to send Barsabbas and Silas together with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with a letter, which agreed with Paul and Barnabas' views. (Acts 13:1 Servant 5:28) Paul and Silas Paul and Barnabas lived in Antioch for a while.One day, Paul said to Barnabas, "Shall we go back to the cities where we preached and see the brethren?" Phileas left them without permission, and refused to take him without preaching the gospel with them.So the two quarreled and went their separate ways.Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas to Syria.Cilicia, go and strengthen the churches in those places.

Paul came to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, whose mother was Jewish and whose father was Greek.The brothers in Lystra and Iconium praised Timothy for his faith, and Paul wanted to take him with him. Considering that the Jews in those places knew that his father was a Greek, he circumcised him.They traveled around and gave the disciples the regulations set by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to follow. As a result, the faith of the churches became stronger and their numbers increased day by day. They went through Phrygia and Galatia to the border of Mysia, and then went down to Troas.

During the night, a vision appeared before Paul's eyes: a Macedonian man stood and begged him, "Please come over to Macedonia and help us!" "Paul thought to himself, maybe this is God calling us to go there to evangelize. So they set off from Troas by boat, passed through Samothra and Neapolis, and arrived at Philippi on the border of Macedonia.It was also where the Roman army was garrisoned.He lived here for a few days, and on the Sabbath, he went out of the city to a meeting place by the river, and preached to the women meeting there.There was a cloth seller named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. She had always worshiped God. After listening to Paul's sermon, she took her family to be baptized and left Paul and the others to live in her home. Once at a meeting place, a maid who was possessed by a witch came up to her and shouted, "These people are servants of the supreme God, and they have told you the way to save people." She kept shouting like this for many days, which made Paul Annoyed, he turned to the witch and said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!" The ghost immediately ran away in fright, and the maid immediately recovered.The masters of the maid are the ones who cast spells on her and release witches and ghosts.The man who came here for profit was furious when he saw this, and he went up and grabbed Paul and Silas, dragged them to the city to meet the leaders, and brought them before the magistrates, saying, "These people are Jews. How dare they come to harass you?" Our peaceful city teaches rules unacceptable to us Romans." The crowd flocked to attack Paul and the others.The magistrates ordered them to be stripped of their clothes and beaten with clubs.After beating for a while, he was put in prison, with wooden dogs on his feet, and ordered the guards to guard him strictly. In the dead of night, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God, and all the prisoners listened attentively. Suddenly, the earth shook, all the prison doors were thrown open, and all the prisoners’ chains fell off. As soon as the jailer woke up, he thought the prisoner had escaped, so he drew his sword and wanted to commit suicide. Paul shouted, "Don't hurt yourself, we are still here." , what must we do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved." Then they preached to the jailer and his family.That night the jailer took them to his house.Wash their wounds and apply medicine, cook and cook.The jailer and his whole family were baptized. At daybreak, the magistrate sent someone to release Paul and the others, but Paul said, "We are Romans, and we did not break any law. They beat us in front of everyone, and put us in prison. Do you want to drive us out privately now?" ? No, just ask the magistrate himself to lead us out." The officers reported this to the magistrates, who were terrified when they heard that they were Romans.So, he personally came to persuade them and sent them out of the city. Paul and the others went to Lydia's house, bid farewell to the brothers, and set off on their way. Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica through Amphipolis and Apollonia, where they went to the Jewish synagogue according to the usual rules. For three consecutive Sabbaths, Paul and Silas debated with the Jews.A part of the people thus followed the way of the Lord.But those Jews who didn't believe in the Lord Jesus were jealous, so they called some street hooligans and instigated the whole city to break into the house of Paul's son, who lived there. The brothers went to the judge and shouted at him, saying, "People who fear chaos have come to our city, and the grandson has taken them in. These people have disobeyed Caesar's order and nonsense that there is another king named Jesus. " When the people and the magistrate heard this, they panicked. They took Jason and the rest of the people and released them. In the middle of the night, Paul and Silas rushed to Berea under the escort of the brothers. (Acts 15:37-17:9) idol of athens Paul and Silas went to Berea and entered the Jewish synagogue.The people in this place are different from the people in Thessalonica. They accept the way of Jesus willingly, search the "Bible" every day, and study the main points.There were also Greek ladies and nobles among the believers. When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the gospel in Berea again, they also went there to make trouble.The disciples arranged for Paul to go to the seaside to escape, leaving Silas and Timothy still living in Berea. When Paul arrived in Athens, he saw that the city was full of idols. He felt very sad, so he debated with the Judas in the synagogue, and even debated with people in the streets.The Epicureans and the Stoics also argued with him, saying, "What is this man talking nonsense?" "He seems to be talking about Gentile ghosts." So they took Paul to the Areopagus and asked, "Can we also listen to the strange truths you said? We also know a little about some of your legends, and we hope to learn more about them. " Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Citizens of Athens, I see that you have a reverence for ghosts in everything. As I was walking through the streets, I saw one of your altars with the inscription Unknown God. Since you do not know what God is and worship him, let me tell you this: the God who created the universe and everything in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, would not live in a temple built by manpower, let alone People go to serve him. He wants to give life, breath, and all things to mankind. He creates various peoples from one source, distributes them all over the world, and predetermines their years and boundaries, so that mankind will seek God. Perhaps you can all realize that God is not far from us, that our life, all our actions, our existence or our destruction depend on him. It is like the lines of your poets: We are also his offspring. Since we are God's offspring God should not carve divinity into human images with gold, silver and stone. When the world was ignorant, God did not observe, but now that it is civilized, he will command people everywhere to repent of this backward custom of making idols. For he has appointed a day when he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has chosen, and will give proof to the world by raising him from the dead, whom he has chosen." When the people heard the word of resurrection from the dead, they mocked him again, saying, "Then let's hear how to resurrect." Seeing that these people were hopeless, Paul withdrew from them.But a few of them were converted because of this. Among them were Dionysius, an official of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris. After this, Paul left Athens for Corinth. In Corinth, he met a Jew named Aquila. He and his wife Priscilla were engaged in making tents. Seeing that they were walking together, Paul worked with them, but when the Sabbath came, Paul stopped working. Go to the synagogues to debate and convert the Jews and Greeks.Soon Silas and Timothy also came from Macedonia to be with him. Once, during a debate, Paul proved to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, and was rejected and slandered.Paul lifted his cloak and said, "It seems that your sins can only be laid on your own heads, and I have nothing to do with it. