Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Defense » Of paul
And looking earnestly on the sanhedrin, Paul said, Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God shall strike you, whitened wall! For do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be stricken? read more.
And they who stood by him said, Do you revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest; for it is written, "You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people." But when Paul saw that the one part were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the sanhedrin, Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead.
And they who stood by him said, Do you revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest; for it is written, "You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people." But when Paul saw that the one part were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the sanhedrin, Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead.
But the governor motioning to him to speak, Paul answered; Understanding you as being a judge of this nation many years, I cheerfully defend myself as to the things concerning myself. You can know that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, nor making a gathering of a crowd; not even in the synagogues, nor throughout the city. read more.
Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But I confess this to you, that after the Way which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And I 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 in this I exercise myself, always to have a blameless conscience toward God and men. And after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation. Among which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a crowd nor with tumult. These ought to be present before you and to accuse me, if they have anything against me. Or else let these themselves say if they have found anything unjust in me while I stood before the sanhedrin, unless it may be for this one voice that I cried out standing among them, that concerning a resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you today.
Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But I confess this to you, that after the Way which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And I 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 in this I exercise myself, always to have a blameless conscience toward God and men. And after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation. Among which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a crowd nor with tumult. These ought to be present before you and to accuse me, if they have anything against me. Or else let these themselves say if they have found anything unjust in me while I stood before the sanhedrin, unless it may be for this one voice that I cried out standing among them, that concerning a resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you today.
And Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then stretching out his hand, Paul made a defense: Concerning all of which I am accused by Jews, king Agrippa, I think myself happy being about to make defense before you today, you being especially expert in all customs and questions among the Jews. Therefore I beseech you to hear me patiently. read more.
Truly, then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, which was at first among my own nation at Jerusalem, who knew me from the first, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made to our fathers by God, to which promise our twelve tribes hope to attain, serving God fervently night and day. For the sake of this hope, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why is it thought a thing incredible with you that God raises the dead? I truly thought within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which I also did in Jerusalem. And I shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And they being put to death, I cast a vote. And I punished them often in every synagogue; I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to the outside cities. In which pursuit also traveling to Damascus with authority and power of decision from the chief priests, at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me. And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are you, lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear to you; delivering you from the people and the nations, to whom I now send you in order to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. After this, king Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision. But to those first in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judea, and to the nations, I made known the command to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance Because of these things, having caught me in the temple, The Jews tried to kill me. Then having obtained help from God, I stand until this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said was going to happen; whether the Christ was liable to suffer, whether first by a resurrection of the dead He was going to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.
Truly, then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth, which was at first among my own nation at Jerusalem, who knew me from the first, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made to our fathers by God, to which promise our twelve tribes hope to attain, serving God fervently night and day. For the sake of this hope, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why is it thought a thing incredible with you that God raises the dead? I truly thought within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which I also did in Jerusalem. And I shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And they being put to death, I cast a vote. And I punished them often in every synagogue; I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to the outside cities. In which pursuit also traveling to Damascus with authority and power of decision from the chief priests, at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me. And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are you, lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear to you; delivering you from the people and the nations, to whom I now send you in order to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. After this, king Agrippa, I did not disobey the heavenly vision. But to those first in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judea, and to the nations, I made known the command to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance Because of these things, having caught me in the temple, The Jews tried to kill me. Then having obtained help from God, I stand until this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said was going to happen; whether the Christ was liable to suffer, whether first by a resurrection of the dead He was going to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.
Martyrdom » Exemplified
not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's things were righteous.
And Cain talked with his brother Abel. And it happened when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
for it happened when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
And Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
And he said, I have been very zealous for Jehovah the God of Hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and have slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left. And they seek to take my life away.
so that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple. Truly I say to you, It shall be required of this generation.
I persecuted this Way as far as death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons;
which I also did in Jerusalem. And I shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And they being put to death, I cast a vote.
Paul » His vision and conversion
Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
And last of all He was seen by me also, as one born out of time.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who strengthened me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry-- the one who before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and insolent. But I obtained mercy, because being ignorant, I did it in unbelief.
For you heard my manner of life when I was in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God with surpassing zeal, and ravaged it.
But in going, it happened as he drew near to Damascus, even suddenly a light from the heaven shone around him. And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? And he said, Who are you, lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. read more.
And trembling and astonished, he said, Lord, what will You have me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, indeed hearing a voice but seeing no one. And Saul was lifted up from the earth, his eyes were opened, but he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days not seeing, and did not eat or drink. And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold me, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the street which is called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight. And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name. But the Lord said to him, Go! For this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name's sake. And Ananias went and entered into the house. And putting his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, who appeared to you in the way in which you came, has sent me to you that you might see and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And instantly scales as it were fell from his eyes, and he instantly saw again. And rising up, he was baptized. And taking food, he was strengthened. And Saul was certain days with the disciples in Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. But all who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem and came here for that reason, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
And trembling and astonished, he said, Lord, what will You have me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, indeed hearing a voice but seeing no one. And Saul was lifted up from the earth, his eyes were opened, but he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days not seeing, and did not eat or drink. And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold me, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the street which is called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight. And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name. But the Lord said to him, Go! For this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name's sake. And Ananias went and entered into the house. And putting his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, who appeared to you in the way in which you came, has sent me to you that you might see and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And instantly scales as it were fell from his eyes, and he instantly saw again. And rising up, he was baptized. And taking food, he was strengthened. And Saul was certain days with the disciples in Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. But all who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem and came here for that reason, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
I persecuted this Way as far as death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons; as also the high priest bears witness to me, and all the elderhood. And receiving letters from them to the brothers, I traveled into Damascus indeed to lead those being bound to Jerusalem, in order that they might be punished. And it happened to me, traveling and drawing near to Damascus: suddenly, about midday, a great light out of the heaven shone around me. read more.
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? And I answered, Who are you, lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid. But they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go into Damascus. And there it shall be told you all things which are appointed for you to do. And I did not see, because of the glory of that light; being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, testified to by all the Jews who lived there, coming to me and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, look up! And the same hour I looked up on him. And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth. For you shall be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what do you intend? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And it happened to me, I returning to Jerusalem and praying in the temple, I became in an ecstasy. And I saw Him say to me, Hurry and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and beating those who believed on You throughout the synagogues.
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? And I answered, Who are you, lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid. But they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go into Damascus. And there it shall be told you all things which are appointed for you to do. And I did not see, because of the glory of that light; being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, testified to by all the Jews who lived there, coming to me and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, look up! And the same hour I looked up on him. And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth. For you shall be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what do you intend? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And it happened to me, I returning to Jerusalem and praying in the temple, I became in an ecstasy. And I saw Him say to me, Hurry and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and beating those who believed on You throughout the synagogues.
I truly thought within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which I also did in Jerusalem. And I shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And they being put to death, I cast a vote. And I punished them often in every synagogue; I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to the outside cities. read more.
In which pursuit also traveling to Damascus with authority and power of decision from the chief priests, at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me. And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are you, lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute.
In which pursuit also traveling to Damascus with authority and power of decision from the chief priests, at midday, along the highway, O king, I and those with me saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun; shining around me. And all of us falling to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are you, lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute.
Persecution » Originates in » Mistaken zeal
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief ones of the city, and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas. And they threw them out of their borders.
I truly thought within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, which I also did in Jerusalem. And I shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests. And they being put to death, I cast a vote. And I punished them often in every synagogue; I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to the outside cities.