Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible





Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, accusing and also excusing their reasonings one with another)

Therefore it is necessary that ye be subject, not only for punishment, but also for conscience sake.

Howbeit there is not in everyone that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol unto now, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled.

Whatever is sold in the market, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake;

Therefore being certain of that terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.


I verily had thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.


Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We must persuade God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. God has exalted him with his right hand as Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. read more.
And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those that persuade him.

And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Then Peter and John answered and said unto them, Judge whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Then the priests and the prophets spoke unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he has prophesied against this city as ye have heard with your ears. Then Jeremiah spoke unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings and hear the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD himself will repent of the evil that he has pronounced against you. read more.
As for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and upon its inhabitants; for of a truth the LORD has sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. Then the princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

And the princes of the priests accused him of many things. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse thee of. But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye princes of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. read more.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men in which we can be saved.

Then the prince of the priests said, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and come into the land which I shall show thee. read more.
Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and dwelt in Haran; and from there, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, in which ye now dwell. And he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on; yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. And God spoke thus, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into slavery and mistreat them four hundred years. And the Gentiles unto whom they shall be in slavery I will judge, said God; and after that they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him and delivered him out of all his afflictions and gave him grace and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was wheat in Egypt, he sent our fathers the first time. And in the second Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's lineage was made known unto Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob unto him and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. So Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, who were carried over into Shechem and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor of Shechem. But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose, who did not know Joseph. The same dealt subtly with our kindred and mistreated our fathers so that they exposed their babies to death, to the end that the generation would cease. In which time Moses was born and was beautiful to God and was nourished in his father's house three months; and when he was put in danger, Pharaoh's daughter took him in and nourished him as her own son. And Moses was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in his words and deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the sons of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and smote the Egyptian, avenging the oppressed; for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God was to give them saving health by his hand, but they had not understood. And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove and urged them to peace, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? Then Moses fled at this word and became a sojourner in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were expired, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the vision; and as he drew near to consider it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled and dared not to behold. Then the Lord said to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet; for the place where thou dost stand is holy ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. This Moses, whom they had refused, saying, Who made thee a prince and a judge? the same did God send as prince and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, showing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is that Moses, who said unto the sons of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him in the Mount Sinai and with our fathers, who received the oracles of life to give unto us; to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And then they made a calf and offered sacrifice unto the idol and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God withdrew and gave them up to worship the host of the heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? On the contrary, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen, which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers unto the days of David, who found grace before God and asked to provide a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a house. Howbeit the most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool; what house will ye build me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Has not my hand made all these things? Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do ye. Who of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? and they have slain those who announced before the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have now been the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were divided in their hearts and gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.


If a matter arises that is too difficult for thee in judgment between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates, then thou shalt arise and go up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, and thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire, and they shall show thee the word of judgment. And thou shalt do according to the word which those of that place which the LORD shall choose shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they shall show thee. read more.
According to the word of the law which they shall show thee and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not decline from the word which they shall show thee, to the right hand nor to the left. And the man that will act presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that stands to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die; and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear and no longer act presumptuously.

Now thou shalt be besieged by armies, O daughter of the army: he shall lay siege against us; they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.


Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself; because thou art able to understand that there have been but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city, read more.
neither can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call a sect, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets, and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And for this reason do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings. Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult, who ought to have been here before thee and object if they had anything against me. Or else let these same here say if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried out standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself: I esteem myself blessed, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things of which I am accused of the Jews, especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; therefore, I beseech thee to hear me patiently. read more.
My manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my own nation at Jerusalem, is known of all the Jews, who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most perfect sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, constantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead? I verily had thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which things I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the princes of the priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the princes of the priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute. But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by the faith that is in me. Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but I announced first unto those of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple and went about to kill me. Having, therefore, obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said should come: that the Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should show light unto this people and to the Gentiles.


Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Then the princes of the priests and the scribes and the elders of the people assembled together in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And those that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the patio of the high priest and went in and sat with the servants to see the end. Now the princes of the priests and the elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; read more.
but found none; though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses who said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing to what these witness against thee?

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. In the meantime, the prince of the priests came, and those that were with him, and called the council together and all the elders of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, We certainly found the prison shut with all security and the keepers standing outside before the doors, but when we had opened, we found no one within. read more.
Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the princes of the priests heard these things, they were perplexed regarding what this would come to. Then someone came and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the captain with the officers went and brought them without violence, for they feared being stoned by the people. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the prince of the priests asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.


Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.


My manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my own nation at Jerusalem, is known of all the Jews, who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most perfect sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.


On the next day, because he wanted to know of certainty the cause for which he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the princes of the priests and all their council to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.


then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a present of jealousy, a present of remembrance, which brings iniquity to memory.

And those that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, why art thou come? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him.

And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

If a matter arises that is too difficult for thee in judgment between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates, then thou shalt arise and go up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, and thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire, and they shall show thee the word of judgment. And thou shalt do according to the word which those of that place which the LORD shall choose shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they shall show thee. read more.
According to the word of the law which they shall show thee and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not decline from the word which they shall show thee, to the right hand nor to the left. And the man that will act presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that stands to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die; and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear and no longer act presumptuously.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Then the princes of the priests and the scribes and the elders of the people assembled together in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. In the meantime, the prince of the priests came, and those that were with him, and called the council together and all the elders of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, We certainly found the prison shut with all security and the keepers standing outside before the doors, but when we had opened, we found no one within. read more.
Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the princes of the priests heard these things, they were perplexed regarding what this would come to. Then someone came and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the captain with the officers went and brought them without violence, for they feared being stoned by the people. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the prince of the priests asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

And the high priest arose and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing to what these witness against thee?

Certainly man does not contend with nor reprehend man; for thy people are as those that resist the priest.


On the next day, because he wanted to know of certainty the cause for which he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the princes of the priests and all their council to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Then Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the prince of the priests, Ananias, commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, for dost thou sit to judge me after the law and command me to be smitten contrary to the law? read more.
And those that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the prince of the priests, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.