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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 da.

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Speaker 2: Ka Paul on trial. In our last story, Paul was

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

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

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Speaker 2: yet 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 everybody, once again, this is Jack Graham with today's

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Speaker 3: episode of the Bible in the Year. Thank you for

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Speaker 3: joining us. In our previous time together, we heard how

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Speaker 3: Paul appeared before the leaders in Jerusalem and how they

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Speaker 3: did not want to hear him speak. Paul used their

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Speaker 3: own lack of unity against them and frustrated their attempts

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Speaker 3: to have him condemned. Ultimately, Paul was sent away to

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Speaker 3: Caesareah to stand trial before Felix the Governor. God was

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Speaker 3: working even through the opposition, to accomplish his purposes in

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Speaker 3: Paul's ministry and in the advancement of the Gospel the

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Speaker 3: Kingdom of God. Today we'll hear as Paul stands trial

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Speaker 3: before Felix, the Roman governor of the region. Though the

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Speaker 3: leaders in Jerusalem were frustrated in their attempts to silence

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Speaker 3: and even kill Paul, they will not relent and will

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Speaker 3: continue to oppose Paul and bring false accusations against him

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Speaker 3: before this governor. Will here as Paul remains bold, calm,

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Speaker 3: cool and collected, and continues to use his rights as

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Speaker 3: Roman citizens, even the right to be tried by the

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Speaker 3: supreme Roman ruler. Let's listen now to this reading from

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Speaker 3: 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. Annius,

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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. An Annaeus said, his

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Speaker 2: demeanor was that of a humble priest and a man

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

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Speaker 2: We do not want to take up any more of

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

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Speaker 2: This man Paul has been a plague to are people.

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

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Speaker 2: ringleader 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 worship 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 men.

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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 puerification 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 Lyseus, 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.

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Speaker 4: And his wife.

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Speaker 2: His wife was a Jew and curious about the way

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

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Speaker 2: Felix had passed and he was eventually replaced by Festus.

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Speaker 2: Paul's body had begun to heal, but as eyesight had

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Speaker 2: left him dependent on the centurion.

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Speaker 4: Who held him.

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

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

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Speaker 2: He 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.

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Speaker 4: You will go.

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Speaker 2: King Agrippa was already scheduled to visit Festus in a

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Speaker 2: few weeks, so Paul waited until then. He waited and prayed,

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Speaker 2: for he was about to speak before the most powerful

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Speaker 2: man in the world. Paul could hear the trumpets from

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Speaker 2: inside his room. Cheers and music echoed throughout the entire city.

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Speaker 2: Paul looked out his window to see a great procession

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Speaker 2: of soldiers marching through the streets. Their armor glistened in

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Speaker 2: the sun and reflected back in a thousand different directions.

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Speaker 2: Centurions on pure white horses pranced around the streets making

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Speaker 2: way for the king. His eyesight was poor, but there

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Speaker 2: was no mistaking who he saw.

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Speaker 4: Next.

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Speaker 2: There was a man at the center of it all,

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Speaker 2: a man standing with regality in pomp, King Herod Agrippa,

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Speaker 2: a man who had a direct relationship with Caesar himself.

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Speaker 2: Paul was shoved into the halls where Agrippa stood. He

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Speaker 2: stood with an intense amount of power. Festus spoke, saying,

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Speaker 2: before I send this man to Caesar, I must know

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Speaker 2: beyond any doubt that his case is worth his hearing.

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Speaker 2: That is why I have asked you, Agrippa, to hear

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Speaker 2: this man and give wisdom. Agrippa looked down at Paul.

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

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Speaker 2: his stomach tighten, but he held his head high. Agrippa

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

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

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

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Speaker 2: maker of heaven and Earth stood behind him. He made

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Speaker 2: his defense, say, my whole youth was spent among the

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

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Speaker 2: I lived among them as a pharisee. I myself was

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 2: love of God in the resurrection from the dead. Festus

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Speaker 2: 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 as followers. I know you believe. Agrippa gave a

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Speaker 2: short smile. In such a short time, you nearly persuade

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Speaker 2: me to be a Christian, he responded with a playful voice.

