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Speaker 1: Let us pray, and as they bound him with thongs,

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Speaker 1: Paul said, under the centurion that stood by, is it

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Speaker 1: lawful for you to scourge a man that is a

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Speaker 1: Roman and uncondemned acts? Twenty two twenty five. Dear Jesus,

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Speaker 1: because you have called me to be an effective leader,

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Speaker 1: teach me through your Holy Spirit, not only what to say,

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Speaker 1: but how to say it in order to most powerfully

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Speaker 1: impact my listeners when I speak. Help me to take

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Speaker 1: into account impact and not image. Help me to evaluate

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Speaker 1: my audience and communicate in a way that best connects

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Speaker 1: to my listeners. As I do so, help me give

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Speaker 1: them practical applications to the message they are receiving from me,

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Speaker 1: and how to execute your words of truth and impact

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Speaker 1: in their lives. By your grace, Jesus and through your power,

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Speaker 1: I declare that I am a master communicator and that

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Speaker 1: I am equipped to deliver with impact and empathy the

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Speaker 1: message placed in my heart in Jesus's name, Amen, thank

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Speaker 1: you for praying with us today. Continue your time with

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Speaker 1: God by listening to today's Bible story, brought to you

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Speaker 1: by Bible in a year dot Com.

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Speaker 2: Paul beaten in Jerusalem in our last story Paul said

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Speaker 2: goodbye to the Ephesian church. He knew that danger awaited.

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Speaker 3: Him in Jerusalem.

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Speaker 2: The threat of danger and death was present, but Paul

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Speaker 2: was determined to preach the Gospel to his kin. With

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Speaker 2: great tears, Paul left Ephesus to Jerusalem. Now we see

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Speaker 2: Paul taken up by an angry mob of Jews. He

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Speaker 2: is beaten and nearly killed, but saved ultimately by his

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Speaker 2: Roman citizenship, inspired by the Book of Acts.

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Speaker 4: Hello, this is Jack Graham once again with the Bible

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Speaker 4: in a year podcast. In our last episode, we heard

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Speaker 4: how Paul brought a young man back to life after

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Speaker 4: the youth fell from a third story window. God continued

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Speaker 4: to work through this great man in both his words

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Speaker 4: and the signs he performed in the power of the

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Speaker 4: Holy Spirit. We also heard Paul's farewell to the church

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Speaker 4: at Ephesus, which he dearly loved. Today we'll find Paul

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Speaker 4: in Jerusalem, together with the church there, led by Jesus's

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Speaker 4: own brother James, who gives wise counsel to Paul. Despite

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Speaker 4: his best efforts to make peace, the Jewish religious establishment

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Speaker 4: in Asia will stir up hatred towards this godly man,

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Speaker 4: nearly killing the Apostle Paul, So let's listen now to

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Speaker 4: this reading from the Book of Acts.

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Speaker 2: Paul went into Jerusalem under the cover of night. He

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Speaker 2: and Luke wandered in through the city, gates, hoods over

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Speaker 2: their faces, and torches snuffed. It was passover and the

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Speaker 2: city was still filled with activity. Paul and Luke weaved

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Speaker 2: through groups of people, avoiding fires and torches. Paul looked

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Speaker 2: around the city. It had been a very long time

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Speaker 2: since he had been in Jerusalem. The sweet spring air

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Speaker 2: blew through the city, and Paul caught a glimpse of

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Speaker 2: the large temple looming in the distance. The temple God's

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Speaker 2: holy dwelling. Paul smiled. He was thankful that now, thanks

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Speaker 2: to Jesus, God dwelled in the hearts of men and

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Speaker 2: women who believed. Luke and Paul made their way to

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Speaker 2: the home of James, Jesus's brother. He greeted them warmly,

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Speaker 2: and the three of them shared a meal with the elders.

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Speaker 2: The church in Jerusalem was thriving under the leadership of James. However,

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Speaker 2: the Jews were becoming increasingly more angry by the day.