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel to them." So, he strode out of the synagogue and came to the home of Titus Justus, a believer near the synagogue.At night, the Lord Jesus said to Paul in a vision: "Don't be afraid, just speak and don't keep silent. If I am with you, no one will hurt you." Paul lived there for a year and a half, preaching the gospel to the people there. When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews assembled again to attack Paul, dragged him to court, and charged him: "This man instigated people to worship God not according to the law." As soon as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio said to the Jews: "You Jews, if it is a case of injustice or likes and dislikes, I should listen to you patiently, but what you argue is nothing more than words, nouns, or your laws. , and it’s not enough to be a crime, you can settle it yourself! I don’t want to interrogate such a thing.” Immediately throw them out of court. The crowd could not tell Paul, so they seized Sosthenes, who was in charge of the synagogue, and beat him severely.Fang Bojia Lumen knew that the call was for himself, but he still ignored it. After Paul stayed for a while, he said goodbye to his brothers in Corinth, took Priscilla and Nyala with him, and sailed to Syria together.Because he had made a vow, he had his hair cut in Cenchrea according to the rituals of ancient priests.Arriving in Ephesus, Paul left his entourage at the place of residence, and went to the synagogue by himself.Debate with the Jews.Everyone asked him to stay longer, but he refused, saying: "If God allows it, I will come back to you." So they sailed to Caesarea, and from there they traveled by dry road to Jerusalem.Then he went down to Antioch, and then to Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen the faith of those local churches. Once, when Paul came to Ephesus, he met some disciples there and asked them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit?" They replied, "No, the Holy Spirit has never been given." Paul asked again, "Is that so? What kind of baptism did you receive?" "It was the baptism of John the Baptist." Paul said: "What John did was a baptism of repentance, telling everyone, believe in the one who will come after John, that is, be baptized in the name of Jesus." When the disciples heard this, they were baptized immediately in the name of the Lord Jesus.Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them.They spoke in tongues and prophesied. Paul went to the synagogue and preached bravely for three months.Debate about the kingdom of heaven, and persuade the people.Later, because some stubborn people insisted on slandering God's way, Paul left them, and at the same time, he separated the disciples who had believed the gospel from these stubborn people. (Acts 17:11-19:10) Paul in Asia Paul went to the school of Tyrannus to debate every day. This lasted two years, and all the Jews and Greeks living in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus.God wrought some very strange miracles through the hands of Paul.Even someone took a hand or an apron from Paul and put it on the sick person, and the sickness would subside by itself. At that time, there were a few Jews who wandered around chanting and exorcising demons. They practiced spells on those who were possessed by evil spirits, and called the name of the Lord Jesus without authorization, saying: "I command you by the spirit of Jesus preached by Paul. come out!" Among these exorcists were the seven sons of Sceva, the chief priest of Judah.When they were casting out the demon, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but what are you?" The demon-possessed man also jumped on top of them, and defeated two of them, subduing them.Let them flee naked and wounded.All the Jews and Greeks who lived in Ephesus knew about it, and at the same time were afraid of it.The name of the Lord Jesus spread far and wide, and