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19 But Jesus[a] refused and said to him, “Go home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and what mercy he has shown you.”

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Footnotes

  1. 5.19 Gk he

19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them(A) how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

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16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for me.(A)

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16 Come and hear,(A) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(B) you what he has done for me.

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29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah,[a] can he?”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.29 Or the Christ

29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.(A) Could this be the Messiah?”(B)

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25 Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: “May you have abundant prosperity!(A) 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:

For he is the living God,
    enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    and his dominion has no end.(B)
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;
he has saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

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25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language(A) in all the earth:

“May you prosper greatly!(B)

26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence(C) the God of Daniel.(D)

“For he is the living God(E)
    and he endures forever;(F)
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
    his dominion will never end.(G)
27 He rescues and he saves;(H)
    he performs signs and wonders(I)
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”(J)

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22 “Brothers[a] and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you.”(A)

When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew,[b] they became even more quiet. Then he said:(B)

“I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.(C) I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison,(D) as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.(E)

Paul Tells of His Conversion

“While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.(F) I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth[c] whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.(G) 10 I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’(H) 11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.(I)

12 “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,(J) 13 came to me, and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,(K) 15 for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.(L) 16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’(M)

Paul Sent to the Gentiles

17 “After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance(N) 18 and saw Jesus[d] saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.(O) 20 And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’(P) 21 Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. 22.1 Gk Men, brothers
  2. 22.2 That is, Aramaic
  3. 22.8 Gk the Nazorean
  4. 22.18 Gk him

22 “Brothers and fathers,(A) listen now to my defense.”

When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,(B) they became very quiet.

Then Paul said: “I am a Jew,(C) born in Tarsus(D) of Cilicia,(E) but brought up in this city. I studied under(F) Gamaliel(G) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.(H) I was just as zealous(I) for God as any of you are today. I persecuted(J) the followers of this Way(K) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,(L) as the high priest and all the Council(M) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates(N) in Damascus,(O) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.(P) I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,(Q) whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light,(R) but they did not understand the voice(S) of him who was speaking to me.

10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’(T) 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.(U)

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me.(V) He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.(W) 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors(X) has chosen you to know his will and to see(Y) the Righteous One(Z) and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness(AA) to all people of what you have seen(AB) and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized(AC) and wash your sins away,(AD) calling on his name.’(AE)

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem(AF) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance(AG) 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison(AH) and beat(AI) those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’(AJ)

21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ (AK)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 22:20 Or witness

“All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem.(A) They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee.(B) And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors,(C) a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, Your Excellency,[a] that I am accused by Jews!(D) Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?(E)

“Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.[b](F) 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death.(G) 11 By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme, and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.(H)

Paul Tells of His Conversion

12 “With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,(I) 13 when at midday along the road, Your Excellency,[c] I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew[d] language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’(J) 15 I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me[e] and to those in which I will appear to you.(K) 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the gentiles—to whom I am sending you(L) 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’(M)

Paul Tells of His Preaching

19 “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance.(N) 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.(O) 22 To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place:(P) 23 that the Messiah[f] must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the gentiles.”(Q)

Paul Appeals to Agrippa to Believe

24 While he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!”(R) 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth.(S) 26 Indeed, the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely, for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?”(T) 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.”(U)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.7 Gk O King
  2. 26.9 Gk the Nazorean
  3. 26.13 Gk O King
  4. 26.14 That is, Aramaic
  5. 26.16 Other ancient authorities read the things that you have seen
  6. 26.23 Or the Christ

“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,(A) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time(B) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect(C) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.(D) And now it is because of my hope(E) in what God has promised our ancestors(F) that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes(G) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.(H) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.(I) Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?(J)

“I too was convinced(K) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose(L) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.(M) 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(N) in prison,(O) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.(P) 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,(Q) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice(R) saying to me in Aramaic,[a](S) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.(T) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.(U) 17 I will rescue you(V) from your own people and from the Gentiles.(W) I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes(X) and turn them from darkness to light,(Y) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins(Z) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’(AA)

19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient(AB) to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus,(AC) then to those in Jerusalem(AD) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,(AE) I preached that they should repent(AF) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.(AG) 21 That is why some Jews seized me(AH) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.(AI) 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen(AJ) 23 that the Messiah would suffer(AK) and, as the first to rise from the dead,(AL) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”(AM)

24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,(AN) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning(AO) is driving you insane.”

