Prosperity After Turning to the Lord

30 When all these blessings and curses^(A) I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations,^{(B) 2} and when you and your children return^(C) to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart^(D) and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, ³ then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes^[a](E) and have compassion^(F) on you and gather^(G) you again from all the nations where he scattered^(H) you.^{(I) 4} Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,^(J) from there the Lord your God will gather^(K) you and bring you back.^{(L) 5} He will bring^(M) you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous^(N) than your ancestors. ⁶ The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants,^(O) so that you may love^(P) him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. ⁷ The Lord your God will put all these curses^(Q) on your enemies who hate and persecute you.^{(R) 8} You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. ⁹ Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.^(S) The Lord will again delight^(T) in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, ¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law^(U) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.^(V)

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.^{(W) 12} It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven^(X) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(Y) 13} Nor is it beyond the sea,^(Z) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(AA) 14} No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.^(AB)

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life^(AC) and prosperity,^(AD) death^(AE) and destruction.^{(AF) 16} For I command you today to love^(AG) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live^(AH) and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.^(AI) You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you^(AJ) that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.^(AK) Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love^(AL) the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,^(AM) and he will give^(AN) you many years in the land^(AO) he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Psalm 136

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin^(A) and said, “My brothers,^(B) I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience^(C) to this day.” ² At this the high priest Ananias^(D) ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.^{(E) 3} Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!^(F) You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”^(G)

⁴ Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

⁵ Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’^[a]”^(H)

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees^(I) and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,^(J) I am a Pharisee,^(K) descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”^{(L) 7} When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,^(M) and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

⁹ There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees^(N) stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,”^(O) they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”^{(P) 10} The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.^(Q)

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!^(R) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”^(S)

The Plot to Kill Paul

¹² The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy^(T) and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.^{(U) 13} More than forty men were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.^{(V) 15} Now then, you and the Sanhedrin^(W) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks^(X) and told Paul.

¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,^(Y) sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

¹⁹ The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

²⁰ He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin^(Z) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.^{(AA) 21} Don’t give in to them, because more than forty^(AB) of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.^(AC) They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

²² The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Paul Transferred to Caesarea

²³ Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen^[b] to go to Caesarea^(AD) at nine tonight.^{(AE) 24} Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”^(AF)

²⁵ He wrote a letter as follows:

³¹ So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the cavalry^(AR) go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.^{(AS) 33} When the cavalry^(AT) arrived in Caesarea,^(AU) they delivered the letter to the governor^(AV) and handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,^{(AW) 35} he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers^(AX) get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard^(AY) in Herod’s palace.

Paul’s Trial Before Felix

24 Five days later the high priest Ananias^(AZ) went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges^(BA) against Paul before the governor.^{(BB) 2} When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. ³ Everywhere and in every way, most excellent^(BC) Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. ⁴ But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

⁵ “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots^(BD) among the Jews^(BE) all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene^(BF) sect^{(BG) 6} and even tried to desecrate the temple;^(BH) so we seized him. ^{[7] [c] 8} By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

⁹ The other Jews joined in the accusation,^(BI) asserting that these things were true.

¹⁰ When the governor^(BJ) motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. ¹¹ You can easily verify that no more than twelve days^(BK) ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple,^(BL) or stirring up a crowd^(BM) in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.^{(BN) 14} However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors^(BO) as a follower of the Way,^(BP) which they call a sect.^(BQ) I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,^{(BR) 15} and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection^(BS) of both the righteous and the wicked.^{(BT) 16} So I strive always to keep my conscience clear^(BU) before God and man.

¹⁷ “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor^(BV) and to present offerings. ¹⁸ I was ceremonially clean^(BW) when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.^{(BX) 19} But there are some Jews from the province of Asia,^(BY) who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.^{(BZ) 20} Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— ²¹ unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”^(CA)

²² Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way,^(CB) adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” ²³ He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard^(CC) but to give him some freedom^(CD) and permit his friends to take care of his needs.^(CE)

²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.^{(CF) 25} As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control^(CG) and the judgment^(CH) to come, Felix was afraid^(CI) and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

²⁷ When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,^(CJ) but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews,^(CK) he left Paul in prison.^(CL)