Fearless & Free:  Overcoming Fear With Faith a 5-Day Plan With Kelly Roberson

Not Giving Into Fear and Peer Pressure: Devotions for Girls (I Am Fearless)

Ways to Overcome Your Fears: Devotions for Girls (I Am Fearless)

Jesus Never Said ‘Hustle’: Finding True Rest in a Burnout World

Who Is Jesus?

When God Is Silent: Finding Faith in the Waiting

Cornerstone: Rebuild, Renew, Restore

Forgive Them Too??

Adventure in Evangelism

God Gives Good Gifts to Everyone

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="EPH.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="p"> 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">To God&#8217;s holy people in Ephesus,#1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus. the faithful in Christ Jesus:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div class="s1">Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ</div><div class="p"> 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he#1:4,5 Or sight in love. 5 He predestined us for adoption to sonship#1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will&#8212; 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God&#8217;s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9he#1:8,9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment&#8212;to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.</div><div class="p"> 11In him we were also chosen,#1:11 Or were made heirs having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God&#8217;s possession&#8212;to the praise of his glory.</div><div class="s1">Thanksgiving and Prayer</div><div class="p"> 15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God&#8217;s people, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit#1:17 Or a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="EPH.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">Made Alive in Christ</div><div class="p"> 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh#2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions&#8212;it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith&#8212;and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God&#8212; 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God&#8217;s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.</div><div class="s1">Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ</div><div class="p"> 11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called &#8220;uncircumcised&#8221; by those who call themselves &#8220;the circumcision&#8221; (which is done in the body by human hands)&#8212; 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.</div><div class="p"> 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.</div><div class="p"> 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God&#8217;s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="EPH.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">God&#8217;s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles</div><div class="p"> 1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles&#8212;</div><div class="p"> 2Surely you have heard about the administration of God&#8217;s grace that was given to me for you, 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God&#8217;s holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God&#8217;s grace given me through the working of his power. 8Although I am less than the least of all the Lord&#8217;s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.</div><div class="s1">A Prayer for the Ephesians</div><div class="p"> 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family#3:15 The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater). in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord&#8217;s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge&#8212;that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.</div><div class="p"> 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="EPH.4">
 <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1">Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ</div><div class="p"> 1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.</div><div class="p"> 7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it#4:8 Or God says:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;When he ascended on high,</div><div class="q2">he took many captives</div><div class="q2">and gave gifts to his people.&#8221;#4:8 Psalm 68:18</div><div class="m"> 9(What does &#8220;he ascended&#8221; mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions#4:9 Or the depths of the earth? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.</div><div class="p"> 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.</div><div class="s1">Instructions for Christian Living</div><div class="p"> 17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.</div><div class="p"> 20That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.</div><div class="p"> 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26&#8220;In your anger do not sin&#8221;#4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint): Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.</div><div class="p"> 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="EPH.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="nb"> 1Follow God&#8217;s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.</div><div class="p"> 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God&#8217;s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person&#8212;such a person is an idolater&#8212;has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.#5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God&#8217;s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.</div><div class="p"> 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible&#8212;and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14This is why it is said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Wake up, sleeper,</div><div class="q2">rise from the dead,</div><div class="q2">and Christ will shine on you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Be very careful, then, how you live&#8212;not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord&#8217;s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.</div><div class="s1">Instructions for Christian Households</div><div class="p"> 21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.</div><div class="p"> 22Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.</div><div class="p"> 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing#5:26 Or having cleansed her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church&#8212; 30for we are members of his body. 31&#8220;For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.&#8221;#5:31 Gen. 2:24 32This is a profound mystery&#8212;but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkEPH">
 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="EPH.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="p"> 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2&#8220;Honor your father and mother&#8221;&#8212;which is the first commandment with a promise&#8212; 3&#8220;so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.&#8221;#6:3 Deut. 5:16</div><div class="p"> 4Fathers,#6:4 Or Parents do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.</div><div class="p"> 9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.</div><div class="s1">The Armor of God</div><div class="p"> 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil&#8217;s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.</div><div class="p"> 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord&#8217;s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.</div><div class="s1">Final Greetings</div><div class="p"> 21Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.</div><div class="p"> 23Peace to the brothers and sisters,#6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family. and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.#6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch21" data-usfm="ACT.21">
