Psalms 35; Psalms 36; Acts 25

Psalms 35

1 (34-1) <For David himself.> Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

2 (34-2) Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

3 (34-3) Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.

4 (34-4) Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me.

5 (34-5) Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

6 (34-6) Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

7 (34-7) For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.

8 (34-8) Let the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

9 (34-9) But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.

10 (34-10) All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.

11 (34-11) Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

12 (34-12) They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.

13 (34-13) But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

14 (34-14) As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

15 (34-15) But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

16 (34-16) They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 (34-17) Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou my soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.

18 (34-18) I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.

19 (34-19) Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.

20 (34-20) For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.

21 (34-21) And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.

22 (34-22) Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

23 (34-23) Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

24 (34-24) Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.

25 (34-25) Let them not say in their hearts: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.

26 (34-26) Let them blush: and be ashamed to gether, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.

27 (34-27) Let them rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.

28 (34-28) And my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.

Psalms 36

1 (35-1) <Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.> (35-2) The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 (35-3) For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.

3 (35-4) The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well.

4 (35-5) He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he hath not hated.

5 (35-6) O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth even to the clouds.

6 (35-7) Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep. Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord:

7 (35-8) O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.

8 (35-9) They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.

9 (35-10) For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.

10 (35-11) Extend thy mercy to them that know thee, and thy justice to them that are right in heart.

11 (35-12) Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.

12 (35-13) There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out, and could not stand.

Acts 25

1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days, he went up to Jerusalem from Cesarea.

2 And the chief priests and principal men of the Jews went unto him against Paul: and they besought him,

3 Requesting favour against him, that he would command him to be brought to Jerusalem, laying wait to kill him in the way.

4 But Festus answered: That Paul was kept in Caesarea: and that he himself would very shortly depart thither.

5 Let them, therefore, saith he, among you that are able, go down with me and accuse him, if there be any crime in the man.

6 And having tarried among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought.

7 Who being brought, the Jews stood about him, who were come down from Jerusalem, objecting many and grievous causes, which they could not prove:

8 Paul making answer for himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any thing.

9 But Festus, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, answering Paul, said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me?

10 Then Paul said: I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no injury, as thou very well knowest.

11 For if I have injured them or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.

12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Hast thou appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shalt thou go.

13 And after some days, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, to salute Festus.

14 And as they tarried there many days, Festus told the king of Paul, saying: A certain man was left prisoner by Felix.

15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the ancients of the Jews came unto me, desiring condemnation against him.

16 To whom I answered: it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present and have liberty to make his answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge.

17 When therefore they were come hither, without any delay, on the day following, sitting in the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.

18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of this which I thought ill of:

19 But had certain questions of their own superstition against him, and of one Jesus deceased, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 I therefore being in a doubt of this manner of question, asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things.

21 But Paul, appealing to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar.

22 And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man, myself. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with great pomp and had entered into the hall of audience with the tribunes and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment, Paul was brought forth.

24 And Festus saith: King Agrippa and all ye men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me at Jerusalem, requesting and crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25 Yet have I found nothing that he hath committed worthy of death. But forasmuch as he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

26 Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. For which cause, I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, examination being made, I may have what to write.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to signify the things laid to his charge.