Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Some time after that, king Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

¹⁴ They stayed for many days. Festus brought Paul's matter to the king. He said, `Felix left a man in prison here.

¹⁵ When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priest and leaders of the Jews came to me. They talked against him, and they asked me to punish him.

¹⁶ I told them that the Romans do not do it that way. They do not punish a man until he has met those who talk against him. Then he has a chance to speak for himself.

¹⁷ So they came here with me. I did not wait. The very next day I sat on my chair in the court and had the man brought in.

¹⁸ When they stood up, they did not say the wrong things against him that I thought they would.

¹⁹ But instead, they had a quarrel with him about the things they believe in. The quarrel is about a man named Jesus who died. Paul said he is alive.

²⁰ I did not know how to judge such things. So I asked if he would go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these matters.

²¹ But Paul asked to wait and let Caesar judge his case. So I had him put in prison to be kept there until I can send him to Caesar.'

²² Agrippa said to Festus, `I should like to hear the man myself.' Festus said, `Tomorrow you shall hear him.'

²³ So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came, making a big show of themselves. They went into the room to hear Paul talk. Officers and the leading men of the city also went in. When Festus called for Paul, he was brought in.

²⁴ Then Festus said, `King Agrippa and all you men here with us, you see this man. All the Jewish leaders, both in Jerusalem and here, came together and talked about him. They shouted, "He must die!"

²⁵ But I found out that he had not done anything wrong for which he should die. He himself asked to go to Caesar, so I decided to send him.

²⁶ But I have no real complaint about him to write to my ruler. So I have brought this man before you all, and most of all before you, king Agrippa. When you have heard him, I hope I will have something to write about him.

²⁷ I think that it does not make sense to send a prisoner and not say what wrong he has done.'

¹⁶ `No person lights a lamp and covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed. But he puts it on the place for a lamp. Then people who come in can see the light.

¹⁷ Everything that is hidden will be seen. Everything that is secret will be known and come out to be seen.

¹⁸ So take care how you listen. Anyone who has something will get more. But he who does not have anything, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.'

¹⁹ The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him. They could not reach him because there were so many people around him.

²⁰ Someone told him, `Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to talk to you.'

²¹ But he said to them, `These people who hear the word of God and do it, they are my mother and my brothers.'

²² One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples. He said to them, `Let us cross over to the other side of the sea.' So they started out.

²³ While they were going, Jesus was sleeping. A bad storm came on the sea. Water was coming into the boat, and they were in trouble.

²⁴ The disciples came to Jesus and woke him. They shouted, `Master! Master! We will die!' Jesus woke and said to the wind and the water, `Stop!' They stopped. Then all was quiet

²⁵ He said to the disciples, `Why do you not believe God?' They were afraid and surprised. They said to each other, `What kind of man is this? He tells the wind and the sea what to do and they obey him.'