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Speaker 2: They are all zealous for the law, James said, and

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Speaker 2: they speak about you quite often, Paul. Even I have

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Speaker 2: heard stories from them. They say you tell them not

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Speaker 2: to circumcise their children, and to forsake Moses. James took

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Speaker 2: a sip from his cup. There was clear concern on

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Speaker 2: his face for keeping Paul safe. To the Jews, Paul

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Speaker 2: was more than a threat. He was the best among them,

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Speaker 2: and he turned to Jesus. If Paul, a Pharisee of pharisees,

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Speaker 2: could convert, than anyone could. So Paul represented vulnerability. They

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Speaker 2: will hear that you have come, James said. You must

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Speaker 2: do as I say. If you want to stay alive,

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Speaker 2: you will go to the temple and cleanse yourself. You

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Speaker 2: will take part in the ceremonies so that they can

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Speaker 2: clearly see you are not a menace to them. It

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Speaker 2: was the best plan they had. If Paul remained hidden

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Speaker 2: in the city for too long, it would only make

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Speaker 2: him seem more guilty. So the next day Paul went

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Speaker 2: into the temple for the ceremony of purification. For seven days,

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Speaker 2: he went through the old Jewish customs and attended the

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Speaker 2: teachings of the synagogues. To Paul, it was a refreshing

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Speaker 2: reminder of how much Jesus had done for him. Every

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Speaker 2: ceremonial law written in the Law of Moses pointed towards

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Speaker 2: the greater cleansing of Christ. So Paul went through the

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Speaker 2: ceremonies joyfully, for they pointed towards a greater truth. Seven

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Speaker 2: days passed and Paul was nearly completed paying homage to

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Speaker 2: the Jewish traditions. That was until the Jews from Asia.

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Speaker 3: Came to Jerusalem.

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Speaker 2: The group of Asian Jews had come to Jerusalem for

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Speaker 2: the Passover. However, when they saw Paul, all they could

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Speaker 2: think about was murder. Paul silently sat in the courtyard,

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Speaker 2: watching the birds glide over the temple. All was peaceful

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Speaker 2: until Paul received a swift blow to the back of

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Speaker 2: his head. Paul fell forward into a fountain. Before he

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Speaker 2: could get up, a strong hand held the back of

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Speaker 2: his head down into the water. Paul flailed his arms

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Speaker 2: trying to break free. The men threw him out of

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Speaker 2: the water and grabbed him by the hair. They dragged

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Speaker 2: him into the middle of the courtyard. At this point,

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Speaker 2: many people stopped to watch what was happening. Men of Israel.

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Speaker 2: The men said, this is the man who has been

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Speaker 2: teaching people to abandon our law in this temple. Gasps

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Speaker 2: and chuckles filled the air. The Jews from Asia stirred

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Speaker 2: up the crowd and formed a mob that stormed out

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Speaker 2: of the temple, with Paul being drugged by his hair.

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Speaker 2: Once the gates closed behind them, they kicked him into

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Speaker 2: a wall. Paul was surrounded. His back was against the wall,

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Speaker 2: and a sea of angry glares were before him. They

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Speaker 2: looked at Paul like hungry wolves, ready to grab the throat.

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Speaker 2: Paul knew that death was a possibility coming to Jerusalem,

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Speaker 2: so he breathed deeply and chose to accept whatever the

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Speaker 2: Lord had for him. The Chief Judge of Jerusalem got

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Speaker 2: word that there was an angry mob forming outside the temple.

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Speaker 2: He wasted no time and had centurions sent down at once.

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Speaker 2: The soldiers ran down to where Paul was backed into

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Speaker 2: a corner being beaten to death. The mob was shouting

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Speaker 2: out accusations towards Paul, so no centurion could get a

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Speaker 2: good idea of what he was in trouble for. They

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Speaker 2: acted quickly, for Paul was receiving the fury of over

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Speaker 2: one hundred men. The soldiers broke up the angry mob

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Speaker 2: and dispersed them. Then they bound Paul and took him

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Speaker 2: to the judge. The crowd followed, shouting lies and spinning deceit.

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Speaker 2: The courtroom doors swung open, and the judge was surprised

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Speaker 2: by a half dead man in chains, followed by a

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Speaker 2: hundred angry Jews. They all shouted and spat in Paul's direction. However,

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Speaker 2: Paul kept his head down. What has this man done,

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Speaker 2: the judge asked. However, he could not get a good answer,

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Speaker 2: for all of them were speaking at once. Some said

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Speaker 2: he was a sorcerer. Others said he corrupted their children.

