¹⁹ But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.^(A) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(B) speaking through you.

⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues.^(A) On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.^(B)

¹¹ “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,^{(A) 12} for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”^(B)

¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me.^{(A) 14} But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.^{(B) 15} For I will give you^(C) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,”^(A) he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”^(B)

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!^(C)