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Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who is children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. (vv. 18-21, NLT)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father knows all hearts knows that the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chose them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory. (vv. 26-30, NLT)

Since we have been reunited with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. WE are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives. he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. (vv. 5-11, NLT)

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we not stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help use develop endurance. And endurance develops strength in character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead us to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts. with His love. (vv. 1-5, NLT)

So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tired to persuade them abut Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and fort among themselves, the left with this final word from Paul: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,

‘Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. when you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened , and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes – so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them.’

So I want you to know that this salvation is from God has been offered to the Gentiles and they will accept it.”

For the next two years, Pal lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him. (vv. 23-31, NLT)

It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island – an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods as its figurehead. Our first stop was Syracuse, where we stayed three days. From there we sailed across to Rhegium. A day later a sound wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. There we found some believer, who invited us to spend the a week with them. And so we came to Rome.

The brothers and sisters in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the the Forum on the Appian Way. Others joined us at the Three Tavern. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.

When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging though he was guarded by a soldier. (vv. 11-16, NLT)

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Arstarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. (vv. 1-2, NLT)

The the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine 0’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearman and 70 mounted troops. Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” Then he wrote this letter to the governor:

“From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!

This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived withe troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. I soon discovered that the charge was something regarding their religious law – certainly not worthy of imprisonment or death. But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”

So that night a ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him to Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.

“I will hear your case myself when you accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the parison at Herod’s headquarters. (vv. 23-35, NLT)

The Commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious. When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried>”

When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”

So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are a Roman citizen?”

“I certainly am,” Paul replied.

“I am too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!”

Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”

The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.

The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to him him stand before them. (vv. 24-30, NLT)

After this, we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the house or Mnason, a man original from Cyprus and one of the early believers. When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.

The next day Paul went with us to meed with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. (vv. 15-19, NLT)

So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the day when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.

The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the an who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple – and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. (vv. 26-28, NLT)

The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.

Then the commander arrested him and ordered hi bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. Someone shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress. As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldier had to lift him on their shoulders to protect him. And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!” (vv. 26-36, NLT)

When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the town he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Styria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia. (vv. 1-3, NLT)