chief of thy people thou shalt not speak evil. And when Paulos knew that (part) of the people were of the Zadukoyee and (part) of it of the Pharishee, he cried in the assembly, Men, my brethren, I am a Pharisha, the son of Pharishee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead am I judged. And when he had said this, the Pharishee and the Zadukoyee fell on one another, and the people was divided. For the Zadukoyee say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor spirit; but the Pharishee confess all these. And there was made a great noise. And certain sophree of the choice of the Pharishee arose and contended with them, and said, We have not found any thing of evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken with him, what is there in this? And when there was a great commotion among them, the tribune feared lest they should tear Paulos in pieces, and he sent to the Rumoyee to come and carry him away from the midst of them, and take him into the fortress.

And when it was night our Lord appeared unto Paulos, and said to him, Be strong for as thou hast testified of me in Urishlem, so is it to be that thou also in Ruma shalt testify.

LXI.

AND when it became morning, men of the Jihudoyee gathered and bound a vow 3 upon themselves, that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paulos. But there were of those who established by oath this compact more than forty men. And they drew nigh to the priests and to the elders, and said, A vow we have vowed upon us, that nothing will we taste until we have killed And now do you and the princes of the syna

Paulos.

3 Cherem.

gogue request from the tribune to bring him to you, as if you sought to investigate more truly his work, and we are prepared to kill him while he shall come to you. And the son of the sister of Paulos heard this plot, and he entered the fortress and informed Paulos. And Paulos sent (and) called one of the centurions, and said to him, Bring this youth to the tribune, for he has somewhat to tell him. And the centurion conducted the youth, and introduced him to the tribune, and said, Paulos the prisoner called me, and requested of me to bring this youth to thee, because he hath somewhat to tell thee. And the tribune took the youth by his hand, and led him on one side, and asked him, What hast thou to tell me? And the youth said to him, The Jihudoyee have determined to request of thee to send down Paulos, to-morrow, to their synagogue, as if willing to learn somewhat more from him: thou therefore yield not to them; for, behold, more than forty men of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound a curse upon themselves, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him and, behold, they are ready, and wait thy promise. And the tribune dismissed the youth, when he had admonished him, Let no man know that these thou hast informed me.

And he called two centurions, and said to them, Go, prepare two hundred Romans to go to Cesarea, and seventy horsemen and right-handed spearmen two hundred, to go forth at the third hour of the night; but provide also a beast to carry Paulos, and escape to Felix the governor.4

And he wrote a letter, and gave it to them, which was thus:

Klaudios Lusios unto Felix the victorious governor,

4 Verse 25 is wanting.

peace. The Jihudoyee had seized this man to kill him; and I arose with the Romans and rescued him, when I had learned that he is a Roman. And when I sought to know the occasion of which they accused him, I brought him down to their synagogue. And I found that concerning questions of their law they accused him ; and a cause worthy of bonds or of death was not in him. And when it was told me of the treachery of a plot which the Jihudoyee wrought against him, I straightway sent him to thee; and I have commanded his accusers to come and speak with him before thee. Farewell.

Then the Rumoyee, as they had been commanded, took Paulos by night, and brought him to Antipatros the city; and the day after the horsemen sent away their footcompanions to return to the fortress. And they came to Cesarea. And they gave the letter to the governor, and made Paulos stand before him. And when he had read the letter, he asked him from what province he was. And when he had heard that (he was) from Cilicia, he said to him, I will hear thee when thy accusers have come. And he commanded that they should keep him in the pretorium of Herodes.

LXII.

AND after five days Hanania the great priest came down with the elders, and with Tartelos a rhetor, and informed the governor against Paulos. And being called, Tartelos came forth to accuse him, and said,

For many years have we dwelt (in peace) through thee, and many reformations have been made for this people in the bearing of thy office; and all we in every place receive thy bounty, victorious Felix. But, not to weary thee with many (words), I pray thee to hear our humbleness with brevity. For we have found this man to be a destroyer, and an exciter of agitation among all

the Jihudoyee, and in all the land: for he is a chief of the doctrine of the Natsroyee, and he willed to pollute our temple; and having apprehended him, we sought to judge him according to our law; but Lusios the tribune came, and with great force transferred him from our hands, and hath sent him unto thee, and commanded his accusers to come to thee; and thou canst by questioning him learn from him concerning all these things of which we accuse him.

The Jihudoyee themselves also contended against him, saying, that so these things were. And the governor signed to Paulos to speak. And Paulos answered, and said,

For many years I know that thou hast been the judge of this people, and on this account I joyfully make defence for myself; while thou shouldst know that it hath not been more than twelve days since I went up to Urishlem to worship. Neither found they me speaking with any man in the temple, neither have I gathered an assembly in their synagogue nor in the city; nor is it in their power to demonstrate before thee any thing of what they accuse me. Nevertheless, this do I confess, that in that very doctrine of which they speak, in it serve I the God of my fathers, believing in all that is written in the law and in the prophets, and having hope in Aloha [for] that which they also hope that there shall be a resurrection from the house of the dead, of the just and of the evil. Because of this also I labour to have a good conscience before Aloha and before men, continually.

But after many years I came to the sons of my people to bestow alms, and to present an oblation. And these found me in the temple being purified, not with a concourse nor with tumult; but men Jihudoyee who had come from Asia raised a tumult; (and) these it behoved

to stand with me before thee, and to accuse of that whatever they have (against me). Or let these themselves declare, what crime they found in me, when I stood before their assembly, unless for this one word which I proclaimed while standing in the midst of them, For the resurrection of the dead am I judged this day before you. But Felix, because he knew this way fully, delayed them, saying, When the tribune comes I will hear between you. And he commanded the centurion to keep Paulos in quietude, and that none of his acquaintances should be hindered from ministering to him. And after a few days Felix, and Drusilla his wife, who was a Jihudoytha, sent and called Paulos, and they heard from him concerning the faith of the Meshiha. And as he discoursed with them of righteousness, and of holiness, and of the judgment which is to come, Felix was filled with fear, and he said, Now go, and when I have opportunity 5 I will send for thee. For he hoped that a bribe would be given him by Paulos, and on this account he continually sent to bring him, and to speak with him. And when two years were fulfilled to him, another governor came in his place, who was called Porcios Festos. But Felix, as to do a favour to the Jihudoyee, left Paulos bound.

And when Festos came to Cesarea, after three days he went up to Urishlem. And the chief priest and elders showed him concerning Paulos, and besought from him, asking of him this favour, that he would bring him to Urishlem, while they would act treacherously in the way by killing him. And Festos returned the word, That Paulos was kept in Cesarea, and I am hastening to proceed; let those therefore of you who are able, go down with us, and accuse him of whatever guilt there is in the

5 Or, place.