⁶ In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem^[a] also says it, that you and ^(A)the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and ^(A)Geshem the Arab heard of it, ^(B)they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? ^(C)Are you rebelling against the king?”

^16 (A)having a good conscience, so that, ^(B)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

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

¹² be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are ^(A)finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.

^12 (A)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(B)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on ^(C)the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

^13 (D)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,^[a] whether it be to the emperor^[b] as supreme,

⁸ through honor and dishonor, ^(A)through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;

¹³ So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on ^(A)the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic^[a] Gabbatha.

² And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man ^(A)misleading our nation and ^(B)forbidding us to give tribute to ^(C)Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, ^(D)a king.”

^11 (A)“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ^(B)on my account.