Psalms 2:1-2

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

1 ^aWhy do ^bthe nations rage ▼

▼Or  nations noisily assemble

and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his ^dAnointed, saying,

Nahum 1:11

11From you came one
^ewho plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.

Acts 24

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea

1And ^fafter five days the high priest ^gAnanias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before ^hthe governor their case against Paul. 2And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, ⁱmost excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4But, to detain ▼

▼Or weary

you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5For we have found this man a plague, ^kone who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of ^lthe sect of the Nazarenes. 6 ^mHe even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. ▼

▼Some manuscripts add and we would have judged him according to our law. 7But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8commanding his accusers to come before you.

8By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

9The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

10And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11You can verify that ^oit is not more than twelve days since I ^pwent up ^qto worship in Jerusalem, 12and ^rthey did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 ^sNeither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14But this I confess to you, that according to ^tthe Way, which they call ^ua sect, ^vI worship ^wthe God of our fathers, believing everything ^xlaid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 ^yhaving ^za hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be ^aaa resurrection ^abof both the just and the unjust. 16So I always ^actake pains to have a ^adclear conscience toward both God and man. 17Now ^aeafter several years ^afI came to bring alms to ^agmy nation and to present ^ahofferings. 18While I was doing this, they found me ^aipurified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But ^ajsome Jews from Asia— 19 ^akthey ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21other than this one thing ^althat I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

Paul Kept in Custody

22But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of ^amthe Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” 23Then he gave orders to the centurion that he ^anshould be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that ^aonone of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.

24After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^apfaith ^aqin Christ Jesus. 25And as he reasoned ^arabout righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. ^asWhen I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 26At the same time he hoped ^atthat money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius ^auFestus. And ^avdesiring to do the Jews a favor, ^awFelix left Paul in prison.