I have so many enemies, LORD, so many who turn against me!

They talk about me and say, "God will not help him."

Many enemies surround me like bulls; they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.

An evil gang is around me; like a pack of dogs they close in on me; they tear at my hands and feet.

See how many enemies I have; see how much they hate me.

All day long my opponents attack me. There are so many who fight against me.

Many enemies were around me; but I destroyed them by the power of the LORD!

They swarmed around me like bees, but they burned out as quickly as a brush fire; by the power of the LORD I destroyed them.

"Then you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and be put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me.

Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs and sent by the chief priests and the elders.

For indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Jesus, your holy Servant, whom you made Messiah.

The proud are always scornful of me, but I have not departed from your law.

The wicked lay a trap for me, but I have not disobeyed your commands.

All this has happened to us, even though we have not forgotten you or broken the covenant you made with us.

Those who claim to be respectable are more and more convinced they are right.

I follow faithfully the road he chooses, and never wander to either side.

He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching."

I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me.

But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.