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Speaker 1: Let us pray, and Paul said, I would to God

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Speaker 1: that not only thou, but also all that hear me

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Speaker 1: this day were both almost and altogether such as I am,

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Speaker 1: except these bonds. Acts twenty six twenty nine. Dear Lord,

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Speaker 1: as I study the life of Paul in Acts twenty

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Speaker 1: four through twenty six, I am reminded that through his

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Speaker 1: life he teaches me about the power of vision. Through

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Speaker 1: your vision for my life, God, I see that vision

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Speaker 1: allows me to see myself. It allows me to see

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Speaker 1: things not as they are, but as I am. I

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Speaker 1: thank you that vision allows me to see others and

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Speaker 1: moves me in a compelling way to act. Through your vision, God,

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Speaker 1: you've strengthened me and enabled me to continue despite struggle

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Speaker 1: and lack of resources. I thank you through your vision

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Speaker 1: that you have given me. You are stretching me and

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Speaker 1: giving me conviction to stand and to speak with confidence,

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Speaker 1: and to give me the compassion to share with others. However,

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Speaker 1: through your vision, it shows me that as I move

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Speaker 1: in compliant obedience, my vision will motivate me to act,

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Speaker 1: which will ultimately bring fulfillment to my life. In all

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Speaker 1: of these things, I remain grateful that you sent men

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Speaker 1: like Paul before me, to help guide me to the

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Speaker 1: best days of my life. In Jesus name, Amen, thank

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Speaker 1: you for praying with me to day. Continue listening for

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Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in

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Speaker 1: a Year dot com.

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Speaker 2: Paul on Trial. In our last story, Paul was saved

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Speaker 2: from certain death by the Judge of Jerusalem. The Jews

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Speaker 2: spat and spited Paul, planning to take his life, yet

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Speaker 2: Paul remained protected by God through the Roman legal system.

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Speaker 2: Now Paul has brought to the Governor Felix for trial. However,

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Speaker 2: the Jews are continuing to plot against him, so Paul

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Speaker 2: declares his right as a Roman citizen to be taken

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Speaker 2: before Caesar, inspired by the Book of Acts.

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Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible

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Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we began, I want

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Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique ebook that's yours

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Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress,

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Speaker 3: and my prayer is that it will help you conquer

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Speaker 3: the daily task and pressures and burdens that bring stress

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Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free

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Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting Jack Graham dot org. Slash stress.

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Speaker 3: That's Jack Graham dot org slash stress. In our previous

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Speaker 3: time together, we heard how Paul appeared before the leaders

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Speaker 3: in Jerusalem and how they did not want to hear

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Speaker 3: him speak. Paul used their own lack of unity against

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Speaker 3: them and frustrated their attempts to have him condemned. Ultimately,

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Speaker 3: Paul was sent away to Caesareah to stand trial before Felix,

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Speaker 3: the Governor. God was working, even through the opposition, to

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Speaker 3: accomplish his purposes in Paul's ministry and in the advancement

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Speaker 3: of the Gospel the Kingdom of God. Today we'll hear

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Speaker 3: as Paul stands trial before Felix, the Roman governor of

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Speaker 3: the region. Though the leaders in Jerusalem were frustrated in

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Speaker 3: their attempts to silence and even kill Paul, they will

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Speaker 3: not relent and will continue to oppose Paul and bring

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Speaker 3: false accusations against him before this governor. Well, here as

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Speaker 3: Paul remains bold, calm, cool and collected and continues to

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Speaker 3: use his rights as Roman citizens, even the right to

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Speaker 3: be tried by the supreme Roman ruler. Let's listen now

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Speaker 3: to this reading from the Book of Acts.

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Speaker 2: It was evening and the Hall of Felix. The governor

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Speaker 2: was dimly lit by torches and lanterns. The governor sat

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Speaker 2: at his throne like desk, listening intently to the Jewish testimony.

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Speaker 2: Paul remained silent as the Jews testified against him. His

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Speaker 2: knee was throbbing and his eyesight was leaving him due

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Speaker 2: to all the beatings. Even in his broken state, Paul

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Speaker 2: stood tall with the confidence of Christ. He knew that

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Speaker 2: he should not stoop to their level. He would not curse, interrupt,

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Speaker 2: or lie. He would tell the truth at all costs,

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Speaker 2: and he would love his enemies best he could. Anonaius,

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Speaker 2: the High Priest, stood forward and bowed to Felix. We

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Speaker 2: have enjoyed much peace under your leadership, Oh great Felix.

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Speaker 2: The reforms you have made for this nation have brought

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Speaker 2: about a new age of prosperity. Anonius said. His demeanor

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Speaker 2: was that of a humble priest and a man of peace.

