Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is the last chapter
of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, chapter
16, as well as chapters 20 and 21 from the Book
of Acts. Romans, chapter 16. I commend to you
Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church
in St. Crea. that you may receive her in the
Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist
her in whatever business she has need of you.
For indeed she has been a helper of many, and
of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my
fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risk their
own necks for my life, to whom not only I give
thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Likewise, greet the church that is in their house.
Greet my beloved Epinatus, who is the firstfruits
of Achaia to Christ. Greet Mary, who labored
much for us. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen
and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among
the apostles, who also were in Christ before
me. Greet Amplius, my beloved in the Lord. Greet
Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys,
my beloved. Greet Apelles, approved in Christ.
Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
Greet Herodion, my countrymen. Greet those who
are of the household of Narcissus, who are in
the Lord. Greet Trophina and Trophosa, who have
labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Perses,
who labored much in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen
in the Lord, and his mother, and mine. Greet
Asyncretus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes,
and the brethren who are with them. Greet Philologos
and Julia, Neros and his sister, and Olympas,
and all the saints who are with them. Greet one
another with a holy kiss, the churches of Christ
greet you. Now I urge you, brethren, note those
who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to
the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
For those who are such do not serve our Lord
Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth
words and flattering speech deceive the hearts
of the simple. For your obedience has become
known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf,
but I want you to be wise in what is good, and
simple concerning evil. And the God of peace
will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason,
and Sociopater, my countrymen, greet you. I,
Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in
the Lord. Gaius, my host, and the host of the
whole church, greets you. erastus the treasurer
of the city greets you and quartus a brother
the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you
all amen now to him who is able to establish
you according to my gospel and the preaching
of jesus christ according to the revelation of
the mystery kept secret since the world began
but now made manifest, and by the prophetic scriptures
made known to all nations, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith,
to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ
forever. Amen. After the uproar had ceased, Paul
called the disciples to himself, embraced them,
and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he
had gone over that region and encouraged them
with many words, he came to Greece and stayed
three months. And when the Jews plotted against
him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided
to return through Macedonia. And so Pater of
Berea accompanied him to Asia. Also Aristarchus
and Secundus of the Thessalonians and Gaius of
Derbe and Timothy and Tychicus and Trophimus
of Asia. These men going ahead waited for us
at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after
the days of unleavened bread, and in five days
joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples
came together to break bread, Paul, ready to
depart the next day, spoke to them and continued
his message until midnight. There were many lamps
in the upper room where they were gathered together.
And in a window sat a certain young man named
Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep.
He was overcome by sleep, and as Paul continued
speaking, he fell down from the third story and
was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on
him, and embracing him said, Do not trouble yourselves,
for his life is in him. Now when he had come
up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a
long while, even till daybreak, he departed.
And they brought the young man in alive, and
they were not a little comforted. Then we went
ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there
intending to take Paul on board, for so he had
given orders, intending himself to go on foot.
And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board
and came to Mytilene. We sailed from there, and
the next day came opposite Caius. The following
day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trigilium.
The next day we came to Miletus. For Paul had
decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would
not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying
to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of
Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and
called for the elders of the church. And when
they had come to him, he said to them, You know
from the first day that I came to Asia in what
manner I always lived among you, serving the
Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials,
which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews.
how I kept back nothing that was helpful but
proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly
and from house to house, testifying to Jews and
also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see now I go
bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing
the things that will happen to me there, except
that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city,
saying that chains and tribulations await me.
But none of these things move me, nor do I count
my life dear to me, so that I may finish my race
with joy and a ministry which I received from
the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the
grace of God. And indeed now I know that you
all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom
of God will see my face no more. Therefore I
testify to you this day that I am innocent of
the blood of all men. For I have not shunned
to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore
take heed to yourselves and to all the flock,
among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,
to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased
with his own blood. For I know this, that after
my departure, savage wolves will come in among
you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves
men will rise up speaking perverse things to
draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore
watch and remember that for three years I did
not cease to warn everyone night and day with
tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God
and to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up and give you an inheritance among
all those who are sanctified. I have coveted
no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you
yourselves know. that these hands have provided
for my necessities and for those who were with
me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring
like this, that you must support the weak. And
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
And when he had said these things, he knelt down
and prayed with them all. Then they all wept
freely and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him,
sorrowing most of all for the words which he
spoke, that they would see his face no more.
And they accompanied him, to the ship. Chapter
21 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven
days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to
go up to Jerusalem. When we had come to the end
of those days, we departed and went on our way.
And they all accompanied us, with wives and children,
till we were out of the city. And we knelt down
on the shore and prayed. When we had taken our
leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and
they returned home. And when we had finished
our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemaeus.
greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one
day. On the next day, we, who were Paul's companions,
departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the
house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of
the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man
had four virgin daughters who prophesied. And
as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named
Agapos came down from Judea. When he had come
to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands
and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit,
Bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him
into the hands of the Gentiles. Now when we heard
these things, both we and those from that place
pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then
Paul answered, What do you mean by weeping and
breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to
be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the
name of the Lord Jesus. So when he would not
be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of
the Lord be done. And after those days we packed
and went up to Jerusalem. Also some of the disciples
from Caesarea went with us and brought with them
a certain Nason of Cyprus, an early disciple,
with whom we were to lodge. And when we had come
to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
On the following day, Paul went in with us to
James, and all the elders were present. When
we had greeted them, he told in detail those
things which God had done among the Gentiles
through his ministry. And when they heard it,
they glorified the Lord. And they said to him,
You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there
are who have believed, and they are all zealous
for the law. But they have been informed about
you that you teach all the Jews who are among
the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they
ought not to circumcise their children nor to
walk according to the customs. What then? The
assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear
that you have come. Therefore, do what we tell
you. We have four men who have taken a vow, take
them and be purified with them, and pay their
expenses so that they may shave their heads,
and that all may know that those things of which
they were informed concerning you are nothing,
but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep
the law. But concerning the Gentiles who believe,
we have written and decided that they should
observe no such thing, except that they should
keep themselves from things offered to idols,
from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual
immorality. Then Paul took the men, and the next
day, having been purified with them, entered
the temple to announce the expiration of the
days of purification, at which time an offering
should be made for each one of them. Now when
the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from
Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the
whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out,
Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches
all men everywhere against the people. the law
and this place. And furthermore, he also brought
Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy
place. For they had previously seen Trophimus
the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they
supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.
And all the city was disturbed, and the people
ran together, seized Paul and dragged him out
of the temple. And immediately the doors were
shut. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news
came to the commander of the garrison that all
Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took
soldiers and centurions and ran down to them.
And when they saw the commander and the soldiers,
they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander
came near and took him and commanded him to be
bound with two chains. And he asked who he was
and what he had done. And some among the multitude
cried one thing and some another. So when he
could not ascertain the truth because of the
tumult, He commanded him to be taken into the
barracks. When he reached the stairs, he had
to be carried by the soldiers because of the
violence of the mob. For the multitude of the
people followed after, crying out, away with
him. Then as Paul was about to be led into the
barracks, he said to the commander, may I speak
to you? He replied, can you speak Greek? Are
you not the Egyptian who sometime ago stirred
up a rebellion and led the 4 ,000 assassins out
into the wilderness? But Paul said, I am a Jew
from Tarsus in Cilicia. a citizen of no mean
city, and I implore you, permit me to speak to
the people. So when he had given him permission,
Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his
hand to the people. And when there was a great
silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language,
saying, I hope you enjoyed today's reading as
much as I did, and I look forward to seeing you
again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God
bless you and have a great day.