⁸ while he answered for himself, ^(A)“Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

Paul’s Ministry at Rome

¹⁷ And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, ^(A)though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet ^(B)I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

^12 (A)And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.

Paul’s Sincerity

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in ^[a]simplicity and ^(A)godly sincerity, ^(B)not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

²¹ Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.

¹³ They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak ^[a]blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; ^14 (A)for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”

¹⁸ Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What offense have I committed against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

¹⁰ So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.

¹⁷ “Now after many years ^(A)I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, ^18 (B)in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me ^(C)purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. ^19 (D)They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. ²⁰ Or else let those who are here themselves say ^[a]if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, ²¹ unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ^(E)‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ”

^6 (A)He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, ^[a]and wanted ^(B)to judge him according to our law.