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Speaker 2: He played the part like an actor on stage. We

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Speaker 2: do not want to take up any more of your time.

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Speaker 2: We beg your kindness as you consider our case. This

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Speaker 2: man Paul has been a plague to our people. He

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Speaker 2: stirs up riots among the Jews and is the ring

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Speaker 2: leader to a rebel group known as the Christians. He

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Speaker 2: was trying to profane the temple when we seized him.

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Speaker 2: After Anoneus made his case, he bowed and stepped back.

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Speaker 2: Felix's face was impassive. He did not smile, frown, or

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Speaker 2: show any sort of bias. He simply nodded towards Paul

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Speaker 2: to give his defense. Paul stood upright and smiled. You

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Speaker 2: have been a judge over this nation for many years,

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Speaker 2: Lord Felix. I cheerfully make my defense, knowing you are

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Speaker 2: a rational man. You yourself can verify that I was

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Speaker 2: in Jerusalem for twelve days before I was detained. During

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Speaker 2: that time, there was no stirring or violence. They are

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Speaker 2: accusing me because of my choice to follow the way

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Speaker 2: the christ Yet I still worshiped the God of our fathers.

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Speaker 2: I believe all that was written down in the law

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Speaker 2: and prophets. I have a clear conscience before God and man.

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Speaker 2: In fact, when these men took me and beat me,

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Speaker 2: I was in the temple finishing the purification ceremony. There

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Speaker 2: was no violence on my part, only the mob that

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Speaker 2: beat me endlessly until the judge rescued me. Paul finished

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Speaker 2: pleased with his statement. He had studied the art of

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Speaker 2: law when he was a pharisee, so he knew that

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Speaker 2: they could not punish him. However, they could keep him captive,

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Speaker 2: so Paul waited for Felix's response. Felix rose up from

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Speaker 2: his seat and walked towards the door. When Lys, the judge,

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Speaker 2: comes down, I will decide your case. Until then, Paul

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Speaker 2: will be kept under house arrest with the centurion. I

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Speaker 2: will allow you to be cared for by your loved

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Speaker 2: ones and to write to them, But make no mistake,

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Speaker 2: you are my prisoner, and I will not hesitate to

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Speaker 2: judge you. So Felix left and Paul was chained to

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Speaker 2: a centurion for weeks. It was during this time that

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Speaker 2: Paul wrote many letters to the churches he started. Inspired

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Speaker 2: by the Holy Spirit. He wrote prayers and points of

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Speaker 2: wisdom for each church to live by. Occasionally, Felix would

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Speaker 2: invite Paul to dine with him and his wife. His

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Speaker 2: wife was a Jew and curious about the way of Jesus.

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Speaker 2: Felix would listen and ask questions. Two years under, Felix

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Speaker 2: had passed and he was eventually replaced by Festus. Paul's

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Speaker 2: body had begun to heal, but as eyesight had left

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Speaker 2: him dependent on the centurion who held him. Paul stumbled

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Speaker 2: into the court room of Festus, meeting him for the

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Speaker 2: first time. Festus was a fat and greedy man. He

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Speaker 2: did not hold the same nobility and respect his Felix.

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Speaker 2: He had been bribed by the Jews to send him

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Speaker 2: back to Jerusalem, and he fully planned on doing so.

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Speaker 2: Paul sensed this and did the only thing he knew

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Speaker 2: to do. If I have done something worth killing me for,

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Speaker 2: then strike me down. Now. I do not fear death,

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Speaker 2: but if I am innocent, then I have been terribly

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Speaker 2: mistreated as a Roman citizen. Paul looked Festus intensely in

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Speaker 2: the eyes and said, this has gone on long enough.

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Speaker 2: I appeal to Caesar. Every person in the room gasped

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Speaker 2: at Paul's statement. The council of judges stood there in

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Speaker 2: the room mumbling to themselves. Festus, growing uncomfortable with Paul's confidence,

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Speaker 2: rose to his feet and said to Caesar, you have

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Speaker 2: appealed to Caesar. You will go. King Agrippa was already

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Speaker 2: scheduled to visit Festus in a few weeks, so Paul

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Speaker 2: waited until then. He waited and prayed for he was

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Speaker 2: about to speak before the most powerful man in the world.

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Speaker 2: Paul could hear the trumpets from inside his room. Cheers

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Speaker 2: and music echoed throughout the entire city. Paul looked out

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Speaker 2: his window to see a great procession of soldiers marching

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Speaker 2: through the streets. Their armor glistened in the sun and

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Speaker 2: reflected back in a thousand different directions. Centurions on pure

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Speaker 2: white horses pranced around the streets making way for the king.

