Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
22 1 Paul yieldeth a reason of his faith, 22 and the Jews heard him awhile: 23 But so soon as they cried out, 24 He is commanded to be scourged and examined, 27 and so declareth that he is citizen of Rome.
1 Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear my defense now towards you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence, and he said,)
3 [a]I am verily a man, which am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the [b]feet of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the perfect manner of the Law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women.
5 As also the chief Priest doth bear me witness, and all the company of the Elders: of whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring them which were there, bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
6 ¶ And so it was, as I journeyed, and was come near unto Damascus about noon, that suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 So I fell unto the earth, and heard a voice, saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 Then I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 Moreover they that were with me, saw indeed a light and were afraid: but they heard not the voice of him that spake unto me.
10 Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus: and there it shall be told thee of all things, which are appointed for thee to do.
11 So when I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand of them that were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias a godly man, as pertaining to the Law, having good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight: and that same hour I looked upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and shouldest see that Just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 Now therefore why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, in calling on the Name of the Lord.
17 ¶ And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, and prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance,
18 And saw him, saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy witness concerning me.
19 Then I said, Lord, they know that I prisoned, and beat in every Synagogue them that believed in thee.
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by, and consented unto his death, and kept the clothes of them that [c]slew him.
21 Then he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22 ¶ [d]And they heard him unto this word, but then they lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not meet that he should live.
23 And as they [e]cried and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 [f]The chief captain commanded him to be led into the castle, and bade that he should be scourged, and examined, that he might know wherefore they cried so on him.
25 [g]And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge one that is a Roman, and not condemned?
26 Now when the Centurion heard it, he went, and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. Then Paul said, But I was so born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him, which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a [h]Roman, and that he had bound him.
30 On the next day, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bonds, and commanded the high Priests and all their Council to come together: and he brought Paul, and set him before them.
23 1 As Paul pleadeth his cause, 2 Ananias commandeth them to smite him. 7 Dissension among his accusers. 11 God encourageth him. 14 The Jews laying wait for Paul, 17 is declared unto the chief captain. 24 He sendeth him to Felix the Governor.
1 And [i]Paul beheld earnestly the Council, and said, Men and brethren, I have in all good conscience served God until this day.
2 [j]Then the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by, to smite him on the mouth.
3 [k]Then said Paul to him, God [l]will smite thee, thou [m]whited wall: for thou sittest to judge me according to the Law, and [n]transgressing the Law, commandest thou me to be smitten?
4 And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God’s high Priest?
5 [o]Then said Paul, I knew not brethren, that he was the high Priest: for it is written, (A)Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 [p]But when Paul perceived that the one part were of the Sadducees, and the other of the Pharisees, he cried in the Council, Men and brethren, (B)I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead.
7 [q]And when he had said this, there was a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, so that the multitude was divided.
8 (C)[r]For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither [s]Angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 [t]Then there was a great cry: and the [u]Scribes of the Pharisees’ part rose up, and strove, saying, We find none evil in this man: but if a spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10 [v]And when there was a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and take him from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 Now the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 [w]And when the day was come, certain of the Jews made an assembly, and bound themselves [x]with a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty, which had made this conspiracy.
14 And they came to the chief Priests and Elders, and said, We have bound ourselves with a solemn curse, that we will eat nothing, until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore, [y]ye and the Council, signify to the chief captain, that he bring him forth unto you tomorrow, as though you would know something more perfectly of him, and we, or ever he come near will be ready to kill him.
16 But when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their laying await, he went, and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17 [z]And Paul called one of the Centurions unto him, and said, Take this young man hence unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to show him.
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, which hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to show me?
20 And he said, The Jews have conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring forth Paul tomorrow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:
21 But let them not persuade thee: for there lie in wait for him of them, more than forty men, which have bound themselves with a curse, that they will neither eat nor drink, till they have killed him: and now are they ready, and wait for thy promise.
22 [aa]The chief captain then let the young man depart, after he had charged him to utter it to no man, that he had [ab]showed him these things.
23 And he called unto him two certain Centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers, that they may go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and two hundred with darts, at the third hour of the night:
24 And let them make ready an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote an Epistle in this manner:
26 [ac]Claudius Lysias unto the most noble governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 As this man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them, I came upon them with a garrison, and rescued him, perceiving that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.
29 There I perceived that he was accused of questions of their Law, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bonds.
30 And when it was showed me, how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speak before thee the things that they had against him. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris,
32 And the next day, they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned into the Castle.
33 Now when they came to Caesarea, they delivered the Epistle to the governor, and presented Paul also unto him.
34 So when the Governor had read it, he asked of what province he was: and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
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