³ asking as a favor against Paul^[a] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because ^(A)they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

A Plot to Kill Paul

¹² When it was day, ^(A)the Jews made a plot and ^(B)bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

²⁴ but their ^(A)plot became known to Saul. ^(B)They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,

⁸ And why not ^(A)do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

^9 (A)“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority ^(D)from the chief priests, but ^(E)when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And ^(F)I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them ^(G)blaspheme, and ^(H)in raging fury against them I ^(I)persecuted them even to foreign cities.

² and asked him for letters ^(A)to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^(B)the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³ And they will do these things ^(A)because they have not known the Father, nor me.

⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, ^(A)for he had long desired to see him, ^(B)because he had heard about him, and he was hoping ^(C)to see some sign done by him. ⁹ So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ And Herod with his soldiers ^(D)treated him with contempt and ^(E)mocked him. Then, ^(F)arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹² And ^(G)Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests and ^(H)the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man ^(I)as one who was misleading the people. And ^(J)after examining him before you, behold, I ^(K)did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither did Herod, for ^(L)he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. ^16 (M)I will therefore punish and release him.”^[a]

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

^18 (N)But they all cried out together, ^(O)“Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— ¹⁹ a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and ^(P)for murder. ²⁰ Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, ²¹ but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why? ^(Q)What evil has he done? ^(R)I have found in him no guilt deserving death. ^(S)I will therefore punish and release him.” ²³ But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.

²³ And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^(A)up to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”