Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack.

For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

King Herod heard about this, because Jesus' name had become well-known. He was saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That's why he is able to do these miracles."

Then Judas, who had betrayed him, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the high priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they replied, "What do we care? Attend to that yourself." Then he flung the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, went outside, ran away, and hanged himself.



When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the oldest, and he was left alone with the woman standing there.

Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him.

Have mercy, God, according to your gracious love, according to your unlimited compassion, erase my transgressions. Wash me from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression; my sin remains continuously before me. read more.
Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what was evil in your sight. As a result, you are just in your pronouncement and clear in your judgment.

Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me know joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your countenance from my sins and erase the record of my iniquities. read more.
God, create a pure heart in me, and renew a right attitude within me. Do not cast me from your presence; do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and let a willing attitude control me. Then I will teach transgressors about your ways, and sinners will turn to you. Deliver me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation. Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness.

When I chose to be bitter I was emotionally pained.

"So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We wait for light, but look there is darkness; we wait for brightness, but we walk in deep darkness. Let's grope along the wall like the blind; let us grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at midday as if it were twilight, in desolate places like dead people. We all growl like bears; we sigh mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but there is none, and for deliverance, but it's far from us. read more.
"For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we acknowledge them: they've rebelled in treachery against the LORD, and are turning away from following our God; and they've spoken oppression and revolt, and are conceiving lying words from the heart. I'll drive back justice, and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth has fallen in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

At that time Herod the tetrarch, hearing about the fame of Jesus, told his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are being done by him."

But when Herod heard about it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised,"





"We're all guilty because of what we did to our brother!" they told each other. "We kept on watching his suffering while he pleaded with us! We're in this mess because we wouldn't listen!"

Later, David's conscience bothered him after he had numbered the army, so David told the LORD, "I have sinned greatly by what I did. But now I am asking you, please remove the guilt of your servant, since I have acted very foolishly."


Then Judas, who had betrayed him, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the high priests and elders,



The jailer asked for torches and rushed inside. Trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas,


The Spirit of the LORD speaks within me; his word is on my tongue! The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has talked to me. "When one is governing men justly, he fears God while governing. He is like dawn's first light, like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning, glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower. read more.
Is not my dynasty like this with God? Has he not made an eternal covenant with me, preparing every detail of it? And he has made it secure, including my complete salvation, has he not? He has been of continual help, has he not, even with respect to all of my desires? But ungodly men are like thorns that are discarded because they cannot be safely handled. Whoever handles them wears heavy duty clothing, carries strong tools, and burns them to ashes on the spot!

"All of these things the LORD made clear to me in writing at his direction the construction plans for all of the building."

While the Pharisees were still gathered, Jesus asked them, "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They told him, "David's." He asked them, "Then how can David by the Spirit call him "Lord' when he says, read more.
"The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet."'? If David calls him "Lord', how can he be his son?" No one could answer him at all, and from that day on no one dared to ask him another question.

since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. read more.
You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.

You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David, "Why do the unbelievers rage, and the people devise useless plots?


Here's what you must do: tell the truth to your neighbors, administer true and peaceful justice in your courtrooms, don't plot evil in your heart against a neighbor, and don't tolerate false testimonies, because I hate all these things,' declares the LORD."

Produce fruit that is consistent with repentance! Don't begin to say to yourselves, "We have father Abraham!' because I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones! The ax already lies against the roots of the trees. So every tree not producing good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." The crowds kept asking him, "What, then, should we do?" read more.
He answered them, "The person who has two coats must share with the one who doesn't have any, and the person who has food must do the same." Even some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He told them, "Stop collecting more money than the amount you are told to collect." Even some soldiers were asking him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Never extort money from anyone by threats or blackmail, and be satisfied with your pay."

When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.


When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated, all of them were together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. read more.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit gave them that ability. Now devout Jews from every nation on earth were living in Jerusalem. When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples speaking in his own language. Stunned and amazed, they asked, "All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren't they? So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?" All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, "What can this mean?" But others kept saying in derision, "They're drunk on sweet wine!" Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles and raised his voice to address them: "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up and put an end to suffering of death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!" So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.


Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles and raised his voice to address them: "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: read more.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up and put an end to suffering of death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!"


Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles and raised his voice to address them: "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: read more.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up and put an end to suffering of death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!" So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.


When Peter saw this, he told the people: "Fellow Israelis, why are you wondering about this, and why are you staring at us as if by our own power or godliness we made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you betrayed and rejected in the presence of Pilate, even though he had decided to let him go. You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer released to you, read more.
and you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to that. It is his name that is, by faith in his name that has healed this man whom you see and know. Yes, the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance like your leaders. This is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through the voice of all the prophets that his Messiah would suffer. Therefore, repent and turn to him to have your sins blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah. He must remain in heaven until the time of universal restitution, which God announced long ago through the voice of his holy prophets. In fact, Moses said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. Any person who will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.' "Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who followed him, also announced these days. You are the descendants of the prophets and the heirs of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he told Abraham, "Through your descendant all the families of the earth will be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning every one of you from your evil ways."

Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles and raised his voice to address them: "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: read more.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up and put an end to suffering of death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!"


Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing.



whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple,


In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

So the word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem continued to grow rapidly. Even a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.



and all the people who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other's homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated, all of them were together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. read more.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit gave them that ability. Now devout Jews from every nation on earth were living in Jerusalem. When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples speaking in his own language. Stunned and amazed, they asked, "All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren't they? So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?" All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, "What can this mean?" But others kept saying in derision, "They're drunk on sweet wine!" Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles and raised his voice to address them: "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up and put an end to suffering of death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. You have made the ways of life known to me, and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah: "He was not abandoned to Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.' "It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that. He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said, "The Lord told my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' "Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!" When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!" So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number. The believers continued to devote themselves to what the apostles were teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.

But among them were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began proclaiming the Lord Jesus even to the Hellenistic Jews. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.



"Surely our Law does not condemn a person without first hearing from him and finding out what he is doing, does it?"

When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he replied: "Since I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I am pleased to present my defense. You can verify for yourself that I went up to worship in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago. They never found me debating with anyone in the Temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or throughout the city, read more.
and they cannot prove to you the charges they are now bringing against me. However, I admit to you that in accordance with the Way, which they call a heresy, I worship the God of our ancestors and believe in everything written in the Law and the Prophets. I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish that there is to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. Therefore, I always do my best to have a clear conscience before God and people. After many years, I have come back to my people to bring gifts for the poor and to offer sacrifices. They found me in the Temple doing these things just as I had completed the purification ceremony. No crowd or noisy mob was present. But some Jews from Asia were there, and they should be here before you to accuse me if they have anything against me. Otherwise, these men themselves should tell what wrong they found when I stood before the Council unless it is for the one thing I shouted as I stood among them: "It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'"

Meanwhile, Jesus was made to stand in front of the governor. The governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." While Jesus was being accused by the high priests and elders, he made no reply. Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear how many charges they're bringing against you?" read more.
But Jesus did not reply at all, so that the governor was very surprised.

Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so."

Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered him, "You say so." The high priests kept accusing him of many things. So Pilate asked him again, "Don't you have any answer? Look how many accusations they're bringing against you!" read more.
But since Jesus no longer answered, Pilate was astonished.

When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself." read more.
Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!"



The jailer asked for torches and rushed inside. Trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas,



He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him."