most of those who had followed the fake exorcists came to admit their mistakes, and many of those who usually participated in witchcraft brought witch books and burned them in public.These burned witch books are worth as much as 50,000 yuan.Therefore, the word of the Lord prospered greatly. After dealing with these matters, Paul planned in his heart to go to Jerusalem via Macedonia and Achaia.And I want to go to Rome.Therefore, he first sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia to fight the front, while he stayed in Asia for a while. At that time, due to the flourishing of the Word of Jesus, there will naturally be some friction between believers and unbelievers. There was a silversmith named Lord Demi who made silver shrines for the god Artemis.Gathering his fellows, he incited and said: "Gentlemen, you all know that we make our fortune from the art of making shrines, but Paul opposed idols not only in Ephesus, but in almost all Asia. He seduced and deceived many people, talking nonsense What is made by human hands is not God. You have seen and heard this. If Paul is allowed to continue like this, not only will our cause be despised, but even the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be despised, and even the whole of Asia and the world will be despised. The majesty of the great goddess worshiped in the whole world will be destroyed." When the companions heard this, they were all filled with anger and shouted, "Great, O Artemis of the Ephesians!" The whole city was aroused by this, and they caught Paul's colleagues Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians, and rushed into the theater together.Paul also wanted to squeeze in, but the disciples stopped him, and his friends, several leaders of Asia also sent people to dissuade him, advising him not to take the risk of going to the theater.The gathered crowd was disturbing, most of them were just to join in the fun. Someone dragged Alexander out of the crowd, and Alexander waved to everyone, telling them not to make noise and listen to him.Recognizing that he was also a Jew, the crowd shouted with one voice, "Great, Artemis of Ephesus!" After going on like this for about two hours, the secretary of the city came out to appease everyone.He "O Ephesians, who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple of the goddess Artemis the Great, and an idol handed down from Deus, the guardian god? This is a fait accompli. Be quiet and do not Once again, you arrested these people, but they did not steal property from the temple, nor did they slander our goddess. If it is only Demetrius and his colleagues who sued someone, then there will be a court to judge, and Since Fang Bo can uphold justice, if you want to discuss other matters, you can also gather and discuss as usual, so there is no need to make such a big noise. Today's incident has no reason, and no one can explain why." After hearing this, the crowd just dispersed. After settling down, Paul invited the disciples to come, gave a few words of advice, and then left for Macedonia. After traveling all over the country, he came to Greece, where he stayed for three months, and was about to sail for Syria, but because the Jews were plotting to assassinate him, he changed his mind and returned from Macedonia.And with him were Sopater the son of Pharos the Berean, Aristarches the Thessalonians, Secundus, Gaius the Derbe, Timothy, Tychicus the Asiatic, and Trophimus.They stayed seven days in Troas. On the first day of the seven days, when Paul and the others met to break bread and preached until late at night, there was a young man named Eutychus on the upper floor, who sat sleepy on the window sill and fell from the third floor without paying attention. When he was hurriedly lifted up, he had stopped breathing.Paul went down to look, leaned over the young man and listened, hugged him and said, "Don't panic, his soul has not yet come out of his body." After that, he went upstairs again, breaking bread and talking, and did not leave until dawn.Someone went to bring the young man, and everyone saw that he was alive and well, without any scars. Paul sent someone from Miletus to invite the elders of the