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Speaker 2: He said he had violated the law of God and

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Speaker 2: the law of the land. None of these were true,

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Speaker 2: but the judge had no way of knowing. The soldiers

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Speaker 2: were guarding Paul to make sure he was not killed

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Speaker 2: by the mob behind them. The judge was growing flustered

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Speaker 2: and ordered for Paul to be taken to the barracks.

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Speaker 2: As Paul was being taken away, he whispered calmly to

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Speaker 2: the judge, may I say something to you. The judge

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Speaker 2: was perplexed. You can speak Greek. I thought you were

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Speaker 2: the Egyptian assassin everyone has been talking about. Who are

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Speaker 2: you I am a Jew from Tarsus, Paul replied, I

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Speaker 2: beg you please permit me to speak with the people.

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Speaker 2: The judge nodded and motioned him forward to the podium.

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Speaker 2: Paul leaned against the large piece of wood. Someone had

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Speaker 2: shattered his right knee. He was in excruciating pain, but

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Speaker 2: he must speak. There was a great hush among the crowd,

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Speaker 2: and Paul began to speak in the Hebrew language to

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Speaker 2: his brothers and sisters. He told them about his upbringing

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Speaker 2: and time as a pharisee. He told them about zeal

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Speaker 2: for persecuting the church. He even told them about the

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Speaker 2: Lord meeting him on the road to Damascus. Paul gave

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Speaker 2: a heartfelt plea to the people before him, a plea

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Speaker 2: to understand the love God has for them, a plea

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Speaker 2: to consider the sacrifice of Jesus. I held the robes

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Speaker 2: while people stoned Stephen. Paul said, I know the zeal

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Speaker 2: you hold. It is why I left Jerusalem. Before Paul

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Speaker 2: could speak again, they raised their voices and called for

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Speaker 2: his death. They shouted and threw off their cloaks to

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Speaker 2: attack him. They flung rocks and dust in the air.

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Speaker 2: The judge did not understand Hebrew. Therefore, he did not

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Speaker 2: understand what Paul was speaking about. So the judge assumed

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Speaker 2: Paul must be guilty to rile up a crowd to

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Speaker 2: such rage. He ordered for Paul to be flogged. So

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Speaker 2: Paul was stripped, naked and tied to a post. Paul

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Speaker 2: could hear the whips being tested behind him. He tensed

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Speaker 2: his whole body and prepared himself for what was about

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Speaker 2: take place. Then Paul remembered something. Paul was born in Tarsus.

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Speaker 2: He was a Roman citizen by birth. Paul turned his

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Speaker 2: head to the centurion and asked, is it lawful to

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Speaker 2: flog a Roman citizen without a hearing? The soldier stopped

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Speaker 2: in his tracks and Paul was immediately released from his chains.

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Speaker 2: Yet the trial was not over. Paul would have to

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Speaker 2: sit before a Roman court. Paul would with the Pharisees.

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Speaker 2: If that didn't go well, he may even have to

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Speaker 2: be before Caesar himself.

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Speaker 4: As we hear God's word today, we find Paul and

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Speaker 4: Luke back in Jerusalem. This place had been Paul's home

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Speaker 4: for years, and now, after a long journey, he was home.

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Speaker 4: But things were different now. He was no longer a

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Speaker 4: part of the religious elite. He was a man changed

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Speaker 4: by Christ by the power of the Gospel working in

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Speaker 4: his life. Paul was welcomed into the home of James, Jesus'

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Speaker 4: own brother two. Like Paul had once rejected Jesus, but

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Speaker 4: now because of the Resurrection, jesus brother, his half brother,

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Speaker 4: actually is leader of the church in Jerusalem. He told

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Speaker 4: Paul of the many Jews who had come to faith

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Speaker 4: in Christ. These Jewish Christians were certainly grateful to have

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Speaker 4: Paul with them, not least of all because he brought

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Speaker 4: with him an offering for the church in Jerusalem that

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Speaker 4: he had gathered from Gentile churches. At the same time,

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Speaker 4: these Jewish Christians were a bit suspicious of Paul. They

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Speaker 4: still observed all the Jewish laws, but word had come

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Speaker 4: to them that Paul was telling Gentiles, non Jews and

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Speaker 4: Jews alike to abandon Jewish traditions, including circumcision. This was

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Speaker 4: only a half truth. Paul did not call Gentiles to

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Speaker 4: adhere to Jewish customs because they had a new identity

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Speaker 4: in Christ. They are now a part of God's eternal family.

