“ When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.

但你们要谨慎；因为人要把你们交给公会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在诸侯与君王面前，对他们作见证。

但你们自己要谨慎；因为有人要把你们交给议会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在统治者和君王面前，对他们作见证。

但你们自己要谨慎；因为有人要把你们交给议会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在统治者和君王面前，对他们作见证。

“你们要小心，因为你们将被送上法庭，将在会堂里受鞭打，又将为了我的缘故在官长和君王面前做见证。

但你们要小心！因为人要把你们交给公议会，你们要在会堂里被鞭打，又要为我的缘故站在总督和君王面前，向他们作见证。

“你们自己要当心。他们将要把你们送交议会；你们会在会堂里受鞭打。为我的缘故，你们将站在总督和君王面前，好对他们做见证。

但你們要謹慎；因為人要把你們交給公會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在諸侯與君王面前，對他們作見證。

但你們自己要謹慎；因為有人要把你們交給議會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在統治者和君王面前，對他們作見證。

但你們自己要謹慎；因為有人要把你們交給議會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在統治者和君王面前，對他們作見證。

「你們要小心，因為你們將被送上法庭，將在會堂裡受鞭打，又將為了我的緣故在官長和君王面前做見證。

但你們要小心！因為人要把你們交給公議會，你們要在會堂裡被鞭打，又要為我的緣故站在總督和君王面前，向他們作見證。

『但是你們、要自己謹慎；因為人必把你們送交議會，你們必在會堂裏受打；你們必為我的緣故站在統治官和君王面前，對他們作見證。

「你們自己要當心。他們將要把你們送交議會；你們會在會堂裡受鞭打。為我的緣故，你們將站在總督和君王面前，好對他們做見證。

爾宜自慎、人將付爾於公會、撻爾於會堂、且為我故、將立於侯王前而為之證、

故當自謹、蓋為我故、人將解爾至公會、扑爾於會堂、立爾於侯王前以為證、

爾當自慎、蓋人將解爾於公會、撲爾於會堂、且為我故、爾將被解至侯王前、以為之證、

爾當戒慎、爾將因予之故、被人執交公會、撻於會堂、解至王侯之前、以證吾道。

“ You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

“ Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings because of me. In that way you will be witnesses to them.

“ But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

“ But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

“ But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.

“ But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them.

“ But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to sanhedrins, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them.

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

“ You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.

Jesus replied,“ Don’t let anyone mislead you,

For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.

Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem,where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul.They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem( planning to ambush and kill him on the way).But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon.So he said,“ Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.”About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in.When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t prove.Paul denied the charges.“ I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said.Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him,“ Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?”But Paul replied,“ No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews.If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied,“ Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!”A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus.During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king.“ There is a prisoner here,” he told him,“ whose case was left for me by Felix.When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him.I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves.“ When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in.But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected.Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem.But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.”“ I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied,“ You will— tomorrow!”So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.Then Festus said,“ King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem.But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.“ But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write.

Do you remember what I told you?‘ A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor:“ You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us.For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you.But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment.We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.

“ The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.“ They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world— to people and angels alike.Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash— right up to the present moment.

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest.He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them— both men and women— back to Jerusalem in chains.

Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

“ But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias,“ I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”

“ I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.

And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Even those closest to you— your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends— will betray you. They will even kill some of you.And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.But not a hair of your head will perish!

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty nine lashes.Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.They shouted to the Lord and said,“ O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters— their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred— had joined them.

As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done.Some shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress.As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift him to their shoulders to protect him.And the crowd followed behind, shouting,“ Kill him, kill him!”As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander,“ May I have a word with you?”“ Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised.“ Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”“ No,” Paul replied,“ I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.”The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.

But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning.But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem.Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest.They brought in the two disciples and demanded,“ By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,“ Rulers and elders of our people,are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,‘ The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.“ What should we do with these men?” they asked each other.“ We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.But Peter and John replied,“ Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God

“‘ But Lord,’ I argued,‘ they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’

“ Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.

The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,“ Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council— the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial.But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported,“ The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.Then someone arrived with startling news:“ The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them.Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them.“ We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said.“ Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”But Peter and the apostles replied,“ We must obey God rather than any human authority.The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while.Then he said to his colleagues,“ Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.“ So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said,“ The Holy Spirit declares,‘ So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’”

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.And he told them,“ Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at himand dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.As they stoned him, Stephen prayed,“ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”He fell to his knees, shouting,“ Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.( Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.He had the apostle James( John’s brother) killed with a sword.When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter.( This took place during the Passover celebration.)

Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began:“ Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.

And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering.

“ Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

“ Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time— from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying,“ We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.”This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.The lying witnesses said,“ This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses.We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.

I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus.