This became known to all who lived in Ephesus,<n id="1" /> both Jews and Greeks; fear came over<n id="2" /> them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.<n id="3" />

On the first day<n id="1" /> of the week, when we met<n id="2" /> to break bread, Paul began to speak<n id="3" /> to the people, and because he intended<n id="4" /> to leave the next day, he extended<n id="5" /> his message until midnight.

By all these things,<n id="1" /> I have shown you that by working in this way we must help<n id="2" /> the weak,<n id="3" /> and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, &#8216;It is more blessed to give than to receive.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

When they heard this, they praised<n id="1" /> God. Then they said to him, &#8220;You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews<n id="2" /> there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers<n id="3" /> of the law.<n id="4" />

The whole city was stirred up,<n id="1" /> and the people rushed together.<n id="2" /> They seized<n id="3" /> Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts,<n id="4" /> and immediately the doors were shut.

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks,<n id="1" /> he said<n id="2" /> to the commanding officer,<n id="3" /> &#8220;May I say<n id="4" /> something to you?&#8221; The officer<n id="5" /> replied,<n id="6" /> &#8220;Do you know Greek?<n id="7" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, &#8220;Because I know<n id="1" /> that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense.<n id="2" />

After two years<n id="1" /> had passed, Porcius Festus<n id="2" /> succeeded Felix,<n id="3" /> and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.<n id="4" />p>

I answered them<n id="1" /> that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone<n id="2" /> before the accused had met his accusers face to face<n id="3" /> and had been given<n id="4" /> an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation.<n id="5" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">So the next day Agrippa<n id="1" /> and Bernice came with great pomp<n id="2" /> and entered the audience hall,<n id="3" /> along with the senior military officers<n id="4" /> and the prominent men of the city. When Festus<n id="5" /> gave the order,<n id="6" /> Paul was brought in.

When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself<n id="2" /> by kicking against the goads.&#8217;<n id="3" />

But the centurion,<n id="1" /> wanting to save Paul&#8217;s life,<n id="2" /> prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,<n id="3" />

The local inhabitants<n id="1" /> showed us extraordinary<n id="2" /> kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain<n id="3" /> and was cold.

<p class="bodytext">What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I<n id="1" /> would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else<n id="2" /> if the law had not said, &#8220;<b><i>Do not coveti>b>.&#8221;<n id="3" />

The Son is<n id="1" /> the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word,<n id="2" /> and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, <i>he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on highi>.<n id="3" />

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

During his earthly life<n id="1" /> Christ<n id="2" /> offered<n id="3" /> both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.

keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and <i>has taken his seat at the right hand of the thronei> of God.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">to eat<n id="1" /> your fill<n id="2" /> of the flesh of kings,p> <p class="poetry">the flesh of generals,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">the flesh of powerful people,p> <p class="poetry">the flesh of horses and those who ride them,p> <p class="poetry">and the flesh of all people, both free and slave,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and small and great!&#8221;p>

&#8220;If anyone comes to me and does not hate<n id="1" /> his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life,<n id="2" /> he cannot be my disciple.