Bible Verses About Self-Defense

Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

And he gave him no answer, not even to one word: insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering saith unto him, Thou sayest.

And the chief priests accused him of many things.

And Pilate again asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse thee of.

But Jesus no more answered anything; insomuch that Pilate marvelled.

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest.

Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?

Now when they heardthis, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?

And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.

And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.

And when the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I cheerfully make my defence:

seeing that thou canst take knowledge that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem:

and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city.

Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me.

But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;

having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.

Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings:

amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from Asia—

who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me.

Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found when I stood before the council,