Psalms 31; Psalms 32; Acts 23:16-35

1 Lord, I have gone to you for safety. Don't let me ever be put to shame. Save me, because you do what is right.

2 Pay attention to me. Come quickly to help me. Be the rock I go to for safety. Be the strong fort that saves me.

3 You are my rock and my fort. Lead me and guide me for the honor of your name.

4 Free me from the trap that is set for me. You are my place of safety.

5 Into your hands I commit my very life. Lord, set me free. You are my faithful God.

6 I hate those who worship worthless statues of gods. I trust in the Lord.

7 I will be glad and full of joy because you love me. You saw that I was hurting. You took note of my great pain.

8 You have not handed me over to the enemy. You have put me in a wide and safe place.

9 Lord, show me your favor. I'm in deep trouble. I'm so sad I can hardly see. My whole body grows weak with sadness.

10 Pain has taken over my life. My years are spent in groaning. I have no strength because I'm hurting so much. My body is getting weaker and weaker.

11 My neighbors make fun of me because I have so many enemies. My friends are afraid of me. Those who see me on the street run away from me.

12 They have forgotten me. I might as well be dead. I have become like broken pottery.

13 I hear the lies many people tell about me. There is terror all around me. Many have joined together against me. They plan to kill me.

14 But I trust in you, Lord. I say, "You are my God."

15 My whole life is in your hands. Save me from my enemies. Save me from those who are chasing me.

16 Let your face smile on me with favor. Save me because your love is faithful.

17 Lord, I have cried out to you. Don't let me be put to shame. But let sinners be put to shame. Let them lie silent in the grave.

18 Their lips tell lies. Let them be silenced. They speak with pride against those who do right. They make fun of them.

19 How great your goodness is! You have stored it up for those who have respect for you. While other people watch, you give it to those who run to you for safety.

20 They are safe because you are with them. You hide them from the evil plans of their enemies. In your house you keep them safe from those who bring charges against them.

21 Give praise to the Lord. He showed me his wonderful love when my enemies attacked the city I was in.

22 I was afraid and said, "I've been cut off from you!" But you heard my cry for your favor. You heard me when I called out to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all of you who are faithful to him! The LORD watches over the faithful. But he completely pays back those who are proud.

24 Be strong, all of you who put your hope in the Lord. Never give up.

1 Blessed is the one whose lawless acts are forgiven. His sins have been taken away.

2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD never counts against him. He doesn't want to cheat anyone.

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body became weak because I groaned all day long.

4 Day and night your heavy hand punished me. I became weaker and weaker as I do in the heat of summer. "Selah"

5 Then I admitted my sin to you. I didn't cover up the wrong I had done. I said, "I will admit my lawless acts to the Lord." And you forgave the guilt of my sin. "Selah"

6 Let everyone who is godly pray to you while they can still look to you. When troubles come like a flood, they certainly won't reach those who are godly.

7 You are my hiding place. You will keep me safe from trouble. You will surround me with songs sung by those who praise you because you save your people. "Selah"

8 I will guide you and teach you the way you should go. I will give you good advice and watch over you.

9 Don't be like the horse or the mule. They can't understand anything. They have to be controlled by bits and bridles. If they aren't, they won't come to you.

10 Sinful people have all kinds of trouble. But the LORD's faithful love is all around those who trust in him.

11 Be glad because of what the LORD has done for you. Be joyful, you who do what is right! Sing, all of you whose hearts are honest!

16 But Paul's nephew heard about this plan. So he went into the fort and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the commanders. He said to him, "Take this young man to the commanding officer. He has something to tell him."

18 So the commander took Paul's nephew to the officer. The commander said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me. He asked me to bring this young man to you. The young man has something to tell you."

19 The commanding officer took the young man by the hand. He spoke to him in private. "What do you want to tell me?" the officer asked

20 He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow. They will pretend they want more facts about him.

21 Don't give in to them. More than 40 of them are waiting in hiding to attack him. They have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now. All they need is for you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin.

22 The commanding officer let the young man go. But he gave him a warning. "Don't tell anyone you have reported this to me," he said.

23 Then the commanding officer called for two of his commanders. He ordered them, "Gather a company of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 men armed with spears. Get them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.

24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix."

25 Here is the letter the officer wrote.

26 I, Claudius Lysias, am writing this letter. I am sending it to His Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings.

27 The Jews grabbed Paul. They were about to kill him. But I came with my soldiers and saved him. I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.

28 I wanted to know why they were bringing charges against him. So I brought him to their Sanhedrin.

29 I found out that the charge against him was based on questions about their law. But there was no charge against him worthy of death or prison.

30 Then I was told about a plan against the man. So I sent him to you at once. I also ordered those bringing charges against him to tell you their case.

31 The soldiers followed their orders. During the night they took Paul with them. They brought him as far as Antipatris.

32 The next day they let the horsemen go on with him. The soldiers returned to the fort.

33 The horsemen arrived in Caesarea. They gave the letter to the governor. Then they handed Paul over to him.

34 The governor read the letter. He asked Paul where he was from. He learned that Paul was from Cilicia.

35 So he said, "I will hear your case when those bringing charges against you get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace.