The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^(B)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)(B)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate^(C) was governor of Judea, Herod^(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—

¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom^(A) will be preached in the whole world^(B) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

²² All God’s people^(A) here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,^(A) because your faith is being reported all over the world.^(B)

²¹ But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”^(A)

²⁸ One of them, named Agabus,^(A) stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world.^(B) (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)^(C)

¹¹ If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”^(A)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^(A)

⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,^(A) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”