25 “I am not insane, most excellent(AP) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things,(AQ) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”(AR)

29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”(AS)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,

for all his works are truth,
    and his ways are justice;
he is able to bring low
    those who walk in pride.(A)

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37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt(A) and glorify(B) the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.(C) And those who walk in pride(D) he is able to humble.(E)

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

[a]King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity!(A) The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.(B)

How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 3.31 in Aram

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

[a]King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the nations and peoples of every language,(A) who live in all the earth:

May you prosper greatly!(B)

It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs(C) and wonders that the Most High God(D) has performed for me.

How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!(E)
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
    his dominion endures(F) from generation to generation.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 4:1 In Aramaic texts 4:1-3 is numbered 3:31-33, and 4:4-37 is numbered 4:1-34.

A writing of King Hezekiah of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

10 I said: In the noontide of my days
    I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
    for the rest of my years.(A)
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord
    in the land of the living;
I shall look upon mortals no more
    among the inhabitants of the world.(B)
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
    like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
    he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;(C)
13     I cry for help[a] until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
    from day to night you bring me to an end.(D)

14 Like a swallow or a crane[b] I clamor;
    I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
    O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security!(E)
15 But what can I say? For he has spoken to me,
    and he himself has done it.
All my sleep has fled[c]
    because of the bitterness of my soul.(F)

16 O Lord, by these things people live,
    and in all these is the life of my spirit.[d]
    Oh, restore me to health and make me live!
17 Surely it was for my welfare
    that I had great bitterness,
but you have held back[e] my life
    from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
    behind your back.(G)
18 For Sheol cannot thank you;
    death cannot praise you;
those who go down to the Pit cannot hope
    for your faithfulness.(H)
19 The living, the living, they thank you,
    as I do this day;
fathers make known to children
    your faithfulness.(I)

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing to stringed instruments[f]
all the days of our lives,
    at the house of the Lord.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 38.13 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 38.14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 38.15 Cn Compare Syr: Heb I will walk slowly all my years
  4. 38.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 38.17 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb loved
  6. 38.20 Heb my stringed instruments

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life(A)
    must I go through the gates of death(B)
    and be robbed of the rest of my years?(C)
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(D)
    in the land of the living;(E)
no longer will I look on my fellow man,
    or be with those who now dwell in this world.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent(F) my house
    has been pulled down(G) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(H) up my life,
    and he has cut me off from the loom;(I)
    day and night(J) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(K) till dawn,
    but like a lion he broke(L) all my bones;(M)
    day and night(N) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
    I moaned like a mourning dove.(O)
My eyes grew weak(P) as I looked to the heavens.
    I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(Q)

15 But what can I say?(R)
    He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(S)
I will walk humbly(T) all my years
    because of this anguish of my soul.(U)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.(V)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(W)
    that I suffered such anguish.(X)
In your love you kept me
    from the pit(Y) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(Z)
    behind your back.(AA)
18 For the grave(AB) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;(AC)
those who go down to the pit(AD)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AE) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AF)
    about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing(AG) with stringed instruments(AH)
all the days of our lives(AI)
    in the temple(AJ) of the Lord.

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A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,

“I called to the Lord out of my distress,
    and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
    and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
    passed over me.(A)
Then I said, ‘I am driven away
    from your sight;
how[a] shall I look again
    upon your holy temple?’(B)
The waters closed in over me;
    the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped around my head(C)
    at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
    whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the Pit,
    O Lord my God.(D)
As my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.(E)
Those who worship vain idols
    forsake their true loyalty.(F)
But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
    Deliverance belongs to the Lord!”(G)

10 Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto the dry land.

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Footnotes

  1. 2.4 Theodotion: Heb surely

[a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called(A) to the Lord,(B)
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead(C) I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,(D)
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves(E) and breakers
    swept over me.(F)
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;(G)
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’(H)
The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.(I)
To the roots of the mountains(J) I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.(K)

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered(L) you, Lord,
and my prayer(M) rose to you,
    to your holy temple.(N)

“Those who cling to worthless idols(O)
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,(P)
    will sacrifice(Q) to you.
What I have vowed(R) I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation(S) comes from the Lord.’”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

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Footnotes

  1. Jonah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1 is numbered 1:17, and 2:1-10 is numbered 2:2-11.
  2. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat