² but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.^(A)

²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.^{(A) 23} After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.^{(B) 24} Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(C)

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.^(A)

¹² and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day the deposit I have entrusted to him.^[a](A)

² And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures,^{(A) 3} explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah^[a] to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying, “This is the Messiah,^[b] Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”^{(B) 4} Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.^{(C) 5} But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house.^{(D) 6} When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers and sisters before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also,^{(E) 7} and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.”^{(F) 8} The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, ⁹ and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. ¹⁶ As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.^(A)

² looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of^[a] the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.^(A)

³ Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,^[b] so that you may not grow weary in your souls or lose heart.^(B)

³⁷ But Paul replied, “They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison, and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.”^(A)

³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment.^{(A) 37} They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two;^[a] they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented^(B)—