church in Ephesus, and said to them, "You know that since I came to Asia, I have been prudent, sincere in serving the Lord, humble in everything, with tears in my eyes, and because I was repeatedly murdered by the Jews And I have been tested. You also know that I have not withheld anything that is good for you. Whether in public or alone. I have not stopped teaching you. Proofs to Jews and Greeks Repent to God and put your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. "Now, I desperately want to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what will happen there, but I know that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that chains and tribulations are waiting for me. Finish the journey of my life, fulfill the mission I received from the Lord Jesus, and prove the gospel of God's grace. "I have walked among you and preached the word of the kingdom of heaven, and now I know that you will never see me again. Therefore, I testify to you today that I am not guilty of any death among you, because the will of God , I have passed it all unreservedly to you. Take heed to yourselves, as the Holy Spirit has made you overseers of mankind, to shepherd the church of God, which Jesus bought with His own blood. "I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you and destroy the flock. Even among you there will be those who will speak perverted things to seduce the disciples. "Therefore be on your guard, and remember that I have wept for you every day and night for three years, and now I commit you to God and the word of his grace, which will build you up , that you may share the inheritance with all sanctified people. I have never coveted other people's gold and silver treasures, but used my own hands to support myself and my colleagues. I will set an example for you in everything, so that you know how to work hard and how to help Weak and weak. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: It is more blessed to give than to receive." After Paul spoke earnestly and earnestly, he knelt down and prayed with the crowd.Everyone wept bitterly and held Paul tightly.What saddened them most was Paul's words: "You will never see me again." (Acts 19:10-20:38) Paul in Jerusalem When Paul left Asia to go to Jerusalem, he stopped in Tire. The disciples there were inspired by the Holy Spirit and advised Paul not to go to Jerusalem.Paul insisted on going, and all the disciples, their wives and children, knelt on the shore to pray and see him off. When they arrived in Caesarea, they lived in the house of Philip the deacon of the church.Philip had four unmarried daughters who all prophesied.Another prophet from Judah, named Agabus, took Paul's girdle and tied it around his hands and feet, saying, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, so shall the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this girdle and hand him over to the Gentiles ." When the disciples heard this, they urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.Paul calmly said, "Why do you cry so bitterly and break my heart? In the name of the Lord Jesus, I am willing to die in Jerusalem, let alone being bound by others." When they arrived in Jerusalem, the disciples welcomed Paul and his party with joy. The next day, Paul went to James and the elders, and told the story of preaching the gospel in the Gentiles. When the elders heard this, they all glorified God, and then said to Paul, "Brother, look at how many thousands of people in Judah believe in the Lord, and they all follow the law handed down by Moses. It is said among them that you teach abroad. The Jews in the state abandoned the law of Moses and opposed the circumcision of their children. These people know that you are coming, what should we do? You do as we say! Four of us here have issued orders for purification. May you take them with you to perform the rite of purification and pay for them. Then everyone will know that what they have heard before is false. As for the disciples of the Gentiles, we have written to them and told them to be careful. Avoid the blood of things sacrificed to idols, avoid eating animals that are strangled, and avoid adultery." So, Paul took the four people