 <div class="label">21</div><div class="s1">On to Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 1After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.</div><div class="p"> 7We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.</div><div class="p"> 10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul&#8217;s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, &#8220;The Holy Spirit says, &#8216;In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, &#8220;Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.&#8221; 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, &#8220;The Lord&#8217;s will be done.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.</div><div class="s1">Paul&#8217;s Arrival at Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 17When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.</div><div class="p"> 20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: &#8220;You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.</div><div class="s1">Paul Arrested</div><div class="p"> 27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28shouting, &#8220;Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.&#8221; 29(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)</div><div class="p"> 30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.</div><div class="p"> 33The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36The crowd that followed kept shouting, &#8220;Get rid of him!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Paul Speaks to the Crowd</div><div class="p"> 37As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, &#8220;May I say something to you?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Do you speak Greek?&#8221; he replied. 38&#8220;Aren&#8217;t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39Paul answered, &#8220;I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 40After receiving the commander&#8217;s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic#21:40 Or possibly Hebrew; also in 22:2:</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch22" data-usfm="ACT.22">
 <div class="label">22</div><div class="nb"> 1&#8220;Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.</div><div class="p">Then Paul said: 3&#8220;I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, &#8216;Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Who are you, Lord?&#8217; I asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220; &#8216;I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,&#8217; he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;What shall I do, Lord?&#8217; I asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220; &#8216;Get up,&#8217; the Lord said, &#8216;and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.&#8217; 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, &#8216;Brother Saul, receive your sight!&#8217; And at that very moment I was able to see him.</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;Then he said: &#8216;The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. &#8216;Quick!&#8217; he said. &#8216;Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Lord,&#8217; I replied, &#8216;these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr#22:20 Or witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;Then the Lord said to me, &#8216;Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.&#8217; &#8221;</div><div class="s1">Paul the Roman Citizen</div><div class="p"> 22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, &#8220;Rid the earth of him! He&#8217;s not fit to live!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, &#8220;Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn&#8217;t even been found guilty?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. &#8220;What are you going to do?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;This man is a Roman citizen.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27The commander went to Paul and asked, &#8220;Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, I am,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p"> 28Then the commander said, &#8220;I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;But I was born a citizen,&#8221; Paul replied.</div><div class="p"> 29Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.</div><div class="s1">Paul Before the Sanhedrin</div><div class="p"> 30The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch23" data-usfm="ACT.23">
 <div class="label">23</div><div class="p"> 1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, &#8220;My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.&#8221; 2At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3Then Paul said to him, &#8220;God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Those who were standing near Paul said, &#8220;How dare you insult God&#8217;s high priest!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5Paul replied, &#8220;Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: &#8216;Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.&#8217;#23:5 Exodus 22:28&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, &#8220;My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.&#8221; 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)</div><div class="p"> 9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. &#8220;We find nothing wrong with this man,&#8221; they said. &#8220;What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?&#8221; 10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.</div><div class="p"> 11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, &#8220;Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Plot to Kill Paul</div><div class="p"> 12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, &#8220;We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16But when the son of Paul&#8217;s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.</div><div class="p"> 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, &#8220;Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.&#8221; 18So he took him to the commander.</div><div class="p">The centurion said, &#8220;Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, &#8220;What is it you want to tell me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20He said: &#8220;Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21Don&#8217;t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: &#8220;Don&#8217;t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Paul Transferred to Caesarea</div><div class="p"> 23Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, &#8220;Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen#23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain. to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25He wrote a letter as follows:</div><div class="pmo"> 26Claudius Lysias,</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">To His Excellency, Governor Felix:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo">Greetings.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"> 27This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.</div><div class="p"> 31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35he said, &#8220;I will hear your case when your accusers get here.&#8221; Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod&#8217;s palace.</div>
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