¹⁹ Then they took him to the high council of the city.^[a] “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.

²⁷ Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!”

²² So Paul, standing before the council,^[a] addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,

A New Commandment

⁷ Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. ⁸ Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”

So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense:

²² “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said.

And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!”

²⁴ A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”

³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

¹⁸ You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.^[a]