Day 495 of 730

¹Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."

²The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the Law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"

⁴Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?"

⁵Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"

⁷When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.

⁹A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?"

¹⁰When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."

¹²When it was day, the Judeans banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.

¹⁴They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."

¹⁶But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him."

¹⁸So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you."

¹⁹The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

²⁰He said, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.

²¹Therefore do not yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."

²²So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."

²³He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night."

²⁴He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

²⁵He wrote a letter like this:

²⁶"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

²⁷"This man was seized by the Judeans, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.

²⁹I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.

³⁰When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you."

³¹So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

³³When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

³⁴When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,

³⁵"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace.

¹My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

²You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever.

³Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.

⁴In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

⁵Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king's enemies.

⁶Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁷You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

⁸All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.

⁹Kings' daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father's house.

¹¹So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord.

¹²The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor.

¹³The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

¹⁴She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

¹⁵With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king's palace.

¹⁶Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth.

¹⁷I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

¹The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

²"Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man's understanding.

³I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

⁵"Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

⁷"Two things I have asked of you; do not deny me before I die:

⁸Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

⁹lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

¹⁰"Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

¹¹There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn't bless their mother.

¹²There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.

¹³There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

¹⁴There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

¹⁵"The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, 'Enough:'

¹⁶Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn't say, 'Enough.'

¹⁷"The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

¹⁸"There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:

¹⁹The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

²⁰"So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

²¹"For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can't bear up:

²²For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

²³for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.

²⁴"There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

²⁶The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

²⁷The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

²⁸You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

²⁹"There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

³⁰The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;

³¹the greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

³²"If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

³³For as the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife."