John 7:26

⁴⁸Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him?

⁷For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. ⁸Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

¹⁹Pray for me, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

⁷For the Lord GOD will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I won’t be disappointed. ⁸He who justifies me is near. Who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

¹⁶They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach; for you aren’t partial to anyone.

¹⁴and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

⁴⁷The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. ⁴⁸If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

⁴⁹But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹Now he didn’t say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵²and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death.

¹The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure. ¹⁶I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord GOD. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

¹³Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.