And comingto us, he tookPaul'sbeltand boundhis ownfeetand hands,and said,"This is whatthe HolySpiritsays:'In this waythe Jewsat Jerusalemwill bindthe manwhoownsthisbeltand deliverhim into the handsof the Gentiles.'"
Then Zedekiahthe sonof Chenaanahmadehornsof ironfor himself and said,"Thussaysthe LORD,With theseyou will gorethe Arameansuntilthey are consumed.'"
at that timethe LORDspokethroughIsaiahthe sonof Amoz,saying,"Goand loosenthe sackclothfrom your hipsand takeyour shoesoffyour feet."And he didso,goingnakedand barefoot.
Thussaysthe LORD,"Goand buya potter'searthenwarejar,and [take] someof the eldersof the peopleand someof the seniorpriests.
I have also spokento the prophets,And I gavenumerousvisions,And throughthe prophetsI gaveparables.
When Jesushad spokenthesewords, He went forthwith His disciplesoverthe ravineof the Kidron,wherethere was a garden,in whichHe enteredwith His disciples.
While they were ministeringto the Lordand fasting,the HolySpiritsaid,"Set apartfor Me Barnabasand Saulfor the workto whichI have calledthem."
They passed throughthe Phrygianand Galatianregion,having been forbiddenby the HolySpiritto speakthe wordin Asia;
exceptthat the HolySpiritsolemnly testifiesto me in everycity,sayingthat bondsand afflictionsawaitme.
Thenthe commandercameup and took holdof him, and orderedhim to be boundwith twochains;and he [began] askingwhohe was and whathe had done.
After lookingup the disciples,we stayedtheresevendays;and they kept tellingPaulthroughthe Spiritnot to set footin Jerusalem.
But whenthey stretchedhim out with thongs,Paulsaidto the centurionwho was standingby, "Is it lawfulfor you to scourgea manwho is a Romanand uncondemned?"
But after two yearshad passed,Felixwas succeededby PorciusFestus,and wishingto dothe Jewsa favor,FelixleftPaulimprisoned.
And Paul[said], "I would wishto God,that whetherin a shortorlong time,not onlyyou, but alsoallwho hearme this day,might becomesuchas I am,exceptfor thesechains."
AfterthreedaysPaul called togetherthosewho were the leading menof the Jews,and when they came together,he [began] sayingto them, "Brethren,though I had donenothingagainstour peopleorthe customsof our fathers,yet I was deliveredas a prisonerfrom Jerusaleminto the handsof the Romans.
"For thisreason,therefore,I requestedto seeyou and to speakwith you, for I am wearingthischainfor the sakeof the hopeof Israel."
And when they did not agreewith one another,they [began] leavingafter Paulhad spokenone[parting] word,"The HolySpiritrightlyspokethroughIsaiahthe prophetto your fathers,
Thenthe Spiritsaidto Philip,"Goup and jointhischariot."
for I will showhim how muchhe mustsufferfor My name'ssake."
For thisreasonI, Paul,the prisonerof ChristJesusfor the sakeof you Gentiles--
ThereforeI, the prisonerof the Lord,imploreyou to walkin a manner worthyof the callingwith whichyou have been called,
for whichI am an ambassadorin chains;that in [proclaiming] it I may speak boldly,as I oughtto speak.
But the Spiritexplicitlysaysthat in latertimessomewill fall awayfrom the faith,paying attentionto deceitfulspiritsand doctrinesof demons,
for whichI suffer hardshipevento imprisonmentas a criminal;but the wordof Godis not imprisoned.
For you showed sympathyto the prisonersand acceptedjoyfullythe seizureof your property,knowingthat you havefor yourselvesa betterpossessionand a lastingone.
Therefore,justas the HolySpiritsays,"TODAYIFYOU HEARHIS VOICE,
It was revealedto them that they were not servingthemselves,but you, in these thingswhichnowhave been announcedto you throughthosewho preached the gospelto you by the HolySpiritsentfrom heaven--things into whichangelslongto look.
