but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God!" The Council followed Gamaliel's advice.

"How stubborn you are!" Stephen went on to say. "How heathen your hearts, how deaf you are to God's message! You are just like your ancestors: you too have always resisted the Holy Spirit!

Now, go! I will help you to speak, and I will tell you what to say."

But no weapon will be able to hurt you; you will have an answer for all who accuse you. I will defend my servants and give them victory." The LORD has spoken.

Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land---the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people---will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken."

(SEE 1:18)

I will make you like a solid bronze wall as far as they are concerned. They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you. I will be with you to protect you and keep you safe.

Then, when I speak to you again and give you back the power of speech, you will tell them what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying. Some of them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are a nation of rebels."

When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going to say or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you will say.

For the words you will speak will not be yours; they will come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

"When they bring you to be tried in the synagogues or before governors or rulers, do not be worried about how you will defend yourself or what you will say.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.

The guards answered, "Nobody has ever talked the way this man does!"

But it is the spirit of Almighty God that comes to us and gives us wisdom.

I can hardly wait to speak. I can't hold back the words.

But as for me, the LORD fills me with his spirit and power, and gives me a sense of justice and the courage to tell the people of Israel what their sins are.

He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit.