³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^(A)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”

²⁵ But when they had stretched him out for the whips,^[a] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog ^(A)a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” ²⁷ So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” ²⁸ The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” ²⁹ So those who were about ^(B)to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also ^(C)was afraid, ^(D)for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that ^(E)he had bound him.

Persecution Will Come

^16 (A)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be ^(B)wise as serpents and ^(C)innocent as doves.

²⁵ He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, ^(A)walking in the midst of the fire, and they ^(B)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like ^(C)a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, ^(D)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the ^(E)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then ^(F)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They ^(A)advocate customs that are not lawful for us ^(B)as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^(C)to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^(D)prison and fastened their feet in ^(E)the stocks.

¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; ^(A)no diversions were brought to him, and ^(B)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

Rescue the Weak and Needy

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.