Acts 22:1

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.

which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day

This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.

Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.

The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

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

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city.

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

unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’ ”

having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

When Jehu came out to the servants of his lord, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” He said to them, “You know the man and how he talks.”

To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden who were in Telassar?

“Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in Yahweh’s house, for every man who is crazy, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.

Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him; for they said, “He is insane.”

You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

“Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,

with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

However you did well that you shared in my affliction.

because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News

in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained.

Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever?

You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham,

you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.

“Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by Yahweh’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness—

Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

“Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”

“Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,

His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Then David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.

Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;

Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.

After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.

They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out 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!”

When 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,

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

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

Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)

My defense to those who examine me is this:

For behold, this same thing, that you were grieved in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,