“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you.”

we have unanimously decided to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus,

So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless.

You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house,

I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

And now I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost.

God raised up his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each one of you from your iniquities.”

And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors,

Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused you, upsetting your minds by what they said,

So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects.

For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’

but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!”

Then Felix, who understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, adjourned their hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.”

Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your survival. For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.”

So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.”

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know –

“Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey him in everything he tells you.