Paul stood up in front of the city council and said, "I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious.

Some of the things we hear you say sound strange to us, and we would like to know what they mean."

After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he talked about faith in Christ Jesus.

Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." "You will hear him tomorrow," Festus answered.

Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak on your own behalf." Paul stretched out his hand and defended himself as follows:

For my sake you will be brought to trial before rulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles.

The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, "What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!"

And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

My dear friends, this command I am writing you is not new; it is the old command, the one you have had from the very beginne add self-control; to your selfage you have already heard.

However, the command I now write you is new, because its truth is seen in Christ and also in you. For the darkness is passing away, and the real light is already shining.