Acts 26:24-32
While Paul was still presenting his case, Festus interrupted. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you crazy!”
“I am not crazy, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things. So I can speak openly to him. I am certain he knows everything that has been going on. After all, it was not done in secret. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. “Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?” he said. “Do you think you can do that in such a short time?”
Paul replied, “I don’t care if it takes a short time or a long time. I pray to God for you and all who are listening to me today. I pray that you may become like me, except for these chains.”
The king stood up. The governor and Bernice and those sitting with them stood up too. They left the room and began to talk with one another. “Why should this man die or be put in prison?” they said. “He has done nothing worthy of that!”
Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free. But he has made an appeal to Caesar.”
Acts 27:1-12
Paul Sails for Rome
It was decided that we would sail for Italy. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a Roman commander named Julius. He belonged to the Imperial Guard. We boarded a ship from Adramyttium. It was about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia Minor. We headed out to sea. Aristarchus was with us. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
The next day we landed at Sidon. There Julius was kind to Paul. He let Paul visit his friends so they could give him what he needed. From there we headed out to sea again. We passed the calmer side of Cyprus because the winds were against us. We sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Then we landed at Myra in Lycia. There the commander found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy. He put us on board. We moved along slowly for many days. We had trouble getting to Cnidus. The wind did not let us stay on course. So we passed the calmer side of Crete, opposite Salmone. It was not easy to sail along the coast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the town of Lasea.
A lot of time had passed. Sailing had already become dangerous. By now it was after the Day of Atonement, a day of fasting. So Paul gave them a warning. “Men,” he said, “I can see that our trip is going to be dangerous. The ship and everything in it will be lost. Our own lives will be in danger also.” But the commander didn’t listen to what Paul said. Instead, he followed the advice of the pilot and the ship’s owner. The harbor wasn’t a good place for ships to stay during winter. So most of the people decided we should sail on. They hoped we would reach Phoenix. They wanted to spend the winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete. It faced both southwest and northwest.
