thee, as he has something to say unto thee. And the chief 19 captain took hold of him by the hand, and went aside privately, and inquired, What is that thou hast to tell

And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee that 201 thou wouldest bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as if thou wert about to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. Be not thou therefore persuaded by 21 them for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who bound themselves with a curse, neither to eat nor drink till they have slain him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee. So the 22 chief captain sent away the young man, and charged him to tell no one that thou didst signify these things to me. And he called unto him some two of the centurions and 23 said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; and present 24 beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor; and he wrote a letter after this man- 25 ner: Claudias Lysias unto the most excellent governor 26 Felix greeting. This man having been seized by the Jews, 27 and about to be slain by them, I came with the soldiers and rescued, having learned that he is a Roman; and wish- 28 ing to know fully the cause wherefore they accused him, I took him down into their council: whom I found to 29 be accused concerning questions of their law, but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me that a plot was being laid by 30 them against the man, I sent to thee, and commanded the accusers also that they should speak before thee.

The soldiers, therefore, as was commanded them, took 31 up Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris, and on 32 the morrow permitted the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. Who, when they came into 33 Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And when he read it, and 34 asked of what province he was, and understood that he was of Cilicia; I will hear thee, he said, when thine 35

accusers also are come, and commanded him to be kept in Herod's palace.

CH. XXIV.

AND after five days Ananias the high priest went down with certain elders, and a certain orator named Tertullus, 2 who informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that reforms are happen3 ing to this nation through thy providence, we accept it both in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, 4 with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I beseech thee to hear us in thy 5 clemency briefly. For we found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the 6 Nazarenes, who also attempted to profane the temple: 8 whom we also laid hold of, and from him thou wilt be able thyself to know fully by examination all these things, 9 whereof we accuse him. And the Jews also joined in 10 assailing, saying that these things were so. And Paul, after the governor beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I make my defence 11 cheerfully; because thou mayest fully know, that it is

not more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem 12 to worship. And they neither found me in the temple

discoursing with any one, nor making a tumult of the multitude, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city; 13 neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they 14 now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call a sect, so I serve the God of the fathers, believing all the things which are written according 15 to the law and in the prophets; having a hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, that there will be a resurrection both of righteous and unrighteous. 16 Therefore do I myself also strive to have a conscience 17 void of offence toward God and men always. Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offer18 ings, amidst which they found me purified in the temple,

not with a multitude nor with uproar, but certain Jews from 19 Asia caused it; who ought to be before thee and accuse, if they had ought against me. Or let these themselves 20 say what injustice they found, while I stood before the council, except it be for this single word that I cried stand- 21 ing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am judged before you this day. But Felix put them off, 22 since he knew the things concerning the way more accurately, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will adjudge your matter; and he commanded 23 the centurion to keep him, and to let him have liberty, and to forbid none of his own people to minister unto him.

And after certain days, Felix came with his wife 24 Drusilla who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. And as he dis- 25 coursed of righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix became afraid and answered, Go thy way for this time, and when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee; hoping also at the same time that money 26 would be given him by Paul; wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him. But after two years 27 Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, desiring to gain favour with the Jews, left Paul bound.

CH.

Now when Festus came into the province, he went up xxv. after three days from Caesarea to Jerusalem; and the chief 2 priests and the first men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, asking for themselves a favour 3 against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, while they made an ambush to kill him on the way. So Festus 4 answered, that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly thither; let those 5 therefore, says he, who are powerful among you, go down with me, and if there be any thing amiss in the man, accuse him. And when he tarried among them not more than 6 eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought. And when he arrived, the Jews who had come 7

down from Jerusalem stood round about, bringing many 8 and heavy charges, which they could not prove, while Paul said in defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, did I 9 commit any sin. But Festus, desiring to gain favour with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and be judged there concerning these things 10 before me? And Paul said, I stand at Caesar's judgment

seat where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I did no 11 wrong, as thou also very well knowest. If now I be a wrong-doer, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die but if there is nothing in the things whereof these accuse me, no one can deliver me 12 unto them; I appeal into Caesar. Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar, unto Caesar shalt thou go.

13 And after certain days Agrippa the king and Bernice 14 arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus. And as they tarried there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix, 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed, asking for themselves 16 judgment against him; to whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man, before the accused have the accusers face to face, and receive an 17 opportunity of defence concerning the charge. Therefore when they came together here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the 18 man to be brought; and when the accusers stood up, they brought no evil accusation respecting him of such 19 things as I supposed; but had against him certain questions concerning their own superstition, and concerning one Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 Now as I doubted about the discussion of such things, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem, and be judged 21 there of these matters. But when Paul appealed that he

should be kept under the decision of Augustus, I commanded 22 him to be kept till I should send him up to Caesar. And

Agrippa said unto Festus, I myself also could have wished to hear the man. To-morrow, says he, thou shalt hear

him.

On the morrow, therefore, when Agrippa came and 23 Bernice, with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, both with the chief captains and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought. And Festus says, King Agrippa, and all men 24 who are present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews interceded with me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But I perceived that he had done 25 nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him. Of whom I 26 have nothing certain to write unto my lord; wherefore I brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination, I might have somewhat to write. For it seems to me unreasonable in send- 27 ing a prisoner not to signify also the accusations against him.

CH.

AND Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to xxvI. speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand and made his defence: I think myself happy, king 2 Agrippa, that I am about to make my defence this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused by Jews, especially as thou knowest all the customs and 3 questions which are among Jews: wherefore I supplicate thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life, then, 4 from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation, and in Jerusalem, know all the Jews; who know 5 me from the beginning, if they be willing to bear witness, that after the strictest sect of our worship I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand judged for the hope of the 6 promise made by God unto our fathers; unto which 7 promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving day and night, hope to attain; for which hope's sake, O king, I am accused by Jews. Why is it judged incredible with you, if 8 God raises the dead? I indeed thought with myself, that I 9