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Acts 26:2-3
“ King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. (niv)
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Acts 2:1-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.Utterly amazed, they asked:“ Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome( both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs— we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another,“ What does this mean?” (niv)
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Matthew 27:29-54
and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him.“ Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.They came to a place called Golgotha( which means“ the place of the skull”).There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their headsand saying,“ You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.“ He saved others,” they said,“ but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said,‘ I am the Son of God.’”In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“ Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?”( which means“ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).When some of those standing there heard this, they said,“ He’s calling Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.The rest said,“ Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks splitand the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed,“ Surely he was the Son of God!” (niv)
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Acts 5:18-42
They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.“ Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said,“ and tell the people all about this new life.”At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin— the full assembly of the elders of Israel— and sent to the jail for the apostles.But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,“ We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.Then someone came and said,“ Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.”At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.“ We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said.“ Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”Peter and the other apostles replied:“ We must obey God rather than human beings!The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead— whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.Then he addressed the Sanhedrin:“ Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (niv)
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Isaiah 30:20
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. (niv)
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Acts 4:16-21
“ What are we going to do with these men?” they asked.“ Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.But Peter and John replied,“ Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. (niv)
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Acts 25:22
Then Agrippa said to Festus,“ I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied,“ Tomorrow you will hear him.” (niv)
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Matthew 26:5
“ But not during the festival,” they said,“ or there may be a riot among the people.” (niv)
