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

1 I have taken refuge in you, O LORD. Never let me be put to shame. Save me because of your righteousness.

2 Turn your ear toward me. Rescue me quickly. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.

3 Indeed, you are my rock and my fortress. For the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.

4 You are my refuge, so pull me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me.

5 Into your hands I entrust my spirit. You have rescued me, O LORD, God of truth.

6 I hate those who cling to false gods, but I trust the LORD.

7 I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy. You have seen my misery. You have known the troubles in my soul.

8 You have not handed me over to the enemy. You have set my feet in a place where I can move freely.

9 Have pity on me, O LORD, because I am in distress. My eyes, my soul, and my body waste away from grief.

10 My life is exhausted from sorrow, my years from groaning. My strength staggers under [the weight of] my guilt, and my bones waste away.

11 I have become a disgrace because of all my opponents. I have become someone dreaded by my friends, even by my neighbors. Those who see me on the street run away from me.

12 I have faded from memory as if I were dead and have become like a piece of broken pottery.

13 I have heard the whispering of many people-- terror on every side-- while they made plans together against me. They were plotting to take my life.

14 I trust you, O LORD. I said, "You are my God."

15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from my enemies, from those who persecute me.

16 Smile on me. Save me with your mercy.

17 O LORD, I have called on you, so do not let me be put to shame, Let wicked people be put to shame. Let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let [their] lying lips be speechless, since they speak against righteous people with arrogance and contempt.

19 Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam's descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you.

20 You hide them in the secret place of your presence from those who scheme against them. You keep them in a shelter, safe from quarrelsome tongues.

21 Thank the LORD! He has shown me the miracle of his mercy in a city under attack.

22 When I was panic-stricken, I said, "I have been cut off from your sight." But you heard my pleas for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

23 Love the LORD, all you godly ones! The LORD protects faithful people, but he pays back in full those who act arrogantly.

24 Be strong, all who wait with hope for the LORD, and let your heart be courageous.

1 Blessed is the person whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sin is pardoned.

2 Blessed is the person whom the LORD no longer accuses of sin and who has no deceitful thoughts.

3 When I kept silent [about my sins], my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long.

4 Day and night your hand lay heavily on me. My strength shriveled in the summer heat. Selah

5 I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O LORD. Then you forgave all my sins. Selah

6 For this reason let all godly people pray to you when you may be found. Then raging floodwater will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyous songs of salvation. Selah

8 [The LORD says,] "I will instruct you. I will teach you the way that you should go. I will advise you as my eyes watch over you.

9 Don't be stubborn like a horse or mule. [They need] a bit and bridle in their mouth to restrain them, or they will not come near you."

10 Many heartaches await wicked people, but mercy surrounds those who trust the LORD.

11 Be glad and find joy in the LORD, you righteous people. Sing with joy, all whose motives are decent.

16 But Paul's nephew heard about the ambush. He entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the sergeants and told him, "Take this young man to the officer. He has something to tell him."

18 The sergeant took the young man to the officer and said, "The prisoner Paul called me. He asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you."

19 The officer took the young man by the arm, went where they could be alone, and asked him, "What do you have to tell me?"

20 The young man answered, "The Jews have planned to ask you to bring Paul to the Jewish council tomorrow. They're going to make it look as though they want more accurate information about him.

21 Don't let them persuade you to do this. More than forty of them are planning to ambush him. They have asked God to curse them if they eat or drink anything before they have murdered him. They are ready now and are expecting you to promise [that you will bring Paul]."

22 The officer dismissed the young man and ordered him not to tell this information to anyone else.

23 Then the officer summoned two of his sergeants and told them, "I want 200 infantrymen, 70 soldiers on horseback, and 200 soldiers with spears. Have them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.

24 Provide an animal for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix."

25 The officer wrote a letter to the governor with the following message:

26 Claudius Lysias sends greetings to Your Excellency, Governor Felix:

27 The Jews had seized this man and were going to murder him. When I found out that he was a Roman citizen, I went with my soldiers to rescue him.

28 I wanted to know what they had against him. So I took him to their Jewish council

29 and found their accusations had to do with disputes about Jewish teachings. He wasn't accused of anything for which he deserved to die or to be put into prison.

30 Since I was informed that there was a plot against this man, I immediately sent him to you. I have also ordered his accusers to state their case against him in front of you.

31 So the infantrymen did as they had been ordered. They took Paul to the city of Antipatris during the night.

32 They returned to their barracks the next day and let the soldiers on horseback travel with Paul.

33 When the soldiers arrived in the city of Caesarea with Paul, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.

34 After the governor had read the letter, he asked Paul which province he was from. When he found out that Paul was from the province of Cilicia,

35 he said, "I'll hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then the governor gave orders to keep Paul under guard in Herod's palace.