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Speaker 4: But he certainly wasn't calling on Jewish believers to abandon

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Speaker 4: their Jewish customs. This was surely a tactic of the

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Speaker 4: enemy to sow division and disunity in the Church, and

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Speaker 4: now Paul had an opportunity to eliminate these rumors and

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Speaker 4: show his unity with Jewish believers. With this in mind,

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Speaker 4: James wisely counseled Paul to join four Jewish men who

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Speaker 4: were going to fulfill a vow in a ceremony of purification.

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Speaker 4: Paul would not only take part in the ceremony, but

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Speaker 4: he would help cover their expenses for the process. Paul

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Speaker 4: did just exactly as James advised and participated in the

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Speaker 4: rites of Jewish purification. The ceremony actually pointed people to

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Speaker 4: Christ and what Christ had already accomplished. Religious rites and

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Speaker 4: traditions do not cleanse from sin. Only Christ can do that,

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Speaker 4: and Paul knew this. Paul understood that there was nothing

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Speaker 4: inherently wrong with the customs, but they certainly did not

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Speaker 4: save or even helped to save. Paul then joins with

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Speaker 4: these Jewish believers as an alignment of their faith and

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Speaker 4: Christian fellowship. He was practicing what he had always preached.

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Speaker 4: Words He wrote to the believers in Rome, reminding them

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Speaker 4: not to be a stumbling block to other believers, but

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Speaker 4: to do what leads to peace and mutual edification that

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Speaker 4: is building up. Paul's biggest problem was not with Jewish Christians,

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Speaker 4: but with unbelievers, both Jews and Gentiles, but in particular

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Speaker 4: unbelieving Jews who came from Asia and seeing Paul in

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Speaker 4: the temple, began to shout accusations at him and stir

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Speaker 4: up the crowds against him. We're told that the whole

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Speaker 4: city turned against Paul, and he was dragged out of

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Speaker 4: the temple into the streets, where the mob began to

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Speaker 4: beat him. Paul certainly must have thought this was the

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Speaker 4: end of his life, but the chief judge in Jerusalem

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Speaker 4: sent soldiers and centurions to break up the fight. To

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Speaker 4: break up the mob, Paul was rescued just in time.

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Speaker 4: I imagined. He had never been so glad to have

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Speaker 4: been arrested. At least now he would be in safe

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Speaker 4: hands for a while and he would get his day

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Speaker 4: in court. Before he could be taken away to a

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Speaker 4: celt Paul managed to speak to the judge, who was

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Speaker 4: surprised that Paul spoke Greek. He asked for permission to

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Speaker 4: speak to the crowd, and the judge allowed it. Then

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Speaker 4: in the Hebrew language, Paul began to give his own

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Speaker 4: testimony to the Jews. He told them of how he

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Speaker 4: once persecuted the followers of Jesus, but how the Lord

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Speaker 4: had appeared to him on the road to Damascus and

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Speaker 4: saved him. He knew how zealous that these people were,

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Speaker 4: and he knew that his witness could lead to his

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Speaker 4: own death. But that did not stop the apostle Paul.

