the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 22 - Different Topics
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Acts 25-26
Chapter 25
Appeal to Caesar
1 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.(a) 2 Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,(b) 3 asking him to do them a favor against Paul,[a] that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.(c) 5 "Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man."
6 When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge's bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in.(d) 7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove,(e) 8 while Paul made the defense that, "Neither against the Jewish law,(f) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all."
9 Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews,(g) replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?"
10 But Paul said: "I am standing at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. 11 If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"(h)
12 After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"
King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus
13 After some days had passed, King Agrippa[b] and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14 Since they stayed there many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, "There's a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a judgment against him.(i) 16 I answered them that it's not the Romans' custom to give any man up[c] before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges.(j) 17 Therefore, when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I sat at the judge's bench and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 Concerning him, the accusers stood up and brought no charge of the sort I was expecting. 19 Instead they had some disagreements(k) with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. 20 Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar."
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself."
"Tomorrow you will hear him," he replied.(l)
Paul before Agrippa
23 So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice(m) came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. 24 Then Festus said: "King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.(n) 25 Now I realized that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.(o) 26 I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him."
Chapter 26
Paul's Defense before Agrippa
1 Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself."
Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 "I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews, 3 especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 "All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem.(a) 5 They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.(b) 6 And now I stand on trial for the hope(c) of the promise(d) made by God to our fathers, 7 the promise our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.(e) 8 Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.(f) 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.(g) 11 In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them.(h) I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them.
Paul's Account of His Conversion and Commission
12 "I was traveling to Damascus under(i) these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' [a](j)
15 "Then I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?'
"And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen[b] and of what I will reveal to you.(k) 17 I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them(l) 18 to open their eyes(m) so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.'(n)
19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.(o) 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have obtained help that comes from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place(p)— 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles."(q)
Not Quite Persuaded
24 As he was making his defense this way, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You're out of your mind,(r) Paul! Too much study is driving you mad!"
25 But Paul replied, "I'm not out of my mind, most excellent Festus. On the contrary, I'm speaking words of truth and good judgment.(s) 26 For the king knows about these matters. It is to him I am actually speaking boldly. For I am convinced that none of these things escapes his notice, since this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?"
29 "I wish before God," replied Paul, "that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains."(t)
30 So the king, the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them got up, 31 and when they had left they talked with each other and said, "This man is doing nothing that deserves death or chains."(u)
32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."(v)
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