Day 38 of 365

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.

¹After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.

²When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that by your foresight reforms are coming to this nation,

³we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

⁴But, that I do not delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.

⁵For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

⁶He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.

⁷No text for this verse number in this edition.

⁸By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him."

⁹The Judeans also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.

¹⁰When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, "Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,

¹¹seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.

¹²In the temple they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.

¹³Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.

¹⁴But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the Law, and which are written in the Prophets;

¹⁵having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust.

¹⁶Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

¹⁷Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

¹⁸amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.

¹⁹They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me.

²⁰Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,

²¹unless it is for this one thing that I shouted out standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'"

²²But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case."

²³He ordered the centurion that he should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

²⁴But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you."

²⁶Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him.

²⁷But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, Felix left Paul in bonds.

¹Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

²Then the high priest and the principal men of the Judeans informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

³asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

⁴However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

⁵"Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

⁶When he had stayed among them more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷When he had come, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

⁸while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

⁹But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?"

¹⁰But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you also know very well.

¹¹For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

¹³Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

¹⁴As they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

¹⁵about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

¹⁶To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

¹⁷When therefore they had come together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought.

¹⁸Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed;

¹⁹but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar."

²²Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

²³So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

²⁴Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Judeans petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

²⁶Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write.

²⁷For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him."

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.

²For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

³There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.

⁴For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, because of my foolishness.

⁶I am pained and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.

⁷For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.

⁹Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.

¹⁰My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

¹¹My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.

¹²They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.

¹³But I, as a deaf man, do not hear. I am as a mute man who doesn't open his mouth.

¹⁴Yes, I am as a man who doesn't hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.

¹⁵For in you, Lord, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God.

¹⁶For I said, "Do not let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."

¹⁷For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.

¹⁸For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.

¹⁹But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

²⁰They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.

²¹Do not forsake me, Lord. My God, do not be far from me.

²²Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.

¹My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

²Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

³Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,

⁵that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

⁶For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.

⁷I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

⁸passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

⁹in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

¹⁰Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

¹¹She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.

¹²Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

¹³So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

¹⁴"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

¹⁵Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

¹⁶I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.

¹⁹For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.

²⁰He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."

²¹With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

²²He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

²³Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.

²⁴Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,

²⁶for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

²⁷Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.