Bible in a Year.

On day 343, Paul defends himself before the authorities in Acts 22, explaining his conversion and mission. In 2 Corinthians 9-11, he reinforces the importance of generosity and faithfulness, while Proverbs 29:5-7 guides us on justice, honesty, and prudent leadership.

1. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye the account which I now give unto you.

2. (And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence.)

3. And he saith: I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, as also all you are this day:

4. Who persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

5. As the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the ancients: from whom also receiving letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus, that I might bring them bound from thence to Jerusalem to be punished.

6. And it came to pass, as I was going, and drawing nigh to Damascus at midday, that suddenly from heaven there shone round about me a great light:

7. And falling on the ground, I heard a voice saying to me: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

8. And I answered: Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

9. And they that were with me, saw indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke with me.

10. And I said: What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me: Arise, and go to Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things that thou must do.

11. And whereas I did not see for the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by my companions, I came to Damascus.

12. And one Ananias, a man according to the law, having testimony of all the Jews who dwelt there,

13. Coming to me, and standing by me, said to me: Brother Saul, look up. And I the same hour looked upon him.

14. But he said: The God of our fathers hath preordained thee that thou shouldst know his will, and see the Just One, and shouldst hear the voice from his mouth.

15. For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of those things which thou hast seen and heard.

16. And now why tarriest thou? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, invoking his name.

17. And it came to pass, when I was come again to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,

18. And saw him saying unto me: Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

19. And I said: Lord, they know that I cast into prison, and beat in every synagogue, them that believed in thee.

20. And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I stood by and consented, and kept the garments of them that killed him.

21. And he said to me: Go, for unto the Gentiles afar off, will I send thee.

22. And they heard him until this word, and then lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such an one from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live.

23. And as they cried out and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,

24. The tribune commanded him to be brought into the castle, and that he should be scourged and tortured: to know for what cause they did so cry out against him.

25. And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul saith to the centurion that stood by him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26. Which the centurion hearing, went to the tribune, and told him, saying: What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.

27. And the tribune coming, said to him: Tell me, art thou a Roman? But he said: Yea.

28. And the tribune answered: I obtained the being free of this city with a great sum. And Paul said: But I was born so.

29. Immediately therefore they departed from him that were about to torture him. The tribune also was afraid after he understood that he was a Roman citizen, and because he had bound him.

30. But on the next day, meaning to know more diligently for what cause he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the priests to come together, and all the council: and bringing forth Paul, he set him before them.

Chapter 9

1. For concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.

2. For I know your forward mind: for which I boast of you to the Macedonians. That Achaia also is ready from the year past, and your emulation hath provoked very many.

3. Now I have sent the brethren, that the thing which we boast of concerning you, be not made void in this behalf, that (as I have said) you may be ready:

4. Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter.

5. Therefore I thought it necessary to desire the brethren that they would go to you before, and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready, so as a blessing, not as covetousness.

6. Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings.

7. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8. And God is able to make all grace abound in you; that ye always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work,

9. As it is written: He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever.

10. And he that ministereth seed to the sower, will both give you bread to eat, and will multiply your seed, and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice:

11. That being enriched in all things, you may abound unto all simplicity, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God.

12. Because the administration of this office doth not only supply the want of the saints, but aboundeth also by many thanksgivings in the Lord,

13. By the proof of this ministry, glorifying God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the simplicity of your communicating unto them, and unto all.

14. And in their praying for you, being desirous of you, because of the excellent grace of God in you.

15. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

Chapter 10

1. Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent, am bold toward you.

2. But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold, against some, who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,

5. And every height that exhalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ;

6. And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.

7. See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ's, let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ's, so are we also.

8. For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

9. But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,

10. (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible,)

11. Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles, when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.

12. For we dare not match, or compare ourselves with some, that commend themselves; but we measure ourselves by ourselves, and compare ourselves with ourselves.

13. But we will not glory beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the gospel of Christ.

15. Not glorying beyond measure in other men's labours; but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly;

16. Yea, unto those places that are beyond you, to preach the gospel, not to glory in another man's rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.

17. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18. For not he who commendeth himself, is approved, but he, whom God commendeth.

Chapter 11

1. Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly: but do bear with me.

2. For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3. But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted, and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, whom you have not received; or another gospel which you have not received; you might well bear with him.

5. For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.

6. For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in all things we have been made manifest to you.

7. Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself, that you might be exalted? Because I preached unto you the gospel of God freely?

8. I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.

9. And, when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was wanting to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burthensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

10. The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.

11. Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth it.

12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them that desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13. For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14. And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.

15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.

16. I say again, (let no man think me to be foolish, otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little.)

17. That which I speak, I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.

18. Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.

19. For you gladly suffer the foolish; whereas yourselves are wise.

20. For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face.

21. I speak according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also.

22. They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.

23. They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise): I am more; in many more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

24. Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one.

25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea.

26. In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren.

27. In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28. Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.

29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?

30. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.

31. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not.

32. At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, to apprehend me.

33. And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands.

5. A man that speaketh to his friend with flattering and dissembling words, spreadeth a net for his feet.

6. A snare shall entangle the wicked man when he sinneth: and the just shall praise and rejoice.

7. The just taketh notice of the cause of the poor: the wicked is void of knowledge.