with him, and the next day he performed the cleansing ceremony, entered the temple, and announced that the time for cleansing was fulfilled, and only waited for the priest to offer a sacrifice for each of them. At the end of the seven days, when the Jews from Asia saw Paul in the temple, they incited the crowd to arrest him, and they shouted wildly, saying, "Come quickly, all Israelites; The people, the law, and the old man, he dares to bring Greeks into the temple and defile this holy place." The whole city was shaken, and the crowd rushed to catch Paul, pulled him out of the temple, and then closed the gate of the temple. The crowd was about to kill Paul, and someone reported to the army camp.The commander immediately brought people over.Seeing this, everyone stopped beating Paul.The commander ordered Paul to be bound with two chains, and asked him who he was and what he had done.So they ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks.When they got to the steps, the crowd crowded even harder. The soldiers had to carry Paul away, and the crowd followed behind, shouting wildly: "Kill him!" "Kill him!" When he was approaching the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "I have something to say to you, is it okay?" The commander replied, "You know the Greek language! Are you not the same Egyptian who led the rebellion and led four thousand men into the wilderness?" Paul said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, not from a small town with no name. Please allow me to say a few words to the people." The commander agreed. Paul stood on the steps and waved to the people to be quiet.Everyone fell silent and listened to what he had to say. Paul said to everyone in Hebrew: "Fathers and brothers, I will explain to you now." Everyone became quieter after listening to his Hebrew words. "I was originally a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, brought up in this city, under Gamaliel's school, received strict education according to the laws of my fathers, and zealously served God, just as you do now. I also I once persecuted people who believed in God, even killed them, and arrested them regardless of gender, and put them in prison. The high priest and all the elders can testify for me. I also received the letter from the chief priest and went to Damascus Capture the believers of God and bring them to Jerusalem to be tortured. Just when I was about to reach Damascus, the blue sky suddenly radiated light, covering me in all directions. I immediately threw myself to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me: Saul, Saul, why are you forcing me so hard?I replied: Lord, who are you?He said: I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.Those who walked with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice that spoke to me. "Again I said to the voice, Lord, what shall I do? Arise, says the Lord, and go into Damascus, where I shall tell you all that has been sent to you. For the light was so strong that I Temporarily losing my vision, my fellow travelers dragged me into Damascus. "There was a man named Ananias, a devout follower of the law of Moses, and all the Jews in the city praised him. He came to me and said, Brother Saul, you will see the light of day again. I opened my eyes Seeing him, he saw him. He said, "The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will, and to see the righteous man. Hear the voice from his mouth. Call on his name quickly, and baptize you. Go to your sin." Hearing what he said, the crowd shouted loudly: "This kind of person should be wiped out!" The crowd was clamoring, throwing off their clothes and throwing dust into the air. The commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and ordered to be tortured with whips.As soon as he tied it with a leather strap, Paul said to a centurion next to him, "I am a Roman and I have not been convicted, but you want to be whipped. Is there any precedent for this?" The centurion hurriedly went to ask Commander Yu for instructions, and the centurion also came over and asked, "Are you really a Roman?" Paul replied, "Of course." The commander said again: "I spent a lot of silver to buy a Roman