March’s memory verse:

"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, 'Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.'” — Acts 23:11

Acts Chapter 25:

TWO YEARS have passed, and Paul is STILL in prison. The Jews are temporarily appeased. All is quiet...until suddenly, Festus is in charge and he is not messing around. Only three days after being in charge, he brings Paul to trial. Surrounded by Jews and in the presence of Festus, Paul continues to declare that there is no valid charge against him and that he wants to appeal to Caesar—the one and only Nero!

Before Paul is sent to Nero, though, King Agrippa visits Festus and hears of this Jewish drama. He is intrigued and asks to speak directly to Paul, so Festus sets up the meeting—this was the latest TV drama of the time. Festus presents Paul to Agrippa and declares that he finds nothing to indicate a charge against him. What does Paul have to say about all this? His response is in Chapter 26, so stay tuned for next week's episode!

Here are a few application questions from this chapter to ponder this week:

Why did Paul not want to return to Jerusalem for another trial? Why was going to Rome so important to Paul?
Referencing verse 16 and the legal rights Paul had as a Roman citizen, what was the benefit of being able to give his defense in a formal court proceeding?
How did Paul make the most of his imprisonment and trials? Rather than grumble about your situation, do you look for ways to use each opportunity to serve and share God with others?

If you need a quick synopsis of the events in the previous chapter, keep scrolling.

Summary of Chapter 23:

Paul speaks before the council in the presence of the Roman tribune who desired to know the real reason for his arrest.
Immediately, the High Priest doesn't like the statement Paul makes and conflict arises.
Paul notes the mixed party of Sadducees and Pharisees and sees the open door that would take the attention off of himself. He speaks of the resurrection and hope as the reason he is on trial and chaos erupts.
The tribune whisks Paul away for fear of his safety.
The Jews devise a plot to kill Paul and the information is leaked.
Paul is sent to Felix, the governor, while he waits for his accusers to arrive and his hearing.

This Year’s Memory Verse

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. “

Acts 1:8