out the world; and a ringleader of the heresy of the Na

zarenes;

6 who attempted to profane the temple, and whom we, therefore, seized: by examining whom, thou canst obtain knowledge of the things of which we accuse him:

7 and the Jews also assent

ed, saying that these things

were so.

8 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned to him to speak, answered:

9 Knowing that thou hast been, for many years, a judge to this nation, I cheerfully answer for myself;

10 because thou canst obtain knowledge, that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem :

11 and they neither found me disputing in the temple with any one, nor raising up the people, either in the synagogues, or in the city:

12 neither can they prove to thee the things of which they

now accuse me :

13 but this I confess to thee, that after the way which they call heresy, I worship the God of my fathers; believing all the things which are written in the law and in the prophets;

14 and having hope toward God of that for which they themselves also look, that there

xxvi. 6.

will be a resurrection both of c. xxiii. 6, and the just and unjust :

15 and in this I exercise myself, to have always an unaccusing conscience toward God, and toward men.

16 And during many years, I went bringing alms and offerings to my nation;

17 in doing which, certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, but not with a multitude, or with tumult:

18 who ought to have been here before thee, and make their charge, if they had any thing against me:

19 or else, let these say, what crime they found in me, when I stood before the council;

20 unless it be for that one voice that I cried to them, as I stood there, "Of the resurrec❝tion of the dead, I am called c. xxiii. 6. "in question by you this day." 21 And when Felix heard these things, having thorough knowledge of that way, he put them off, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the whole of your

matter:

22 and he gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, but without restraint; and that he should forbid none of his friends to minister to him.

23 And after some days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul;

24 and they heard him discourse, concerning the faith in Christ Jesus; and concerning his justification, and dominion, and future judgment; 25 but Felix, becoming terrified, answered, Go away for the present; I will take an opportunity to call for thee again:

26 he hoped, also, that money would have been given him by Paul, that he might release him; wherefore, he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.

27 But, at the end of two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and, Felix, wishing to confer a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound.

come down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any fault in him.

6 And when he had passed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Cesarea; and the next day, sitting on the judgmentseat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

7 And when he was present, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round him, and brought many and grievous charges, which they could not prove; Paul thus urging his defence:

8 Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cesar, have I transgressed in any thing.

9 But Festus, wishing to confer a favour on the Jews,

answered Paul, and said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and to be judged there before me, concerning these things?

10 but Paul said, I stand at Cesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as thou very well knowest;

11 yet, if I have done wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but, if there is nothing in the matters of which these accuse me, no one hath power to deliver me to them: I appeal to Cesar:

12 then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed to Cesar? to Cesar thou shalt go. 13 And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice came to Cesarea, to salute Festus:

14 and after they had been there many days, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix ;

15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews peared before me, demanding judgment against him:

ap

16 to whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before he who is accused have his accusers face to face, and have an opportunity to defend himself against the accusation:

17 therefore, when they were come hither, I made no delay; but the next day I sat on the judgment-seat, and ordered the man to be brought forth: 18 against whom, when his accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed;

inquire into these matters, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things:

21 but, Paul having appealed to be reserved for the cognizance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him up to Cesar: 22 then Agrippa said to Festus, I would also hear the man myself; and he said, To-morrow thou shalt hear him.

23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa and Bernice were come, with great pomp, and were entered into the place of audience, with the chief captains, and principal 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, concerning whom the whole body of the Jews, both in Jerusalem and here, have applied to me, crying out that he ought not to live any longer:

25 but, finding that he hath committed nothing worthy of death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him : 26 of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord; 27 wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and

Agrippa, that, after the examination hath been had, I might have something to write:

28 for, it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to signify the charges alleged against him.

CHAPTER XXVI.

AND Agrippa said to Paul,

Thou art permitted to speak for thyself: then Paul, stretching forth his hand, thus made his defence:

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I shall answer for myself this day before thee, concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews;

3 especially, as thou art acquainted with all the customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 The manner of my life, from my youth, as it hath been from the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know;

5 who have known me from the beginning, (if they would bear testimony,) that, according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee;

6 and I now stand to be judged, for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;

7 to which promise our twelve

tribes, continually serving God day and night, hope to come: for which hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.

8 Why is it deemed incredible with you, that God raiseth the dead?

9 I truly thought in myself, that I ought to do many things c. ix. 1; and against the name of Jesus of

Nazareth;

10 wherefore, also, I did those things in Jerusalem: and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them;

11 and I punished them often, in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even into foreign cities.

12 In doing which things, as I was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me:

14 and we all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me, in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why per"secutest thou me? it is hard "for thee, to kick against the pricks :"

15 and I said, Who art thou,

xxii. 4.

66

ance among those who are "sanctified."

19 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

20 but declared, first, to those in Damascus, and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and do works suited to repentance:

21 for these causes, the Jews seized me in the temple, and endeavoured to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained the help of God, I continue to this day, bearing witness of

those things to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass;

23 that the Christ would suffer, that he would be the first to rise from the dead, and that he would proclaim light to the people of Israel, and to the Gentiles.

24 And as he spake thus in his defence, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; much learning driveth thee to madness:

25 but Paul said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but I speak out the words of truth and soberness:

26 for the king hath knowledge of these things, before whom also I speak with confidence; for I am persuaded that none of these things are unknown to him; for this thing was not done in a corner:

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest them:

28 then said Agrippa to Paul, Art thou persuaded thou wilt soon make me a Christian? 29 and Paul said, I would to God that, soon or late, not only thou, but also all who hear me this day, may become such as I am, except these bonds!

30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they who sat with them:

31 and going aside, they