Psa 2:1-6, Act 5:25-27, 12:1-4, 23:33-34, Act 24-26, 2Ti 4:16-17 | ESV | STEP | Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain ?

Psalms 2:1-6

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

1 ^aWhy do ^bthe nations rage ^{▼▼Or nations noisily assemble}
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his ^dAnointed, saying,
3 “Let us ^eburst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who ^fsits in the heavens ^glaughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his ^hwrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have ⁱset my King
on ^jZion, my ^kholy hill.”

Acts 5:25-27

25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison ^lare standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then ^mthe captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for ⁿthey were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,

Acts 12:1-4

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed ^oJames the brother of John ^pwith the sword, 3 and when he saw ^qthat it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during ^rthe days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him ^sin prison, delivering him over to four ^tsquads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

Acts 23:33-34

33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what ^uprovince he was from. And when he learned ^vthat he was from Cilicia,

Acts 24

Paul Before Felix at Caesarea

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

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, ^zmost excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 But, to detain ^{▼▼Or weary} you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, ^abone who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of ^acthe sect of the Nazarenes. 6 ^adHe 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.} 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

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

10 And 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. 11 You can verify that ^afit is not more than twelve days since I ^agwent up ^ahto worship in Jerusalem, 12 and ^aithey 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 ^ajNeither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to ^akthe Way, which they call ^ala sect, ^amI worship ^anthe God of our fathers, believing everything ^aolaid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 ^aphaving ^aqa hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be ^ara resurrection ^asof both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always ^attake pains to have a ^auclear conscience toward both God and man. 17 Now ^avafter several years ^awI came to bring alms to ^axmy nation and to present ^ayofferings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me ^azpurified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But ^basome Jews from Asia— 19 ^bbthey ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing ^bcthat 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

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

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

Acts 25

Paul Appeals to Caesar

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in ^bothe province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews ^bplaid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul ^{▼▼Greek him} that he summon him to Jerusalem—because ^brthey were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on ^bsthe tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him ^btthat they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither ^buagainst ^bvthe law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor ^bwagainst Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, ^bxwishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^bytribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. ^bzI appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, ^ca“There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case ^cbagainst him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 ^ccI answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone ^cdbefore the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 ^ceSo when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^cfthe tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they ^cghad certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about ^cha certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I ^ciasked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But ^cjwhen Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of ^ckthe emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then ^clAgrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”

23 So on the next day ^cmAgrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom ^cnthe whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, ^coshouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that ^cphe had done nothing deserving death. And ^cqas he himself appealed to ^crthe emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”

Acts 26

Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa

1 So ^csAgrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today ^ctagainst all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the ^cucustoms and ^cvcontroversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 ^cw“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among ^cxmy own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that ^cyaccording to the strictest ^czparty of our ^dareligion I have lived as ^dba Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in ^dcthe promise made by God to our fathers, 7 ^ddto which ^deour twelve tribes hope to ^dfattain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope ^dgI am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought ^dhincredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9 ^di“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of ^djJesus of Nazareth. 10 ^dkAnd I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority ^dlfrom the chief priests, but ^dmwhen they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And ^dnI punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them ^doblaspheme, and ^dpin raging fury against them I ^dqpersecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Tells of His Conversion

12 “In this connection ^drI journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me ^dsin the Hebrew language, ^{▼▼Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)} ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and ^dustand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^dvto appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 ^dwdelivering you from your people and from the Gentiles— ^dxto whom I ^dyam sending you 18 ^dzto open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from ^eathe power of Satan to God, that they may receive ^ebforgiveness of sins and ^eca place among those who are sanctified ^edby faith in me.’

19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to ^eethe heavenly vision, 20 but declared first ^efto those in Damascus, ^egthen in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also ^ehto the Gentiles, that they should ^eirepent and ^ejturn to God, performing deeds ^ekin keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason ^elthe Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 ^emTo this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so ^enI stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what ^eothe prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 ^epthat the Christ ^eqmust suffer and that, ^erby being the first ^esto rise from the dead, ^ethe would proclaim ^eulight both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, ^evyou are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, ^ewmost excellent Festus, but I am speaking ^extrue and ^eyrational words. 26 For ^ezthe king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be ^faa Christian?” ^{▼▼Or In a short time you would persuade me to act like a Christian!} 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day ^fcmight become such as I am—except for ^fdthese chains.”

30 Then the king rose, and ^fethe governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, ^ff“This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, ^fg“This man could have been set ^fhfree if he had not appealed ^fito Caesar.”

2 Timothy 4:16-17

16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^fjMay it not be charged against them! 17 But ^fkthe Lord stood by me and ^flstrengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^fmall the Gentiles might hear it. So ^fnI was rescued ^fofrom the lion’s mouth.