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Speaker 2: Paul's eyesight was poor, but there was no mistaking who

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Speaker 2: he saw next. There was a man at the center

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Speaker 2: of it all, a man standing with regality in pomp,

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Speaker 2: King Herod Agrippa, a man who had a direct relationship

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Speaker 2: with Caesar himself. Paul was shoved into the halls where

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Speaker 2: Agrippa stood. He stood with an intense amount of power.

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Speaker 2: Festus spoke, saying, before I send this man to Caesar,

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Speaker 2: I must know beyond any doubt that his case is

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Speaker 2: worth his hearing. That is why I have asked you, Agrippa,

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Speaker 2: to hear this man and give wisdom. Agrippa looked down

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Speaker 2: at Paul. His face was impassive and gave nothing away.

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Speaker 2: Paul felt his stomach titan, but he held his head high.

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Speaker 2: Agrippa nodded towards Paul and said, you may speak. Paul

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Speaker 2: stretched out his hands. He knew that only God could

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Speaker 2: perfectly judge him, so he stood with confidence, knowing that

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Speaker 2: the maker of heaven and earth stood behind him. He

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Speaker 2: made his defense, saying, my whole youth was spent among

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Speaker 2: the people in Jerusalem. They have known me for a

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Speaker 2: long time. I lived among them as a pharisee. I

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Speaker 2: myself was convinced that Jesus of Nazareth was a plague

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Speaker 2: and a stink to our religion. I locked up his

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Speaker 2: followers and played a role in their death. I was wrong.

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Speaker 2: Paul paused for a moment, doing his best to hold

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Speaker 2: back the choking sensation of oncoming tears. He cleared his

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Speaker 2: throat and looked up to Agrippa with watery eyes. I

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Speaker 2: was met by Christ and have now dedicated my life

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Speaker 2: to seeing all people, Jews and Gentiles, come to know

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Speaker 2: the love of God and the resurrection from the dead.

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Speaker 2: Festus interrupted Paul with a loud voice, saying, are you mad?

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Speaker 2: Stop speaking nonsense to the king. You know I am

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Speaker 2: not out of my mind. Paul retorted. He nodded to

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Speaker 2: King Agrippa. My king, I know these things have not

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Speaker 2: escaped your eyes. You have seen great things done by

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Speaker 2: Jesus's followers. I know you believe Agrippa gave a short smile.

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Speaker 2: In such a short time, you nearly persuade me to

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Speaker 2: be a Christian. He responded with a playful voice. Paul

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Speaker 2: bowed his head and grinned. The king stepped down from

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Speaker 2: his platform and began to exit. This man has done

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Speaker 2: nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. In fact, if he

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Speaker 2: did not appeal to Caesar, I would just let him go.

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Speaker 2: But since he has appealed to our Emperor, he must

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Speaker 2: go to Rome. So Agrippa left, and Paul was bound

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Speaker 2: and chained to sail off to Rome. In all this case,

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Speaker 2: house God was on the move. The God of all

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Speaker 2: nations was going to be presented before the most powerful

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Speaker 2: man in the known world. The Gospel was going to

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Speaker 2: be spoken to Caesar.

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Speaker 3: In today's scripture, Paul had journeyed with Roman protection to

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Speaker 3: the city of Caesarea, where he would stand trial before Felix,

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Speaker 3: the Governor. He had narrowly escaped death at the hands

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Speaker 3: of the Jews there, but his troubles were far from over.

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Speaker 3: The Jewish leaders had come too, ready to stomp out

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Speaker 3: this man, whom they hated so much. They'd even employed

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Speaker 3: a lawyer named Turtullius to bring their case against Paul.

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Speaker 3: Of course, they did not have a real case, so

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Speaker 3: they resorted to flattery in falsehoods. They began by stating

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Speaker 3: how grateful they were to Felix for all that he

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Speaker 3: had done for the nation, the nation of Israel. They

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Speaker 3: knew he didn't really have time for this trivial matter,

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Speaker 3: so they hoped this would be resolved quickly. Then came

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Speaker 3: the lies, supported by the testimony of the Jewish leaders.