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Speaker 4: Because of Christ, he was unstoppable. He continued to bear

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Speaker 4: witness to what God had done in his life and

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Speaker 4: how he called him to lead Jerusalem and go to

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Speaker 4: the Gentiles, to go to the nations, to share the

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Speaker 4: good news. What is remarkable about this is that Paul

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Speaker 4: had been rescued from danger, but for the sake of

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Speaker 4: the Gospel, he stepped right back into the fight, telling

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Speaker 4: his story of salvation in Christ. Some might call him

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Speaker 4: a freak or a fool, but he was a fool

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Speaker 4: for Christ's sake. He would never stop telling the wonderful

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Speaker 4: things that Christ had done in his life. The crowd

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Speaker 4: grew angry once again upon hearing his words, and we

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Speaker 4: read in Acts twenty two twenty two these words. Then

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Speaker 4: they raised their voices and said, away with such a

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Speaker 4: fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed

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Speaker 4: to live. Their shouts are reminiscent of what the crowd

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Speaker 4: said at the trial of Jesus when they said, crucify him,

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Speaker 4: crucify him. Paul was certainly identified with Christ, not only

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Speaker 4: in life, but in suffering and rejection by his own people.

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Speaker 4: The judge, who could not understand Paul's words and saw

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Speaker 4: the crowd's reaction, ordered that he'd be flogged. But Paul,

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Speaker 4: knowing his rights as a citizen of Rome since he

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Speaker 4: was born in Tarsus, appealed on the basis of his

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Speaker 4: Roman citizenship for a just, fair hearing. This wise action

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Speaker 4: by Paul meant that he would stand before a court,

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Speaker 4: and we'll hear about his trial before the counsel of

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Speaker 4: Jewish leaders the next time. You, God, we thank you

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Speaker 4: for the example of Paul's courage and faithfulness. May we

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Speaker 4: also be courageous, bold and brave as we share our faith.

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Speaker 4: May we never allow the circumstances or consequences of our

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Speaker 4: actions for Christ to stop us from being bold witnesses

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Speaker 4: for him. God, fill us with your spirit that we

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Speaker 4: may speak of your love and your grace in our

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Speaker 4: lives and never stop until you come for us in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Speaker 4: Thank you for listening once again to today's Bible in

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Speaker 4: a Year podcast. It's been such an incredible adventure walking

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Speaker 4: through the Word of God with you. I'm pastor Jack

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Speaker 4: Graham from Dallas, Texas. You can download the Prey dot

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Speaker 4: com app and make Bible study and prayer priority in

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Speaker 4: your life. If you have enjoyed this podcast appreciated it,

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Speaker 4: tell someone else. We now have over twenty seven million

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Speaker 4: downloads of the Bible in a Year podcast. We're grateful

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Speaker 4: for each one who is listening, So why don't you

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Speaker 4: tell someone else and let others know of what Christ

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Speaker 4: is doing in your life. You can help ensure that

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Speaker 4: more people can hear these life changing readings from God's Word.

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Speaker 4: With a gift today to keep these gospel centered messages

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Speaker 4: reaching people around the world. Please give at Bibleindeyear dot com.

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Speaker 4: And if you want free resources as to how you

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Speaker 4: can tap into God's power for your life, then be

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Speaker 4: sure to go to my website, which is Jack Graham

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Speaker 4: dot org. Again, that's Jack Graham dot org and you

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Speaker 4: will find plenty of resources as to how you can

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Speaker 4: know Christ, how you can grow in your faith, and

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Speaker 4: how you can share the love of Christ with others.

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Speaker 4: God bless you and have a wonderful day.

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Speaker 5: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative health

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Speaker 5: care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

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Speaker 6: Hello, I'm doctor Tony Evans, and I'm excited to have

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Speaker 6: you join me on this new podcast, Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 2: Come to me, boy, you and your God will crumble

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Speaker 2: beneath my feet.

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Speaker 5: He beckoned the giant and said.

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Speaker 2: I come to you in the name of the Lord

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Speaker 2: of Hosts and creator of the stars.

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Speaker 6: You know we all have giants that we face in

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Speaker 6: our life, and when you understand that the greatness of

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Speaker 6: God affects our ability to handle the giants of life,

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Speaker 6: it will encourage, inspire, and challenge all of us to

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Speaker 6: our faith in God and our growth in Jesus Christ.

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Speaker 3: Look past his height and appearance. Samuel for man sees

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Speaker 3: the outward appearance. They see strength of the man's arms,

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Speaker 3: but the Lord looks into the heart.

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Speaker 6: Listen to Heroes in the Bible with doctor Tony Evans

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Speaker 6: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get

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Speaker 6: your podcast