³¹ While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.

²³ Are they servants of Christ?^(A) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(B) been in prison more frequently,^(C) been flogged more severely,^(D) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(E) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(F) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(G) once I was pelted with stones,^(H) three times I was shipwrecked,^(I) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(J) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(K) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(L) 27} I have labored and toiled^(M) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(N) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(O) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(P) Who is led into sin,^(Q) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(R) of the things that show my weakness.^{(S) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(T) knows^(U) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(V) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(W)

⁵ But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.^(A) They rushed to Jason’s^(B) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^[a]

⁹ “I too was convinced^(A) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(B) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(C) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(D) in prison,^(E) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^(F)

Paul Before Agrippa^(A)

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice^(B) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

²² Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way,^(A) adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.”

⁶ and even tried to desecrate the temple;^(A) so we seized him.

¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”

Paul the Roman Citizen

²² The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him!^(A) He’s not fit to live!”^(B)