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Speaker 3: Totullius argued that Paul was a plague who stirred up

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Speaker 3: riots among the Jews throughout the world. He was nothing

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Speaker 3: more than a troublemaker, and on top of that, they

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Speaker 3: accused him of profaning their temple. This was said so

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Speaker 3: that Felix would just hand Paul back over to them

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Speaker 3: to be tried in Jerusalem, where they were certain to

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Speaker 3: condemn Paul to death. Paul stood and listened patiently. When

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Speaker 3: it was his time to speak, he calmly and plainly

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Speaker 3: made his defense he knew that Felix was fair and

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Speaker 3: a reasonable man, and a very powerful one. He spoke

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Speaker 3: truthfully and candidly, demonstrating how the claims against him could

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Speaker 3: not be true. He did not deny being a follower

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Speaker 3: of Jesus the way as he referred to Christians at

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Speaker 3: that time. Instead, he gave his confession as a follower

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Speaker 3: of Jesus, a worshiper of God who sought to live

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Speaker 3: with a clear conscience before God and man. Paul concluded

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Speaker 3: with a restatement of his hope in the resurrection of

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Speaker 3: the dead, then waited for Felix to respond. We discovered

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Speaker 3: that Felix was not ready to rule yet, but Paul

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Speaker 3: was not going to rot in a prison cell either.

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Speaker 3: He would be under house arrests. During this time, Paul

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Speaker 3: was able to share the Gospel with many, including Felix

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Speaker 3: and his wife Drusilla. For two years, Paul awaited a

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Speaker 3: decision from Felix. We're told that Felix was really hoping

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Speaker 3: for a bride from Paul, one that never came. But

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Speaker 3: in those two years, Paul wrote letters to the churches

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Speaker 3: that he had planted throughout Asia, and he continued to

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Speaker 3: share Christ with all who would listen. Surely these weren't

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Speaker 3: the circumstances Paul would imagine when the Lord told him

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Speaker 3: that he would take his witness to Rome. Yet he persevered,

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Speaker 3: even in chains. It is a reminder that our circumstances

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Speaker 3: should not determine our convictions. Rather, our convictions should carry

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Speaker 3: us through our circumstance with faith and courage. And there

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Speaker 3: were still some twists and turns ahead, as we heard.

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Speaker 3: Felix was eventually replaced by Festus, a much less sympathetic governor.

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Speaker 3: He was paid off by the Jews and was about

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Speaker 3: to send Paul back to Jerusalem when Paul pulled out

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Speaker 3: his trump card and appealed to Caesar. Festus had no

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Speaker 3: choice and told him that if he wanted to go

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Speaker 3: to Caesar, that's where he would go. But first Paul

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Speaker 3: would have to appear before Herod Agrippa, the Jewish king

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Speaker 3: of Judea, who was soon to visit Festus in saysarea.

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Speaker 3: As he stood before Agrippa, we heard a beautiful testimony

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Speaker 3: from Paul. He laid out his story how he had

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Speaker 3: been a devout jew who had once opposed Jesus, but

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Speaker 3: God appeared to him on the roads to Damascus. Paul

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Speaker 3: shared the Gospel powerfully before the king, and his words

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Speaker 3: had a great impact. Agrippa could feel the passion in

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Speaker 3: Paul's words, the persuasion in Paul's life, and he asked

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Speaker 3: if he thought in such a short time that he

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Speaker 3: could convince him, persuade him to become a Christian. Paul's

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Speaker 3: response revealed his heart for his Jewish brethren. We find

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Speaker 3: it in Acts twenty six twenty nine. Whether short or long,

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Speaker 3: I would to God that not only you, but also

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Speaker 3: all who hear me this day might become such as

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Speaker 3: I am. Except for these chains, Agrippa was ready to rule.

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Speaker 3: Paul had done nothing to deserve the change he wore,

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Speaker 3: and certainly not death. If it were up to him,

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Speaker 3: he would release Paul then and there. But Paul had

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Speaker 3: appealed to Caesar, and that is where he would go.

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Speaker 3: Though God could have spared Paul this long and arduous

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Speaker 3: voyage and journey ahead as he traveled to Rome, God

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Speaker 3: had a purpose in mind even in all of this pain.

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Speaker 3: Paul understood that and willingly submitted, joyfully carrying the message

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Speaker 3: of Jesus and his salvation along the way. The next

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Speaker 3: time we'll hear how his journey continues right into the

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Speaker 3: face of a storm. Let's pray together. Dear God, we

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Speaker 3: ask that you give us a loving heart for people

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Speaker 3: who do not know you. May we be faithful and

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Speaker 3: fervent in our desire to tell others who Jesus is

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Speaker 3: and how He has changed our lives. We thank you

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Speaker 3: for the Apostle Paul, for the testimony of his faith

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Speaker 3: that change the world and God. Even in change and

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Speaker 3: circumstances that are adverse. May we always be courageous and

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Speaker 3: full of character as we share the love of Jesus. Amen.

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Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible into Year podcast.

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Speaker 3: Before we go, I want to let you know about

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