Book of Common Prayer

³⁰ On the day following, because he wanted to know exactly what Paul was accused of by the Jews, the captain released him from his bonds, and commanded the high priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul and set him before them.

Paul comes before the council. Debate arises among the people. The high captain delivers him. God comforts him.

23 Paul beheld the council and said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. ² Then the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by to strike him on the mouth.

³ Then Paul said to him, God smite you, you painted wall! Do you sit and judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?

⁴ And those who stood by said, Do you revile God’s high priest?

⁵ Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest. For it is written: You shall not curse the ruler of your people.

⁶ When Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is concerning the hope and resurrection from death that I am on trial.

⁷ And when he had said this, there arose a quarrel between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and also no angels or spirits. But the Pharisees grant both. ⁹ And there arose a great cry, and the scribes who were of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, We find no evil in this man. And if a spirit or an angel has appeared to him, let us not strive against God.

¹⁰ And when great controversy arose, the captain, fearing lest Paul should be pulled apart by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castle. ¹¹ The night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul. For as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness at Rome.

¹² And on the morrow, when they had left Bethany, he hungered. ¹³ And afar off he spotted a fig tree in leaf, and went to see whether he might find anything on it. But when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet. ¹⁴ And Jesus spoke and said to it, Never may man eat fruit from you hereafter while the world stands. And his disciples heard it.

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out the sellers and buyers in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the stools of those who sold doves, ¹⁶ and would not suffer anyone to carry a vessel through the temple. ¹⁷ And he taught, saying to them, Is it not written: My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves! ¹⁸ And the scribes and high priests heard this, and sought how to destroy him. For they feared him, because all the people marvelled at his doctrine.

¹⁹ And when evening came, he went out of the city. ²⁰ And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. ²¹ And Peter remembered and said to him, Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered away.

²² And Jesus answered and said to them, Have confidence in God. ²³ Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, Take yourself away and cast yourself into the sea, and who does not waver in his heart, but believes that those things which he says will come to pass – whatever he says will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you will have it, and it will be done for you. ²⁵ And when you stand and pray, forgive, if you have anything against any person, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.