Part 34 (1/2)

(24)And after certain days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. (25)And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered: Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. (26)He hoped also that money would be given him by Paul; wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.

(27)But after two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, wis.h.i.+ng to gain favor with the Jews, left Paul bound.

XXV.

FESTUS, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

(2)And the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, (3)asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, preparing an ambush to slay him on the way. (4)But Festus answered, that Paul was to be kept a prisoner at Caesarea, and that he himself should soon go thither.

(5)Let them therefore, said he, who are powerful among you, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him.

(6)And having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. (7)And when he was come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and grievous charges, which they could not prove; (8)while Paul said in defense: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, did I commit any offense.

(9)But Festus, wis.h.i.+ng to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul, and said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things, before me? (10)And Paul said; I stand at Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged. To Jews I did no wrong, as thou also very well knowest[25:10]. (11)If then I am an offender, and have done anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if there be none of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

(12)Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Thou hast appealed to Caesar; to Caesar thou shalt go.

(13)And after certain days, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came to Caesarea to salute Festus. (14)And as they were spending some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before 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 made complaint, asking for judgment against him. (16)To whom I answered: It is not a custom for Romans to give up any man, before the accused has the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

(17)When, therefore, they had come together here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth; (18)and standing up around him, the accusers brought no accusation of such things as I supposed; (19)but had certain controversies with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. (20)And I, being perplexed in regard to the dispute about these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning them.

(21)But Paul having appealed, to be kept in custody for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I shall send him up to Caesar.

(22)And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man myself.

To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

(23)On the morrow, therefore, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and princ.i.p.al men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought forth. (24)And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the mult.i.tude of the Jews interceded with me, both at Jerusalem and here, Crying out that he ought not to live any longer. (25)But having found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him. (26)Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, in order that, the examination having been made, I may have something to write. (27)For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also signify the charges against him.

XXVI.

AND Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.

Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

(2)I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself before thee this day, concerning all things whereof I am accused by Jews; (3)especially since thou art expert in all the customs and questions among Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

(4)My manner of life, therefore, from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all Jews know; (5)having known me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

(6)And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by G.o.d to the fathers; (7)unto which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving day and night, hope to attain; concerning which hope, O king, I am accused by Jews.

(8)Why is it judged incredible with you, if G.o.d, raises the dead?

(9)I therefore thought to myself, that I ought to do many hostile things against the name of Jesus the Nazarene. (10)Which I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I myself shut up in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. (11)And punis.h.i.+ng them often, throughout all the synagogues, I constrained them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them also unto foreign cities.

(12)Whereupon, as I went to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests, (13)at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, s.h.i.+ning around me and those who journeyed with me. (14)And we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads. (15)And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And he said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. (16)But arise, and stand upon thy feet; for I appeared to thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of the things in which I will appear to thee; (17)delivering thee from the people, and the Gentiles, to whom I send thee, (18)to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto G.o.d, that they may obtain forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.

(19)Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; (20)but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and unto all the region of Judaea, and to the Gentiles, I announced that they should repent and turn to G.o.d, doing works worthy of repentance.

(21)For these causes the Jews, seizing me in the temple, attempted to kill me. (22)Having therefore obtained help from G.o.d, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except those things which the prophets and Moses said should come; (23)whether the Christ should suffer, whether he, the first of the resurrection from the dead, shall show light to the people and to the Gentiles.