domicile." Paul said, "But I was born to be." Knowing that he was a Roman, the commander was a little frightened.Don't dare to whip him again. The next day, the commander, the chief priests, and the entire Sanhedrin assembled to question Paul. Paul stared at these people and said, "Brothers, I walk in good conscience before God." The high priest Ananias ordered his men to slap Paul's mouth. Paul said to him: "You whitewashed wall, God will punish you. You preside over the court and try me according to the law. How dare you break the law and beat people at will." The dogs shouted: "How bold! How dare you insult the high priest of God?" Paul said, "My brethren, I did not know that he was the high priest. It is said, Do not speak evil of the ruler of the people." Paul saw that the crowd was half Sadducees and half Pharisees, Announced loudly: "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of the Pharisees, and I am being tried now because I hope for the resurrection of the dead." As soon as this remark came out, it caused controversy between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the public was immediately divided into two. The Sadducees said: It is impossible for a person to be resurrected after death, and there are no angels or ghosts either. The Pharisees believed that there is both the resurrection and angels and ghosts. The quarrel became more and more intense, and several scribes of the Pharisees simply stood up and argued: "We don't see any crimes in this man at present. Do you think it is a crime just because a ghost or an angel has spoken to him?" ?" Both sides of the quarrel were very excited.The commander was afraid that Paul would be torn apart by the crowd, so he quickly ordered the soldiers to escort him into the barracks. That night, the Lord came to Paul and said, "Be of good cheer! As you have testified for me in Jerusalem, you will also testify for me in Rome." At dawn the next day, forty Jews conspired together and took an oath, saying, "We will not eat or drink until Paul is killed." So they came to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have made a great vow. If we do not kill Paul, we will go on a hunger strike. Now you and those in charge of the Sanhedrin must hurry and tell the commander to bring Paul here." Come and pretend to examine his case while we get ready to kill him before he comes." Paul's nephew heard that they had set an ambush, and ran to the barracks to tell Paul. Immediately Paul called for a centurion and said, "Take this young man to the centurion, he has something important to report." The centurion took Paul's nephew to the centurion, and he told all the plots he had heard.So the commander sent Paul's nephew back and told him, "Don't tell anything about your coming to see me." Afterwards, the commander called two centurions and ordered: "Prepare 200 infantry, 70 cavalry, and 200 spearmen. At two o'clock tonight, escort Paul to Caesarea and hand him over to the governor." Felix." (Acts 21:1-23:24) Paul suffers After Paul was taken to Caesarea, he was locked in Herod's office. Five days later, the high priest Ananias, together with several elders and disputants, brought an accusation against Paul to the governor. When Paul was interrogated, a debater named Tertulo accused him, saying: "Lord Felix, under your leadership, we have enjoyed peace and prosperity, and all the evils of the whole country have been corrected because of your wisdom. We will We are full of gratitude everywhere, but we are afraid that we will say too much, you are too annoying, just ask you to listen to a few words of advice from us. We regard Paul as a plague. He deceived the people of the world, especially the Jews to rebel. He was also a small leader of the Jesus of Nazareth sect. Urge him, and interrogate him yourself.You know what we told him is true. " The Jews also booed beside him: "Yes, yes, that is the truth." The governor asked Paul to explain. Paul said, "Governor, I know that you have presided over the government affairs in this country for many years, so I am happy to defend myself. You can find out from your inquiry that it has only been twelve days since I went to Jerusalem to worship.