June 3, 2017

Acts 28: 16- 20, 30- 31

28:16 And when we had arrived at Rome, Paul was given permission to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
28:17 And after the third day, he called together the leaders of the Jews. And when they had convened, he said to them: “Noble brothers, I have done nothing against the people, nor against the customs of the fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
28:18 And after they held a hearing about me, they would have released me, because there was no case for death against me.
28:19 But with the Jews speaking against me, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, though it was not as if I had any kind of accusation against my own nation.
28:20 And so, because of this, I requested to see you and to speak to you. For it is because of the hope of Israel that I am encircled with this chain.”
28:30 Then he remained for two whole years in his own rented lodgings. And he received all who went in to him,
28:31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which are from the Lord Jesus Christ, with all faithfulness, without prohibition.

John 21: 20- 25

21:20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the one who also had leaned on his chest at supper and said, “Lord, who is it who shall betray you?”
21:21 Therefore, when Peter had seen him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, but what about this one?”
21:22 Jesus said to him: “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow me.”
21:23 Therefore, the saying went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”
21:24 This is the same disciple who offers testimony about these things, and who has written these things. And we know that his testimony is true.
21:25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if each of these were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not be able to contain the books that would be written.