Part 33 (1/2)

(10)And while we were remaining several days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. (11)And coming to us, he took off Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said: Thus says the Holy Spirit: So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man, whose this girdle is, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. (12)And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. (13)Then answered Paul: What mean ye, to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. (14)And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying: The will of the Lord be done.

(15)And after those days, having packed up our baggage, we went up to Jerusalem. (16)There went with us also some of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

(17)And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. (18)And on the following day, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. (19)And having embraced them, he recounted particularly what things G.o.d had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.

(20)And they, hearing it, glorified the Lord. And they said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe; and they are all zealots for the law. (21)And they were informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they should not circ.u.mcise their children, nor walk after the customs. (22)What is it therefore?

A mult.i.tude must surely come together; for they will hear that thou hast come. (23)Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men who have a vow on them; (24)these take with thee, and purify thyself with them, and bear the charges for them, that they may shave their heads; and all will know that those things, of which they have been informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law. (25)But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote to them, deciding that they should observe no such thing, except that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.

(26)Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself with them, entered into the temple, announcing the completion of the days of the purification, until the offering was brought for each one of them.

(27)And as the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having observed him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, (28)crying out: Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all, everywhere, against the people, and the law, and this place; and further also, he brought Greeks into the temple, and has polluted this holy place. (29)For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul brought into the temple. (30)And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and laying hold of Paul, they dragged him out of the temple; and forthwith the doors were shut.

(31)And while they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar; (32)who immediately took with him soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them; and they, seeing the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul. (33)Then the chief captain came near, and took hold of him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. (34)And some cried one thing, some another, among the mult.i.tude; and not being able to know the certainty on account of the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castle. (35)And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the people.

(36)For the mult.i.tude of the people followed after, crying: Away with him.

(37)And as he was about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain: May I speak to thee? And he said: Canst thou speak Greek? (38)Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days made an uproar, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the a.s.sa.s.sins? (39)And Paul said: I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of no obscure city of Cilicia; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.

(40)And he having given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand to the people. And a great silence ensuing, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying:

XXII.

BRETHREN, and fathers, hear my defense, which I now make to you.

(2)And hearing that he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence. (3)And he says: I am a Jew, born indeed in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, taught at the feet of Gamaliel, according to the strictness of the law of the fathers, being zealous for G.o.d, as ye all are this day. (4)And I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. (5)As also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elders.h.i.+p; from whom, moreover, I received letters to the brethren, and was journeying to Damascus, to bring also those who were there bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

(6)And it came to pa.s.s, that as I journeyed, and came near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly flashed around me a great light out of heaven. (7)And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (8)And I answered: Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest. (9)And they who were with me beheld indeed the light, and were afraid; but the voice of him who spoke to me they heard not[22:9]. (10)And I said: What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me: Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee concerning all things which it is appointed thee to do.

(11)And as I could not see, for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus. (12)And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report from all the Jews who dwelt there, (13)came to me, and standing by me said to me: Brother Saul, receive sight. And I, in that very hour, looked up upon him. (14)And he said: The G.o.d of our fathers appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth. (15)For thou shalt be a witness for him to all men, of what thou hast seen, and didst hear. (16)And now why tarriest thou? Arise, be immersed and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.

(17)And it came to pa.s.s, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, (18)and saw him saying to me: Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. (19)And I said: Lord, they well know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believe on thee; (20)and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, then I myself was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him. (21)And he said to me: Depart; for I will send thee far hence to the Gentiles.

(22)And they heard him unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said: Away with such a one from the earth; for it was not fit that he should live. (23)And as they were crying out, and throwing up their garments, and casting dust into the air, (24)the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know for what charge they were thus crying out against him.

(25)And as they stretched him forth with the thongs[22:25], Paul said to the centurion who stood by: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? (26)The centurion, hearing it, he went and told the chief captain, saying: What art thou about to do?

For this man is a Roman. (27)And the chief captain came, and said to him: Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said: Yes. (28)And the chief captain answered: For a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said: But I was born free.

(29)Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who were about to examine him; and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

(30)On the morrow, wis.h.i.+ng to know the certainty, wherefore he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together; and he brought Paul down, and set him before them.

XXIII.

AND Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said: Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before G.o.d unto this day.

(2)And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

(3)Then Paul said to him: G.o.d will smite thee, thou whited wall. And dost thou sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be smitten contrary to law?