"But thisI admitto you, that accordingto the Waywhichthey calla sectI do servethe Godof our fathers,believingeverythingthat is in accordancewith the Lawand that is writtenin the Prophets;
"O LORD,the Godof Abraham,Isaacand Israel,our fathers,preservethisforeverin the intentionsof the heartof Your people,and directtheir heartto You;
I will also speakof Your testimoniesbeforekingsAnd shall not be ashamed.
God,furthermore,saidto Moses,"Thusyou shall sayto the sonsof Israel,The LORD,the Godof your fathers,the Godof Abraham,the Godof Isaac,and the Godof Jacob,has sentme to you.' Thisis My nameforever,and thisis My memorial-nameto allgenerations.
"[As for] those who swearby the guiltof Samaria,Who say,'As your godlives,O Dan,'And, 'As the wayof Beershebalives,'They will falland not riseagain."
Manynationswill comeand say,"Comeand let us goup to the mountainof the LORDAnd to the houseof the Godof Jacob,That He may teachus aboutHis waysAnd that we may walkin His paths."For from Zionwill goforththe law,Even the wordof the LORDfrom Jerusalem.
"ThereforeeveryonewhoconfessesMe beforemen,I will alsoconfesshim beforeMy Fatherwho is in heaven.
"On thesetwocommandmentsdependthe wholeLawand the Prophets."
"In everything,therefore,treatpeoplethe same wayyou wantthem to treatyou, for thisis the Lawand the Prophets.
As He spokeby the mouthof His holyprophetsfrom of old--
"The Lawand the Prophets[were proclaimed] untilJohn;sincethat timethe gospelof the kingdomof Godhas been preached,and everyoneis forcing his wayinto it.
"But Abrahamsaid,'They haveMosesand the Prophets;let them hearthem.'
Thenbeginningwith Mosesand with allthe prophets,He explainedto them the things concerningHimselfin allthe Scriptures.
NowHe saidto them, "Theseare My wordswhichI spoketo you while I was stillwith you, that all thingswhich are writtenaboutMe in the Lawof Mosesand the Prophetsand the Psalmsmustbe fulfilled."
PhilipfoundNathanaeland saidto him, "We have foundHim of whomMosesin the Lawand [also] the Prophetswrote--Jesusof Nazareth,the sonof Joseph."
"Of Him allthe prophetsbear witnessthat throughHis nameeveryonewho believesin Him receivesforgivenessof sins."
Afterthe readingof the Lawand the Prophetsthe synagogue officialssentto them, saying,"Brethren,ifyou have anywordof exhortationfor the people,sayit."
But someof the sectof the Phariseeswho had believedstoodup, saying,"It is necessaryto circumcisethem and to directthem to observethe Lawof Moses."
Aboutthat timethere occurrednosmalldisturbanceconcerningthe Way.
But whensomewere becoming hardenedand disobedient,speaking evilof the Waybeforethe people,he withdrewfrom them and took awaythe disciples,reasoningdailyin the schoolof Tyrannus.
"And he said,The Godof our fathershas appointedyou to knowHis willand to seethe Righteous Oneand to hearan utterancefrom His mouth.
But Felix,havinga more exactknowledgeaboutthe Way,put them off,saying,"WhenLysiasthe commandercomes down,I will decideyour case."
"For we have foundthismana real pestand a fellow who stirsup dissensionamong allthe Jewsthroughoutthe world,and a ringleaderof the sectof the Nazarenes.
while Paulsaid in his own defense,"I have committednooffenseeitheragainstthe Lawof the Jewsoragainstthe templeoragainstCaesar."
"So,having obtainedhelpfrom God,I standto thisdaytestifyingbothto smalland great,statingnothingbut whatthe Prophetsand Mosessaidwas goingto take place;
"KingAgrippa,do you believethe Prophets?I knowthat you do."
"So then,allJewsknowmy manner of lifefrom my youthup, which from the beginningwas spentamongmy [own] nationand at Jerusalem;
"And nowI am standingtrialfor the hopeof the promisemadeby Godto our fathers;
"But we desireto hearfrom you whatyour viewsare; for concerningthissect,it is knownto us that it is spoken againsteverywhere."
When they had seta dayfor Paul, they cameto him at his lodgingin large numbers;and he was explainingto them by solemnly testifyingabout the kingdomof Godand trying to persuadethem concerningJesus,from boththe Lawof Mosesand from the Prophets,from morninguntilevening.
"The Godof Abraham,Isaacand Jacob,the Godof our fathers,has glorifiedHis servantJesus,[the one] whomyou deliveredand disownedin the presenceof Pilate,when he had decidedto releaseHim.
"The Godof our fathersraisedup Jesus,whomyou had put to deathby hangingHim on a cross.
I AM THE GODOF YOUR FATHERS,THE GODOF ABRAHAMAND ISAACAND JACOB.'Mosesshook with fearand would not ventureto look.
and askedfor lettersfrom him to the synagoguesat Damascus,sothat ifhe foundanybelongingto the Way,bothmenand women,he might bringthem boundto Jerusalem.
For God,whomI servein my spiritin the [preaching of the] gospelof His Son,is my witness[as to] howunceasinglyI makementionof you,
But nowapartfrom the Law[the] righteousnessof Godhas been manifested,being witnessedby the Lawand the Prophets,
For there mustalsobe factionsamongyou, sothat thosewho are approvedmay becomeevidentamongyou.
idolatry,sorcery,enmities,strife,jealousy,outbursts of anger,disputes,dissensions,factions,
I thankGod,whomI servewith a clearconsciencethe waymy forefathersdid, as I constantlyrememberyou in my prayersnightand day,
Rejecta factiousmanaftera firstand secondwarning,
seeking to knowwhatpersonortimethe Spiritof Christwithinthem was indicatingas He predictedthe sufferingsof Christand the gloriesto follow.
ThenI fellat his feetto worshiphim. But he saidto me, "Do not dothat; I ama fellow servantof yoursand your brethrenwho holdthe testimonyof Jesus;worshipGod.For the testimonyof Jesusis the spiritof prophecy."
