The One Year New Testament
December 21
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Acts 23:12-35
Acts 23:12-35
12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”
31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. 33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's praetorium.
Reflection
The Jewish hostility toward Paul continues to grow as more than 40 Jews conspire to ambush and murder him (Acts 23:12–15). After hearing about the plot from his nephew, Paul has the information reported to the Roman officials (vv. 16–22), who then transfer Paul away from Jerusalem by night under the care of an impressive Roman guard (vv. 23–31).
Though the Jews are plotting to destroy Paul, their schemes are only fanning the flame of God’s plan for the gospel. Just as Paul’s persecution of the church had unintentionally forced believers to spread the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria (8:1, 4), the persecution of Paul is now unintentionally sending the gospel to Rome. Humanity simply cannot contend with the God who “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11).
Revelation 16:1-21
Revelation 16:1-21
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
Reflection
Like the trumpets (Rev. 8–11), the seven bowls resemble the plagues on Egypt in the exodus. The sores of the first bowl (v. 2) match the sores of the sixth plague (Ex. 9:10). As with the first plague on Egypt (Ex. 7:17–21), the second and third bowls see waters turned to blood (Rev. 16:3–7). The fifth bowl brings darkness (vv. 10–11) like the ninth plague (Ex. 10:21–29), and the unclean spirits gathering for battle after the sixth (Rev. 16:12–15) may correspond to the death angel that killed Egypt’s firstborns (Ex. 11:1–10; 12:29–32). Finally, the hail that accompanies the seventh bowl (Rev. 16:17–21) matches the hail of the seventh plague (Ex. 9:13–35).
Through the outpouring of these bowls, God is bringing the final salvation of God’s people through the judgment of their enemies. In this final salvation and judgment we take strong hope despite the trials and tribulations we face until that time.
Psalm 2:1-4
Psalm 2:1-4
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Thoughts For Prayer
All attempts to muffle the gospel will ultimately prove useless. Christians will inevitably face people who try to hinder the work of God’s kingdom. Give him praise for his ability to use anything he chooses —even suffering and death — to accomplish the purposes of his kingdom.
Missions Prayer Requests More
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December 21, 2025
Supported Workers: E & J in North Africa
Countries:
J’s application was accepted, and she was granted provisional residency while her application is being processed. E had interviews with the authorities as part of the application for his residency. The interviews went well, and the residency renewal process is moving forward. Please pray for favor with those in authority as they continue to complete steps needed to move to the “C” region to spread the gospel.
Djibouti (Africa). Population: 1,152,329 Believers: 0.1%. Mission work is a challenge in this hot, dry, but often humid land, and working conditions are extreme. Physical and spiritual oppression, economic disparity, ethnic tensions, and a paucity of believers lead easily to discouragement and worker attrition. Pray for God to send long-term workers, especially from nearby countries and people groups.
From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org
The One Year New Testament Copyright Tyndale House Publishers, used by Permission. NIV Bible copyright International Bible Society.