I saw something else on earth: ¹  In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, ²  there was wickedness.

Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! ¹  Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, ²  people of Gomorrah!

How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! ¹  She was once a center of ²  justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers. ³ 

He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers. ¹ 

For the Lord judges all humanity ¹  with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many. ² 

Those who have been delivered ¹  will go up on Mount Zion in order to rule over ²  Esau’s mountain. Then the Lord will reign as King! ³ 

“Do ¹  not judge, ²  and you will not be judged; ³  do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, ⁴  and you will be forgiven.

But when they bring you before the synagogues, ¹  the ²  rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense ³  or what you should say,

The crowd joined the attack ¹  against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes ²  off Paul and Silas ³  and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ⁴ 

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ¹  “The magistrates have sent orders ²  to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” ³ 

Now while Gallio ¹  was proconsul ²  of Achaia, ³  the Jews attacked Paul together ⁴  and brought him before the judgment seat, ⁵ 

So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, ¹  and began to beat ²  him in front of the judgment seat. ³  Yet none of these things were of any concern ⁴  to Gallio.

So after they came back here with me, ¹  I did not postpone the case, ²  but the next day I sat ³  on the judgment seat ⁴  and ordered the man to be brought.

on the day when God will judge ¹  the secrets of human hearts, ²  according to my gospel ³  through Christ Jesus.

And will not the physically uncircumcised man ¹  who keeps the law judge you who, despite ²  the written code ³  and circumcision, transgress the law?

Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. ¹ 

At my first defense no one appeared in my support; instead they all deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it.

But you have dishonored the poor! ¹  Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?

When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? ¹  Set it here before my relatives and yours, ²  and let them settle the dispute between the two of us! ³ 

But you choose ¹  from the people capable men, ²  God-fearing, ³  men of truth, ⁴  those who hate bribes, ⁵  and put them over the people ⁶  as rulers ⁷  of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.