Book of Common Prayer

¹² In the morning, some of the Jewish leaders planned together. They made a promise that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³ There were more than forty Jews who made this secret plan together.

¹⁴ They came to the chief priests and leaders and said, `We have made a promise for ourselves. We will not eat anything until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵ So now, you and the members of the court send word to the commanding officer. Tell him to bring Paul down to you. Make him think you want to find out more about Paul. We will be ready to kill him before he gets there.'

¹⁶ The son of Paul's sister heard about their secret plan. So he went into the army house and told Paul.

¹⁷ Paul called one of the officers and said to him, `Take this young man to the commanding officer. He has something to tell him!'

¹⁸ So the officer took him to the commanding officer. He said, `Paul, the prisoner, called me. He asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.'

¹⁹ The officer took the young man by the arm. He went to one side so they could be alone. He asked, `What do you want to tell me?'

²⁰ The young man said, `The leaders of the Jews have made a plan. They will ask you to bring Paul down to court tomorrow. They will say that they wish to find out more about him.

²¹ But you must not do this. More than forty Jews are waiting for him. They have made a promise to themselves. They will not eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now and waiting for your agreement.'

²² So the commanding officer sent the young man away. He said, `You must not tell anyone that you have told me about these things.'

²³ The commanding officer called two officers to him. He said, `Get two hundred soldiers ready by nine o'clock tonight to go to Caesarea. Send seventy men with them who will ride on horses and two hundred men who will carry spears.

²⁴ Also have horses ready for Paul to ride. Take him safely to Felix, the ruler.'

7 Jesus finished saying all these things for the people to hear. Then he went to Capernaum.

² An army officer had a servant whom he loved. The servant was sick and almost dying.

³ The officer heard of Jesus. So he sent some of the leaders of the Jews to him. He asked him to come and heal his servant.

⁴ They came to Jesus and begged him very much. They said, `He is a good man. You should come and do this for him.

⁵ He loves our people and he built the meeting house for us.'

⁶ Jesus went with them. When he came near the house, the officer sent some friends to meet him and to say, `Sir, do not trouble yourself to come further. I am not good enough to have you come into my house.

⁷ And I did not think I was good enough to come to you. Just say the word and my servant will be healed.

⁸ I myself am a man who takes orders, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I say to one, "Go," and he goes. I say to another, "Come," and he comes. I say to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.'

⁹ Jesus was surprised when he heard this. He turned to the people who followed him. He said, `I tell you, I have not found a Jew who believes as this man does.'

¹⁰ The men who had been sent to Jesus went back into the house. They found that the servant who had been sick was well.

¹¹ Soon after that, Jesus went to the town of Nain. His disciples and many other people went with him.

¹² He came near the gate of the town. There he met people carrying out a man who had died. He was the only son of his mother. And her husband was dead too. Many people from the city were with her.

¹³ The Lord saw her. He shared in her sorrows and troubles. He said to her, `Do not cry.'

¹⁴ Jesus came and touched the thing on which the body lay. The men who were carrying it stopped walking. Jesus said, `Young man, I tell you, get up!'

¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother.

¹⁶ Everyone was very much surprised. They praised God. They said, `A great prophet of God has come to us. God has remembered his people.'

¹⁷ The people all over Judea and all the country around it heard what Jesus had done.