没有谁看见我在圣殿或在会堂以及在任何一个地方与人辩论，也没有见到我煽动了什么人。这些人所告我的罪名，他们并不能拿出证据。但是有一件事，我得向你承认，就是他们所称为异端的道，正是我所从事的事业，我是按着这道来侍奉我们祖宗的上帝，并且依靠上帝的神力，使无论善恶的一切死人复活，即使就是这些人自己也盼望着能死后复活。我可以保证，我无论面对上帝或面对众人都无愧于良心，也没有聚众妄为，这些人都知道这是事实，他们所要告我的，便是我当众宣告讲了死人复活的道理。" 腓力斯本来是通晓了解那稣之道的，便支吾众人说："且等千夫长吕西亚下来，我们再作定案处理。" 于是，吩咐百夫长看守保罗，要宽待他，同时也不要阻拦亲友送东西来给保罗。 过了几天，腓力斯与他的夫人、犹大人土西拉一同来看保罗，听保罗讲论基督耶稣的道。 保罗讲解公义、节制以及未来的审判，腓力斯听后甚觉恐惧，说："你暂时回去吧！等我有空时再来听你说。" 腓力斯还有个私心，他指望保罗用银钱来收买他，所以屡次地叫保罗来，和他谈论。 过了两年，波求非斯都接了腓力斯的任，腓力斯欲讨好犹太人，便继续把保罗关在牢里。 非斯都到任的第三天，就从该撒利亚上耶路撒冷去，祭司长和犹太人的首领便向他控告保罗，又夹求他将保罗引渡回耶路撒冷来，以便他们在半路上设伏杀掉保罗。 都非斯却回答说："保罗押在该撒利亚，我自己也快要到那里就任，你们可以派代表与我一起去那里，若他真有什么罪，你们好在那里控告他。" 非斯都回到该撒利亚的第二天，便开堂审间保罗。那些从耶路撒冷来的犹太人也作好了准备，准备在许多重大的事情上控告保罗。但都是些似是而非不能证实的事。 保罗答辩道："无论是犹大人的律法、圣殿、该撒，我都没有冒犯过。" 非斯都要讨犹大人的喜欢，就问保罗说："你愿意上耶路撒冷去，在那里听我审断这个案子吗？" 保罗回答说："我站在该撒的堂，那就是我应当受审的地方，我对犹太人并没有行过什么不义之事，犯了什么该死的罪，就是死，我也在所不辞。但他们所告我的都是些莫须有的罪。因此，不能把我交给他们，我要上告于该撒。" 非斯都和议会商量后，说："你既要上告于该撒，那就到该撒去审讯吧。" 过了些日子，亚基帕王和百尼基氏来到该撒利亚向非斯都问安。在那里逗留数日，非斯都将保罗的事告诉了亚基帕王，转述了保罗所说的耶稣复活等言论，亚基帕王觉得有趣，提出来想听听。于是，非斯都提出在第二天重审保罗。 第二天，亚基帕和百尼基大张威势，同众千夫长以及城里的达官贵人同进了公厅。 非斯都吩咐带保罗上堂。 非斯都说："亚基帕王和在座的诸公啊，你们眼前的这个人，就是一切犹大人反复向我恳求要处死的人。但我查明他没有犯什么该死的罪，并且他自己上告于皇帝，所以我决定把他解到那里去。说到这个人的罪，我确实没有什么可奏明王上。因此，我把他带到你们面前，查问一些事实后，好有所陈奏。在我看来，解送囚犯，不指明他犯了什么罪是不合理的。" 亚基帕对保罗说："你自己可以辩解。" 于是，保罗慷慨地陈词："亚基帕王啊，犹太人所告我的一切罪名，今天都能够在你面前陈述，实在是万幸。更可幸的是，你熟悉犹太人的规矩和他们的理论，所以求你耐心听我道来。我从起初在本国的人民中，以及在耶路撒冷的行为，我自幼及长为人如何，犹大人都清清楚楚。 他们若肯作见证，就晓得我从最初起便是按了我们教中最严谨的教门作了法利赛人。现在，我站在这里受审，是因为指望得到上帝的许应。这许应也是我们以色列人十二个支派所日夜盼望的。King!我被犹太人控告，就是因为这指望：上帝叫死人复活。你们为什么要把死人复活视为不可信呢？从前我自己以为应当多方攻击拿撒勒人耶稣之名，我在耶路撒冷时也曾这样干过………"保罗把在大马色路上所见异象而信了耶稣的前因后果又详述了一遍，最后说："亚基帕王啊，我故此没有违背那天上异象，先在大马色、后在耶路撒冷和犹太全地以及外邦传耶稣的福音，因此，犹大人在圣殿里捉住我，想要杀我，然而我蒙上帝的帮助，至今仍站在这里，对着尊贵的人、卑贱的人、老的人、小的人作见证，我们讲的并不外乎众先知和摩西所说将来必成之事，就是基督必须受害，也必然从死里复活，要首先把光明的道传给百姓和外邦人。 " 听了保罗的答辩，非斯都大喊道："保罗，你太癫狂，你的学问太大，反而使你更狂妄。" 保罗说："非斯都大人，我不是狂妄，我说的都是真实的话，亚基帕王也晓得这其中道理，所以我今天放胆直言，我深信这些事没有一件是见不得人的。亚基帕王啊，你信先知吗？我知道你是信的。" 亚基帕说："你这样劝我，几乎使我作了基督徒。" 保罗说："我向上帝所求的，不只是你一个人，就是今天听了我的劝的人，都可以象我一样，只是不要象我有这些锁链。" 当下，亚基帕王和巡抚以及百尼基等人就退下商议，说："这人并没有犯什么该死该绑的罪啊！" 亚基帕对非斯都说："这人若没有上告于该撒，就把他放了吧。"（徒23：32一26：32） 走向罗马 正因为保罗已经上告于该撒，所以只能送他去意大利。 在旅途中，已经过了禁食的节期，行船又危险，保罗就劝众人说："诸位，我看我们这次旅行，不但货物和船要受损伤，就连我们的性命也难保。" 但押送他的百夫长听信于船长，不相信保罗的话。同时，因为这海口越冬不便，船上的大多数人也赞成离开这里到非尼基过冬。非尼基是革哩底的一个海口，一面朝东北，一面向东南，这时南风徐徐，他们更得意地乘风起锚了。 行不多久，一阵飓风呼啸扑来，船在风中挣扎，像一片树叶，任风驱使，吹到一个叫高大的小岛附近，船才勉勉强强停了下来。 可众人又怕船会在赛耳底沙滩上搁浅，便把救生的舢板拉上来绑在船底，落下帆篷，任船随风而去。 第二天，风浪仍然很猛，众人就把货物抛在海里，以减少船的负载。到了第三天，实在没有办法，他们又把船上使用的器具都抛弃了。可是，太阳和星星仍不出现，飓风毫无停歇的征兆，大家都感到绝望了。 众人多日没有吃饭，保罗就站出来说："诸位，你们本来听我的话不离开革哩底，也就免得了这场大祸。现在我劝大家放心，你们的性命不会有危险，失丧的惟有这艘船。因为我所侍奉的上帝的使者昨夜来到了我的身边，对我说：保罗，不要害怕，你必将能站在该撒面前，你同船的人们也一样。所以大家尽管放心，我相信上帝他怎样对我说，事情也要怎样成就。只是我们必然会撞在一个岛上。" 到了第十四天夜晚，船仍在亚底亚海飘来飘去。约到半夜时分，水手以为离陆地不远了，就测试水的深浅，一探，有12丈深，稍往前又探，只有九丈。他们恐怕船会撞上礁石，就从船尾抛下四个锚，等待天亮。水手们想乘机逃跑，就把舢板放回海里，假装要从船头抛锚。 保罗对百夫长和兵丁说："这些水手若果下船，你们将不能得救。" 于是，兵丁们砍断了舢板的绳索，任它飘流而去。天快亮时，保罗劝众人吃饭，说："你们这样焦虑地不吃不喝已经有十四天了。我劝你们吃饭，这才是性命攸关的事情，你们相信，你们连一根头发都不会损失的。" 保罗说完了这话，就拿着饼，在众人面前祝谢了上帝，掰开吃。由于他的影响，大家也就放下心来，跟着吃东西了。整个船上共有二百七十六人，他们吃饱后，把船上的粮食却一齐扔出了舱外，以便使船轻便一些。 到了天亮，见是一个海湾，虽不知叫什么地名，但是有岸可靠。于是，大家商量如何把船靠拢上岸。索性砍断缆索，把铁锚也丢弃在海里。同时，松开舵绳，拉起头篷，顺着风向岸上冲去，但遇着两股水流，使船搁了浅；船头胶着在沙滩上，船尾却被巨浪冲垮。在这危急关头，兵丁们议论着要杀死囚犯，以防止他们游泳逃跑。百夫长为了救保罗，不准兵丁们这样蛮干，他吩咐道，会水的游上岸去。不会水的可以抓住船上的木板家具划上岸：这样，大家都弃船上了岸。 上岸后，土人告诉他们，这个岛叫米利大。土人们对他们非常客气，当时下雨，天气很冷，他们就烧起火为这些遇难之人取暖，那时，保罗拾起一捆柴往火上放，不料柴捆里有条毒蛇，受火一烤，蓦地缠住了他的手。土人们惊呆了，互相说：此人肯定是个凶手，虽然从海里救上来了，但天理不容他活着。他们还以为保罗马上会红肿起来中毒倒地。谁知，保罗竟若无其事地把毒蛇甩进火里，自己一点没受伤。土人又诧异他说：他肯定是个神。 这个岛的岛长叫部百流，他将遇难的人们接到他家里款待三天。部百流的父亲正患着热病和痢疾，在家躺着。保罗把手放在他身上为他祈祷，很快他的病就好了。 消息一传开，岛上患病的人都来找保罗，并得到了医治。岛上的人越发尊重保罗他们，直到离开时，把一些所需要的给养送到船上，依依不舍地送保罗他们开船。 在岛上住了三个月，保罗他们改乘在海岛过冬的"丢斯双子"号船，前往亚力山大。到叙拉古停泊三天，又绕行到利基翁，乘着顺风，第二天就到了部丢利，在这里遇见主内的弟兄们，同住七天，就又去了罗马。 罗马的弟兄们听说保罗他们到来，都来迎接。保罗在众人簇拥下，更加放心大胆地进入了罗马城，并蒙准与其他囚犯分开，由一个卫兵单独看守。 过了三天，保罗请犹大人的首领来聚，保罗对他们说："弟兄们，我虽没有作过什么违害国家和祖宗之法的事，但却被锁绑，从耶路撒冷一直押解到罗马。罗马人审问我，发现我并没犯罪，就想把我释放了，无奈犹太人不服，我出于不得已，只好上告于该撒。我这样做，并非一定要告我的同胞。因此，我请你们来谈谈，我原以为以色列人所指望的，便是像我这样戴枷锁链。" 犹太人的首领回答说："我们并没有接到犹太人来的说到你的信，也没有人来这里说你有什么不好。我们愿意听听你的看法。至于我们的犹太教门，我们知道是经常在各处遭受攻击的。" 他们与保罗约了日子，来到保罗的寓所。保罗从早到晚给他们传福音，证明天国的事，引用摩西的律法和先知的著作，以耶稣的事劝勉他们。 对于保罗的说教，有相信的，也有不相信的。他们又彼此争吵，坐不到一块。 保罗说："圣灵借先知以赛亚向你们祖宗所说的话，都是真理，他说：你去告诉老百姓们说，你们听是听到了，但没有听懂；看是看到了，就是没看清。因为你们的心都被油蒙了，耳朵发聋，眼睛闭着。若能眼明看见，耳朵听见，心里明白，回头是岸，我就救治你们。所以你们当知道，上帝的救恩如今传给了外邦人，因此他们必定能够接受。" 保罗在自己所租的房子里足足呆了两年，凡来访之人一律接待，给他们传讲天国之事，将主耶稣基督的事业到处教导人，罗马没有人再去禁止他。（徒27：1一28：31）