Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,

弟兄们，我愿意你们知道，我所遭遇的事更是叫福音兴旺，

弟兄们，我要你们知道，我所遭遇的事反而使福音更兴旺，

弟兄们，我要你们知道，我所遭遇的事反而使福音更兴旺，

弟兄姊妹，我希望你们知道，我的遭遇反而会使福音传得更广，

弟兄们，我愿意你们知道，我所遭遇的反而使福音更加兴旺了，

弟兄们，我愿你们知道，我的遭遇反而促进了福音的进展，

弟兄們，我願意你們知道，我所遭遇的事更是叫福音興旺，

弟兄們，我要你們知道，我所遭遇的事反而使福音更興旺，

弟兄們，我要你們知道，我所遭遇的事反而使福音更興旺，

弟兄姊妹，我希望你們知道，我的遭遇反而會使福音傳得更廣，

弟兄們，我願意你們知道，我所遭遇的反而使福音更加興旺了，

弟兄們，我願你們明白我的景況反而促成了福音之進步，

弟兄們，我願你們知道，我的遭遇反而促進了福音的進展，

兄弟乎、我欲爾知、我所遭之事、適以廣福音之傳、

我欲兄弟知我遇難、福音益以廣布、

我欲兄弟知我所遇之事、更有益於福音、

茲欲告慰於兄弟者、即予所遭受之一切、適足促成福音之發揚光大也。

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. What has happened to me has actually helped to spread the good news.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel;

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel,

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things[ which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel:

Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News,

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound.

Now those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

“ Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic, they became even quieter.He continued,“ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of our ancestral law. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and putting both men and women in jail,as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to arrest those who were there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.“ As I was traveling and approaching Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,‘ Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’“ I answered,‘ Who are you, Lord?’“ He said to me,‘ I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.“ I said,‘ What should I do, Lord?’“ The Lord told me,‘ Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that you have been assigned to do.’“ Since I couldn’t see because of the brightness of the light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good reputation with all the Jews living there,came and stood by me and said,‘ Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up and saw him.And he said,‘ The God of our ancestors has appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the words from his mouth,since you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’“ After I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a tranceand saw him telling me,‘ Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’“ But I said,‘ Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in you imprisoned and beaten.And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I stood there giving approval and guarding the clothes of those who killed him.’“ He said to me,‘ Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”They listened to him up to this point. Then they raised their voices, shouting,“ Wipe this man off the face of the earth! He should not be allowed to live!”As they were yelling and flinging aside their garments and throwing dust into the air,the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, directing that he be interrogated with the scourge to discover the reason they were shouting against him like this.As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by,“ Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?”When the centurion heard this, he went and reported to the commander, saying,“ What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”The commander came and said to him,“ Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”“ Yes,” he said.The commander replied,“ I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money.”“ But I was born a citizen,” Paul said.So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately. The commander too was alarmed when he realized Paul was a Roman citizen and he had bound him.The next day, since he wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and instructed the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to convene. He brought Paul down and placed him before them.

So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.

Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta.The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold.As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another,“ This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods as its figurehead.Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days.From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli.There we found brothers and sisters and were invited to stay a week with them. And so we came to Rome.Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them,“ Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; even though I had no charge to bring against my people.For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”Then they said to him,“ We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you.But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement:“ The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiahwhen he said, Go to these people and say: You will always be listening, but never understanding; and you will always be looking, but never perceiving.For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.”

The king’s command and law went into effect on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. On the day when the Jews’ enemies had hoped to overpower them, just the opposite happened. The Jews overpowered those who hated them.

shouting,“ Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. What’s more, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.As they were trying to kill him, word went up to the commander of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in chaos.Taking along soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran down to them. Seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.Then the commander approached, took him into custody, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done.Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks.When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,for the mass of people followed, yelling,“ Get rid of him!”

Even human wrath will praise you; you will clothe yourself with the wrath that remains.