And I said, What shall said to me, Arise, and go shall be told thee of all

of him that spake with me. I do, Lord? And the Lord to Damascus; and there it things that thou must do. And whereas I saw not for the brightness of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came to Damascus. And one Ananias, a man according to the law, having testimony of all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me and stood by me, and said to me, Brother Saul, look up; and I the same hour looked upon him. But he said, The God of our fathers hath preordained thee that thou shouldst know his will, and see the Just One, and shouldst hear the voice from his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness to all men of those things that thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? Rise up and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling upon his name.

And it came to pass when I was come again to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

And I said, Lord, they know that I cast into prison, and beat in every synagogue, them that believed in thee. And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I stood by and consented, and kept the garments of them that killed him.

And he said to me, Go; for unto the gentiles afar off will I send thee.

And they heard him until this word, and then lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out and threw off their garments and cast dust into the air, the tribune commanded him to be brought into the castle, and that he should be scourged and tortured; to know for what cause they did so cry out against him.

And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul

saith to the centurion that stood by him, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? And when the centurion heard that he went to the tribune, and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman citizen. And the tribune came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman ? And he said, Yea. And the tribune answered, With a great sum I obtained the freedom of this city. And Paul said, But I was born free. Then straightway they that should have tortured him departed. The tribune also was afraid, after he understood that he was a Roman citizen, because he had bound him.

SECT. CXCIV. NEXT DAY PAUL IS EXAMINED BY THE SANHEDRIM. HE IS AGAIN RESCUED BY THE TRIBUNE.

Jerusalem.

On the next day the tribune, meaning to know more exactly for what cause Paul was accused by the Jews, loosed him, and commanded the priests to come together and all the council; and bringing forth Paul, he set him before them.

And Paul, looking upon the council, said, Men brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this present day.

And the high-priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Then Paul said to him, God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and contrary to the law commandest me to be struck? And they that stood by said, Dost thou revile the high-priest of God? And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he is the high-priest. For it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people (Exod. xxii. 28).

And when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in

T

the council, Men brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great cry. And some of the Pharisees rose up and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel?

And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

SECT. CXCV. A CONSPIRACY IS ENTERED INTO AGAINST PAUL. THE TRIBUNE SENDS HIM TO CESAREA,

And when day was come, some of the Jews gathered together, and bound themselves

Jerusalem. under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they killed Paul. And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing till we have slain Paul. Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the tribune that he bring him forth to you, as if ye meant to know something more certain touching him. And we, before he come near, are ready to kill him.

And when Paul's sister's son had heard of their

lying in wait, he came, and entered into the castle and told Paul. And Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said, Bring this young man to the tribune, for he hath something to tell him. And he took him, and brought him to the tribune, and said, Paul the prisoner desired me to bring this young man unto thee, for he hath something to say to thee. And the tribune, taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring forth Paul tomorrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire something more certain touching him. But do not thou give credit to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, that have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink till they have killed him; and they are now ready, looking for a promise from thee. The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him that he should tell no man that he had made known these things unto him.

Then he called two centurions, and said to them, Make ready two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Cesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night, and provide beasts that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe to Felix the governor. For he feared lest perhaps the Jews might take him away by force and kill him, and he should afterwards be slandered, as if he would have taken money.

And he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. This man being taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with an army, having understood that he was a Roman and when I would know the cause which they objected unto him, I brought him forth into their council. Whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their

law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when I was told of an ambush that they had prepared for him, I sent him to thee, signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell.

Then the soldiers, according as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go with him, they returned to the castle. Who, when they were come to Cesarea, and had deCesarea. livered the letter to the governor, did also present Paul before him.

And when the governor had read the letter, and had asked of what province he was, and had understood that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee, said he, when thy accusers come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment-hall.

SECT. CXCVI. FELIX HEARS PAUL AND HIS ACCUSERS. HE KEEPS HIM A PRISONER AT CESAREA.

And after five days the high-priest Ananias came down, with some of the ancients, and one Tertullus an orator, who went to the governor against Paul.

And Paul being called for, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Whereas through thee we live in much peace, and many things are set right by thy providence, we accept it always and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But that I be no further tedious to thee, I desire thee of thy clemency to hear us a few words. We have found this man to be a pestilent fellow, and a raiser up of seditions among all the Jews throughout the world, and author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes. Who also hath gone about to profane the

* So called by the Jews, after Jesus of Nazareth.