Book of Common Prayer

²³ And he called to him two centurions, saying, Make ready 200 soldiers to go to Caesarea, and 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen, at the third hour of the night. ²⁴ And provide horses to put Paul on, and bring him safe to Felix, the governor. ²⁵ And he wrote a letter in this manner:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias to the most noble Governor Felix, sends greetings. ²⁷ This man was taken by the Jews, and was near to being killed by them. Then I came with soldiers and rescued him, and learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸ And when I wished to know the offence for which they accused him, I brought him forth into their council. ²⁹ There I could see that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was not guilty of anything worthy of death or of bonds. ³⁰ Afterward, when it was reported to me that the Jews were lying in wait for the man, I sent him straightaway to you, and directed his accusers, if they had anything against him, to tell it to you. Farewell.

³¹ Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² The next day they left horsemen to go with him and returned to the castle.

³³ When the horsemen got to Caesarea, they delivered the epistle to the governor and presented Paul before him. ³⁴ When the governor had read the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, ³⁵ I will hear you when your accusers have come also.

And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s palace.

¹⁸ And the disciples of John reported to him about all these things. ¹⁹ And John called to him two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus, saying, Are you he that was to come, or should we look for another?

²⁰ When the men came to Jesus, they said, John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, Are you he that was to come, or should we wait for another?

²¹ And at that same time, Jesus cured many people of their infirmities and diseases, and of evil spirits; and to many who were blind, he gave sight. ²² And Jesus answered and said to John’s disciples, Go your ways and tell John what things you have seen and heard – how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead arise. To the poor, the glad tidings are preached; ²³ and happy is he who is not offended by me.

²⁴ When the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak to the people about John. What did you go out into the wilderness to see? Did you go to see a reed shaken with the wind? ²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my messenger before your face, to prepare your way before you. ²⁸ For I say to you, among the children of women there is no greater prophet than John. Nevertheless, one who is less in the kingdom of God, is greater than he.

²⁹ And all the people who heard, and the publicans, justified God, and were baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and scribes rejected the counsel of God against themselves, and were not baptized by him.

³¹ And the Lord said, To what shall I liken the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not wept. ³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say he has the devil. ³⁴ The Son of man has come, and eats and drinks, and you say, Here is a man who is a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners. ³⁵ Yet wisdom is justified by her children.