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

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

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

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Speaker 2: he did not appeal to Caesar, I would just let

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Speaker 2: him go. But since he has appealed to our Emperor,

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Speaker 2: he must go to Rome. So Agrippa left and Paul

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Speaker 2: was bound and chained to sail off to Rome. And

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Speaker 2: all this chaos, God was on the move, The God

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Speaker 2: of all nations was going to be presented before the

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Speaker 2: most powerful man in the known world. The Gospel was

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Speaker 2: going to 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 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 Tertullius 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: Toretullius 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 to 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 arrest. 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

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

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

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Speaker 3: carry us through our circumstances with faith and courage. And

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Speaker 3: there 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, and says

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 3: he could convince him, persuade him to become a Christian.

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Speaker 3: Paul's response revealed his heart for his Jewish brethren. We

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Speaker 3: find it in Acts twenty six twenty nine, whether short

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Speaker 3: or long, I would to God that not only you,

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Speaker 3: but also all who hear me this day might become

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Speaker 3: such as I am. Except for these chains, Agrippa was

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Speaker 3: ready to rule. Paul had done nothing to deserve the

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Speaker 3: change he war, and certainly not death. If it were

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Speaker 3: up to him, he would release Paul then and there.

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Speaker 3: But Paul had appealed to Caesar, and that is where

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Speaker 3: he would go. Though God could have spared Paul this

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Speaker 3: long and arduous voyage and journey ahead as he traveled

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Speaker 3: to Rome, God had a purpose in mind even in

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Speaker 3: all of this pain. Paul understood that and willingly submitted,

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Speaker 3: joyfully carrying the message of Jesus and his salvation along

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Speaker 3: the way. The next time we'll hear how his journey

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Speaker 3: continues right into the face of a storm. Let's pray together,

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Speaker 3: Dear God, we ask that you give us a loving

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Speaker 3: heart for people who do not know you. May we

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Speaker 3: be faithful and fervent in our desire to tell others

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Speaker 3: who Jesus is and how he has changed our lives.

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Speaker 3: We thank you for the apostle Paul, for the testimony

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Speaker 3: of his faith that changed the world and God. Even

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Speaker 3: in change and circumstances that are may we always be

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Speaker 3: courageous and full of character as we share the love

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Speaker 3: of Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's Bible

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Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.

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Speaker 3: Download the pray dot com app and make prayer and

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Speaker 3: Bible study the priority of your life. If you enjoyed

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Speaker 3: this podcast, share it with someone you love, because by

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Speaker 3: sharing this with others, you can make a difference in

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Speaker 3: their lives, a big, big difference. You can help ensure

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Speaker 3: that more and more people hear these life changing readings

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Speaker 3: from God's Word. With a gift today to keep these

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Speaker 3: gospel centered messages reaching people around the world, Please give

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Speaker 3: now at www dot Bible in a Year dot com,

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Speaker 3: and if you want more resources on how to tap

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Speaker 3: into God's power for Christian living, visit Jack Graham dot org.

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Speaker 3: When you visit us at Jack Graham dot org, you

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Speaker 3: will find many free resources as to how you you

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Speaker 3: may grow in your faith and share your witness with

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Speaker 3: the Gospel. We would love for you to take us

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Speaker 3: up on that offering. God bless you.

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Speaker 4: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative health

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Speaker 4: care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

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Speaker 5: Hello, I'm doctor Tony Evans, and I'm excited to have

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Speaker 5: you join me on this new podcast, Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 5: Come to me, Boy, you and your God will crumble

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Speaker 5: beneath my feet.

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Speaker 3: He beckoned the giant and said.

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Speaker 4: I come to you in the name of the Lord

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Speaker 4: of Hosts and creator of the stars.

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Speaker 5: You know we all have giants that we face in

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Speaker 5: our life. And when you understand that the greatness of

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Speaker 5: God affects our ability to handle the giants of life,

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Speaker 5: it will encourage, inspire, and challenge all of us to

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Speaker 5: our faith in God and our growth in Jesus Christ.

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Speaker 4: Look past his height and appearance. Samuel for man sees

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Speaker 4: the outward appearance. They see the strength of the man's arms,

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Speaker 4: but the Lord looks into the heart.

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Speaker 5: Listen to Heroes in the Bible with doctor Tony Evans

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Speaker 5: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get

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Speaker 5: your podcast.