Acts 28:18

but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

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

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

Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.”

Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

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

But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.

A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”

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

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

and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother,

If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.

David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.”

Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”

Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.

For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

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?

But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.

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

and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man.

Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

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.

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

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined;

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.

Coming to us and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘So the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn’t find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.

When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

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.

But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

But 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;

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

But 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.

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

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.”

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

For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t 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!”

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

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

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

especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”

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,

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.

so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,

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,

having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.