and as John was fulfilling the course, he said, Whom me do ye suppose to be? I am not he, but, lo, he doth come after me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the sandal of his feet.

But even the sacrifice of my life I count as nothing, if only I may perfect my earthly course, and be faithful to the duty which the Lord Jesus has entrusted to me of proclaiming, as of supreme importance, the Good News of God's grace.

When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I'm on trial concerning the hope that the dead will be resurrected."

So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”

And when it was reported to me of a plot going to be against the man by the Jews, I immediately sent him to thee, also having commanded the accusers to speak before thee the things against him. Be strong.

nor can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of doing.

or let these now declare, if they could convict me of any misdemeanor, when I was brought before the Sanhedrim:

Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews, replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?”

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!”

For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of a Pharisee.

But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you my servant and a witness to me of the things which you have seen and those which I shall yet enable you to see.

Because of these things, the Jews seizing me in the temple, attempted to kill me on the spot.

Did that which is good, then, result in death to me? Of course not! It was sin that did it, so that it might show itself as sin, for by means of that good thing it brought about my death, so that through the command sin might appear surpassingly sinful.

But O man what art thou, which disputest with God? Shall the work say to the workman, "Why hast thou made me on this fashion?"

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

It matters very little to me that you or any human court should cross-question me on this point. I do not even cross-question myself;

for, although I am not conscious of having anything against me, that does not clear me. It is the Lord who cross-questions me on the matter.

This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]:

Have I no right to take a believing wife with me on my journey, as the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter do?

But I have used none of these privileges, nor am I writing this [to suggest] that any such provision be made for me now. For it would be better for me to die than to have anyone deprive me of my boast [in this matter of financial support].

What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless to others, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in announcing the glad tidings.

And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.

for I have a very fair and promising opportunity given me of propagating the gospel, tho' there are many opposers.

He delivered me from such a death, and will deliver me. On him I have set my hopes that he will continue to deliver me,

And by way of Corinth to go into Macedonia, and from there to come back again to you, so that you might send me on my way to Judaea.

Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

It is for Christ, therefore, that I am an envoy, seeing that God makes his appeal through me. On Christ's behalf I beg you to be reconciled to God.

for when I came to Macedonia, I had no respit from the trouble that beset me on every side: oppositions from without, and apprehensions within.

and not alone by his coming, but also by the comfort you had been to him. For he told me of your eager longing, of your penitence, and of your zeal on my behalf, so that I was happier still.

I can testify that up to their means, aye and beyond their means, they have given ??4 begging me of their own accord, most urgently, for the favour of contributing to the support of the saints.

besides, he has been appointed by the churches to travel with me on the business of administering this fund to the glory of the Lord. His appointment has my full consent,

for if some people from Macedonia come with me, and find that you are not ready, it will humiliate me??o say nothing of you??or having expressed such confidence.

I beg you not to make me take as bold an attitude when I come, as I count on taking toward some people who suspect me of acting from worldly motives.

if he that is come to you, preaches another Jesus whom I have not preached, or if ye receive other gifts of the spirit, than what ye have received from me, or another gospel, than what you have accepted, you might well bear with his pretensions:

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.

if to boast it behoveth me, of the things of my infirmity I will boast;

for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me;

And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me of God unquietness of the flesh: the messenger of Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure.

As for this, three times have I besought the Lord to rid me of him;

Since, a test, ye are seeking, of the speaking in me of Christ; - who, unto you, is not weak, but is powerful in you, -

But from those of distinction, whatever they were it makes no difference to me,??od is partial to no man,??or those of distinction added nothing to me,

You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

But as for me, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision [as I had done before I met Christ; and as some accuse me of doing now, as necessary for salvation], why am I still being persecuted [by Jews]? In that case the stumbling block of the cross [to unbelieving Jews] has been abolished.

Surely you have heard about the responsibility of administering God's grace that was given to me on your behalf,

even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace.

whether it be an advantage to me or not still to lead this mortal life, what to chuse I cannot tell.

You too, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Now I rejoice in the Lord greatly, because once again you have shown your concern for me. Of course, you were concerned for me but you did not have an opportunity to show it.

And ye Philippians know, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I was departing from Macedonia, no church communicated to me on the score of giving and receiving, but you only.

and it is he who has told me of the love the Spirit has awakened in you.

This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.

At the time of my first defense no one stood by me; on the contrary they all deserted me??ay it not be laid to their charge!

whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel.

Harden not your hearts, as when Israel provoked me on the day when they tried my patience in the desert,

then I said, Behold, I come,??n the volume of the book it is written of me,??o do thy will, O God.

So, we can say with confidence [Psa. 118:6], "[Since] the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid [of] what people might do to me." [or, "what (harm) can people do to me?"]

maintaining an honorable mode of life am one the Gentiles, that, inasmuch as they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, on account of your good works which they witness, glorify God in the day of visitation.

For I was greatly pleased when the brethren came and assured me of your fidelity and religious conduct.

He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne.

"The waters that you saw," he said to me, "on which the idolatrous woman was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

And he carried me away in the Spirit, and set me on a great and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God,

But he said to me, "Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours, and a fellow bondservant of your brethren the Prophets and of those who are mindful of the teachings of this book. Worship God."