The following night the Lord ¹  stood near ²  Paul ³  and said, “Have courage, ⁴  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ⁵  so you must also testify in Rome.” ⁶ 

This man was seized ¹  by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ²  when I came up ³  with the detachment ⁴  and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ⁵  a Roman citizen. ⁶ 

But I have nothing definite ¹  to write to my lord ²  about him. ³  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ⁴  so that after this preliminary hearing ⁵  I may have something to write.

“Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ¹  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ¹  to him, ²  because I cannot believe ³  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ⁴  for this was not done in a corner. ⁵ 

We went on board ¹  a ship from Adramyttium ²  that was about to sail to various ports ³  along the coast of the province of Asia ⁴  and put out to sea, ⁵  accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian ⁶  from Thessalonica. ⁷ 

As day was about to dawn, ¹  Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense ²  and have gone ³  without food; you have eaten nothing. ⁴ 

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

But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, ¹  that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience ¹  of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith –

Think about the circumstances of your call, ¹  brothers and sisters. ²  Not many were wise by human standards, ³  not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. ⁴ 

With regard to the question about people who have never married, ¹  I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.

For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” ¹  God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.

Now, brothers and sisters, ¹  you know about the household of Stephanus, that as the first converts ²  of Achaia, they devoted themselves to ministry for the saints. I urge you

because I know your eagerness to help. ¹  I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, ²  that Achaia has been ready to give ³  since last year, and your zeal to participate ⁴  has stirred up most of them. ⁵ 

But I am sending ¹  these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready ²  just as I kept telling them.

For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us ¹  for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so. ²