¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!^(A) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”^(B)

²¹ After all this had happened, Paul decided^[a] to go to Jerusalem,^(A) passing through Macedonia^(B) and Achaia.^(C) “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”^(D)

⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:^(A) “Do not be afraid;^(B) keep on speaking, do not be silent.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(A) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(B)

¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side^(A) and gave me strength,^(B) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(C) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^(D)

¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[a] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(A) for Christ.

¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.^(A)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(B) because it is the power of God^(C) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(D) first to the Jew,^(E) then to the Gentile.^(F)

² Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,^(A) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,^(B) he said to the man, “Take heart,^(C) son; your sins are forgiven.”^(D)

Psalm 46^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[b] A song.