On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, ¹  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while ²  guards in front of the door were keeping watch ³  over the prison.

The jailer ¹  brought them into his house and set food ²  before them, and he rejoiced greatly ³  that he had come to believe ⁴  in God, together with his entire household. ⁵ 

When they did not find them, they dragged ¹  Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, ²  screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble ³  throughout the world ⁴  have come here too,

But when ¹  some were stubborn ²  and refused to believe, reviling ³  the Way ⁴  before the congregation, he left ⁵  them and took the disciples with him, ⁶  addressing ⁷  them every day ⁸  in the lecture hall ⁹  of Tyrannus.

Some of the crowd concluded ¹  it was about ²  Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. ³  Alexander, gesturing ⁴  with his hand, was wanting to make a defense ⁵  before the public assembly. ⁶ 

When I was informed ¹  there would be a plot ²  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ³  against him before you.

Paul replied, ¹  “I am standing before Caesar’s ²  judgment seat, ³  where I should be tried. ⁴  I have done nothing wrong ⁵  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ⁶ 

I answered them ¹  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ²  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ³  and had been given ⁴  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ⁵ 

“Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ¹  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election ¹  would stand, not by works but by ²  his calling) ³  –

Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord ¹  is able to make him stand.

But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister? ¹  And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister? ²  For we will all stand before the judgment seat ³  of God.

So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will ¹  bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition ²  from God.

For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, ¹  but we are speaking in Christ before ²  God as persons of sincerity, ³  as persons sent from God.

But we have rejected ¹  shameful hidden deeds, ²  not behaving ³  with deceptiveness ⁴  or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ¹  so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. ² 

I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before ¹  that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. ² 

So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf ¹  before God.

Have you been thinking all this time ¹  that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. ² 

I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone, ¹