Acts 22-23 - Prayer Tents

22"Brothers and esteemed fathers," Paul said, "listen to me as I offer my defense."G435G80G2532G3962G191G3450G627G3568G4314G5209 2When they heard him speaking in their own language, the silence was even greater.G1161G191G3754G4377G1446G1258G846G3930G3123G2271G2532G5346 3Then Paul said, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.G1473G1510G3303G435G2453G1080G1722G5019G2791G1161G397G1722G5026G4172G3844G4228G1059G3811G2596G195G3551G3971G5225G2207G2316G2531G5210G3956G2075G4594 4And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.G3739G1377G5026G3598G891G2288G1195G2532G3860G1519G5438G5037G435G2532G1135 5The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.G5613G2532G749G3140G3427G3140G2532G3956G4244G3844G3739G2532G1209G1992G4314G80G2532G4198G1519G1154G71G5607G1566G1210G1519G2419G2443G5097 6"As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.G1161G1096G4198G3427G4198G2532G1448G1154G4012G3314G1810G4015G1537G3772G2425G5457G4015G4012G1691 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'G5037G4098G1519G1475G2532G191G5456G3004G3427G4549G4549G5101G1377G3165 8"'Who are you, lord?' I asked. "And the voice replied, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.'G1161G1473G611G5101G1488G2962G5037G2036G4314G3165G1473G1510G2424G3480G3739G4771G1377 9The people with me saw the light but didn't understand the voice speaking to me.G1161G5607G4862G1698G2300G3303G5457G2532G1096G1719G1161G191G3756G5456G2980G3427 10"I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?' "And the Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.'G1161G2036G5101G4160G2962G1161G2962G2036G4314G3165G450G4198G1519G1154G2546G2980G4671G4012G3956G3739G5021G4671G4160 11"I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.G1161G5613G1689G3756G1689G575G1391G1565G5457G5496G5259G4895G3427G2064G1519G1154 12A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus.G1161G5100G367G2152G435G2596G3551G3140G5259G3956G2453G2730 13He came and stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight.' And that very moment I could see him!G2064G4314G3165G2532G2186G2036G3427G80G4549G308G2504G846G5610G2504G308G1519G846 14"Then he told me, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak.G1161G2036G2316G2257G3962G4400G4571G1097G846G2307G2532G1492G1342G2532G191G5456G1537G846G4750 15For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.G3754G2071G846G3144G4314G3956G444G3739G3708G2532G191 16What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.'G2532G3568G5101G3195G450G907G2532G628G4675G266G1941G3686G2962 17"After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance.G1161G1096G3427G5290G1519G2419G2532G3450G4336G1722G2411G3165G1096G1722G1611 18I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, 'Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won't accept your testimony about me.'G2532G1492G846G3004G3427G4692G2532G1831G5034G1722G1537G2419G1360G3858G3756G3858G4675G3141G4012G1700 19"'But Lord,' I argued, 'they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.G2504G2036G2962G846G1987G3754G1473G2252G5439G2532G1194G2596G4864G4100G1909G4571 20And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.'G2532G3753G129G4675G3144G4736G1632G846G2532G2252G2186G2532G4909G846G336G2532G5442G2440G337G846 21"But the Lord said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!'"G2532G2036G4314G3165G4198G3754G1473G1821G4571G3112G1519G1484 22The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, "Away with such a fellow! He isn't fit to live!"G1161G191G846G191G891G5127G3056G2532G1869G846G5456G3004G142G5108G575G1093G1063G2520G3756G2520G846G2198 23They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air.G1161G846G2905G2532G4495G2440G2532G906G2868G1519G109

Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship

24The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious.G5506G2753G846G71G1519G3925G2036G846G426G3148G2443G1921G1223G3739G156G2019G3779G2019G846 25When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried?"G1161G5613G4385G4385G846G2438G3972G2036G4314G1543G2476G1487G1832G5213G3147G444G4514G2532G178 26When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"G1161G1543G191G4334G518G5506G3004G3708G5101G3195G4160G1063G3778G444G2076G4514 27So the commander went over and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I certainly am," Paul replied.G1161G5506G4334G2036G846G3004G3427G1487G1488G4771G4514G1161G5346G3483 28"I am, too," the commander muttered, "and it cost me plenty!" Paul answered, "But I am a citizen by birth!"G5037G5506G611G4183G2774G2932G1473G5026G4174G1161G3972G5346G1161G1473G2532G1080 29The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.G3767G2112G868G575G846G3588G3195G426G846G1161G5506G2532G5399G1921G3754G2076G4514G2532G3754G2258G1210G846

Paul before the High Council

30The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to have him stand before them.G1161G1887G1014G1097G804G5101G2723G3844G2453G3089G846G575G1199G2532G2753G749G2532G3650G846G4892G2064G2532G2609G3972G2609G2476G1519G846

23Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: "Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!"G1161G3972G816G4892G2036G435G80G1473G4176G3956G18G4893G2316G891G5026G2250 2Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.G1161G749G367G2004G3936G846G5180G846G4750 3But Paul said to him, "God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?"G5119G2036G3972G4314G846G2316G3195G5180G4571G2867G5109G2532G2521G4771G2919G3165G2596G3551G2532G2753G3165G5180G3891 4Those standing near Paul said to him, "Do you dare to insult God's high priest?"G1161G3936G2036G3058G2316G749 5"I'm sorry, brothers. I didn't realize he was the high priest," Paul replied, "for the Scriptures say, 'You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.'"G5037G5346G3972G1492G3756G80G3754G2076G749G1063G1125G2046G3756G2046G2560G758G4675G2992 6Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!"G1161G3972G1097G3754G1520G3313G2076G4523G1161G2087G5330G2896G1722G4892G435G80G1473G1510G5330G5207G5330G4012G1680G2532G386G3498G1473G2919 7This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees—G1161G846G2980G5124G2980G1096G4714G5330G2532G4523G2532G4128G4977 8for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these.G1063G3303G4523G3004G1511G3361G386G3366G32G3383G4151G1161G5330G3670G297 9So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. "We see nothing wrong with him," they shouted. "Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him."G1161G1096G3173G2906G2532G1122G5330G3313G450G1264G3004G2147G3762G2556G1722G5129G444G1161G1487G4151G2228G32G2980G846G2313G3361G2313 10As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.G1161G1096G4183G4714G5506G2125G3361G3972G1288G5259G846G2753G4753G2597G726G846G726G1537G3319G846G5037G71G1519G3925 11That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well."G1161G3571G1966G2962G2186G846G2036G2293G3972G1063G5613G1263G4012G1700G1519G2419G3779G1163G4571G3140G2532G1519G4516

The Plan to Kill Paul

12The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.G1161G1096G2250G5100G2453G4160G4963G332G1438G332G3004G5315G3383G5315G3383G4095G2193G3739G615G3972 13There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy.G1161G2258G4119G5062G3588G4160G5026G4945 14They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, "We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.G3748G4334G749G2532G4245G2036G332G1438G331G1089G3367G2193G3739G615G3972 15So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way."G3568G3767G5210G4862G4892G1718G5506G3704G2609G846G2609G4314G5209G839G5613G3195G1231G197G4012G846G1161G2249G4253G846G1448G2070G2092G337G846 16But Paul's nephew—his sister's son—heard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul.G1161G3972G79G5207G191G1749G3854G2532G1525G1519G3925G518G3972 17Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, "Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him."G1161G3972G4341G1520G1543G5346G520G5126G3494G4314G5506G1063G2192G5100G518G846 18So the officer did, explaining, "Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."G3767G3303G3880G846G71G4314G5506G2532G5346G3972G1198G4341G3165G2065G71G5126G3494G4314G4571G2192G5100G2980G4671 19The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, "What is it you want to tell me?"G1161G5506G1949G846G5495G2532G402G2596G2398G4441G5101G2076G3739G2192G518G3427 20Paul's nephew told him, "Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information.G1161G2036G3754G2453G4934G2065G4571G3704G2609G3972G839G1519G4892G5613G3195G4441G5100G4012G846G197 21But don't do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent."G3767G3982G3361G4771G3982G846G1063G1748G846G1537G846G4119G5062G435G3748G332G1438G332G5315G3383G5315G3383G4095G2193G3739G337G846G2532G3568G1526G2092G4327G1860G575G4675 22"Don't let anyone know you told me this," the commander warned the young man.G3303G3767G5506G630G3494G630G3853G1583G3367G3754G1718G5023G4314G3165

Paul Is Sent to Caesarea

23Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, "Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops.G2532G4341G5100G1417G1543G2036G2090G1250G4757G3704G4198G2193G2542G2532G2460G1440G2532G1187G1250G575G5154G5610G3571 24Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix."G5037G3936G2934G2443G1913G3972G1913G1295G4314G5344G2232 25Then he wrote this letter to the governor.G1125G1992G4023G5126G5179 26"From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!G2804G3079G2903G2232G5344G5463 27"This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety.G5126G435G4815G5259G2453G2532G3195G337G5259G846G2186G4862G4753G1807G846G3129G3754G2076G4514 28Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him.G1161G1014G1014G1097G156G1223G3739G1458G846G2609G846G2609G1519G846G4892 29I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death.G3739G2147G1458G4012G2213G846G3551G1161G2192G3367G1462G514G2288G2228G1199 30But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you."G1161G3377G3427G5259G2453G1917G3195G1510G1519G435G3992G1824G4314G4571G3853G2725G2532G3004G1909G4675G4314G846G4517 31So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris.G3767G3303G4757G2596G1299G846G353G3972G71G1223G3571G1519G494 32They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea.G1161G1887G1439G2460G4198G4862G846G5290G1519G3925 33When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix.G3748G1525G1519G2542G2532G325G1992G2232G3936G3972G2532G846 34He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. "Cilicia," Paul answered.G1161G2232G314G2532G1905G1537G4169G1885G2076G2532G4441G3754G575G2791 35"I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive," the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herod's headquarters.G1251G4675G5346G3752G4675G2725G3854G2532G3854G5037G2753G846G5442G1722G2264G4232