course went on and on; dropping asleep, he fell down from the third storey, 10 and was picked up a corpse. But Paul went down, fell on him, and 11 embraced him, saying, "Wail not: his life is in him." Then he went up, broke bread, and ate; and after conversing with them for a good 12 while, till it was dawn, finally went off. (As for the lad, they took him away 13 alive, and were extremely relieved.) Now we had gone on before hand to the ship and set sail for Assos, with the intention of taking Paul on board there. This indeed was his own arrangement, as he intended to 14 travel himself by land. He met us then at Assos. Taking him on board, 15 we went to Mitylênê, and sailing thence on the following day we arrived off Chios; in the evening1 we crossed over to Samos, and after stopping at 16 Trogyllium 2 went on, the next day, to Miletus. This was because Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so as to avoid loss of time in Asia; he was hastening to reach Jerusalem-if he could manage it—by the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus, however, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders 18 of the Community. And when they came to him, he said: "You know yourselves the way in which I lived with you during all the time since 19 the day that I first set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials which I encountered through the plots of the Jews; 20 and how I did not shrink from disclosing anything profitable to you, or 21 from teaching you in public and from house to house, bearing witness to Jews and Greeks alike of repentance to God and faith to our Lord Jesus.3 22 And now, mark! I go to Jerusalem fettered in spirit, not knowing 23 what is to befall me there. Only, in city after city the holy Spirit 24 testifies to me that fetters and distresses await me. But then, I set no value on my life, provided that I may complete my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to attest the glad tidings 25 of the grace of God. And now, mark! I know that none of you shall ever see my face again-you among whom I went about and preached 26 the Reign. [Therefore I do protest to you this day, I am clean from the 27 blood of all; I did not shrink from disclosing to you all God's purpose.] 28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers: be shepherds to the Community of God which he 29 has purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce 30 wolves shall enter your midst and spare not the flock; from your own midst also shall men rise up with perverse words, to draw the disciples 31 away after them. Watch therefore, and remember that for three years night and day I ceased not to admonish everyone with tears. 32 And now I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified 33, 34 [Silver, gold, or apparel, I never coveted. You know yourselves that these 35 hands provided entirely for my needs and my companions. I showed you an example of how you ought thus to labour and give succour to the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus-for he said himself, 36 'To give is happier than to get ']." And saying this he knelt down and 37 prayed with them all. But all burst into loud weeping, and fell on 38 Paul's neck and fondly kissed him, sorrowing chiefly because he had told them they were never to see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship. 21 1 Now it came to pass, when we had torn ourselves away from them and set sail, we made a straight run to Kos, the next day to Rhodes, and 2 Adding και μείναντες ἐν Τρωγυλλίῳ. 4 Reading ὥστε τελειῶσαι. 1 Reading ἑσπέρα. 3 Omitting [[xpOTÓV]]. 2 thence to Patara. And as we found there a ship crossing over to Phoenicê, 3 we went on board, and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left, we sailed for Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to 4 unload her cargo. So we found out the disciples, and stayed there for seven days. These disciples told Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in 5 Jerusalem. But when it came to pass that our time was completed, we departed on our journey, escorted by them, women and children and all, till we were outside the city. Then, kneeling down on the beach we 6 prayed, and bade each other farewell; we went on board, and they returned 7 home. From Tyre, then, we continued our voyage and reached Ptolemais; and after saluting the brothers we stayed one day with them. 8 Starting on the morrow we came to Caesarea, and entering the house of the 9 evangelist Philip (who was one of the Seven) we stayed with him. [He had 10 four unmarried daughters who prophesied.] While we remained there for 11 several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea. And he came to us, took Paul's girdle and bound his own feet and hands, saying, "The holy Spirit speaks thus: 'so shall the Jews bind the man who owns this girdle at Jerusalem, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"' 12 Now when we heard this, both we and the people of the place appealed to 13 Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then answered Paul, "What do you mean by weeping and disheartening me? I am ready not only to be bound 14 but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus." So, as he would not be persuaded, we held our peace, and said, "The will of the Lord be done." 15 Now after these days we made our preparations and went on our way 16 up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea also accompanied us, and conducted us to the house of Mnason, a Cypriote, with whom we were to 17 lodge (he was a disciple of long standing). Now when we arrived 18 at Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. On the next day Paul went 19 in with us to James; the elders also were all present. And after saluting them he recounted in detail what God had done among the Gentiles by 20 means of his ministry. On hearing it they magnified God [; and they said to him, "Brother, thou seest how many thousands of believers there 21 are among the Jews, all of them zealots for the law. Now they have been informed with regard to thee, that thou art teaching apostasy from Moses, to all the Jews who live among the Gentiles, telling them not to 22 circumcise their children nor to walk by the prescribed customs. Well, 23 what is to be done? They will be sure to hear thou hast come; so do 24 what we tell thee. We have four men here who are under a vow take them, have thyself purified along with them, and pay their expenses, so that they may be able to have their heads shaved. Then everybody will understand that his information about thee is worthless, and that, on the contrary, thou art thyself walking in the regular observances of the 25 law. As for the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote them our decision, that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from 26 blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication." Therefore Paul took the men next day, had himself purified along with them, and went into the temple to give notice of the time when the days of purification would be completed-the time, that is to say, until the sacrifice should be offered on behalf of each one of them]. 27 Now the seven days were almost brought to a close, when the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, and proceeded to stir up all the crowd; 28 then they laid hands on him, shouting, "To the rescue, men of Israel! Here is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! Yes, and actually he has brought Greeks into 29 the temple and defiled this holy place!" (For they had previously seen him in the city with Trophimus the Ephesian, and supposed that Paul 30 had brought him into the temple.) And [the whole city was thrown into turmoil;] the people ran together, and seizing Paul they dragged him 31 outside the temple; whereupon the doors were immediately shut. While they were trying to kill him, tidings came up to the military tribune of the 32 cohort that the whole of Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw 33 the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. The tribune then came near and seized him, ordered him to be bound with a couple of chains, and proceeded to inquire, "Who is he?" and "What has he 34 done?" But some in the crowd roared one thing, some another; and as he could not ascertain the truth owing to the tumult, he commanded him 35 to be brought into the barracks. By the time that he reached the stairs he had actually to be carried by the soldiers, on account of the violence 36 of the crowd; for the multitude followed, shouting, "Away with him!' 37 And as he was on the point of being brought into the barracks, Paul said to the tribune, "Can I speak a word to thee?" "Dost thou know 38 Greek?" he said. "Then thou art not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand Assassins, and led them out into the 39 wilderness?" Paul said, "I am a Jew, a man of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; I pray thee, permit me to speak to the people?" 40 As he gave his permission, Paul stood on the stairs and waved with his hand to the people; then, during a great hush, he addressed them in the 221 Hebrew language, saying: "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence 2 which I now make to you."-Now when they heard him address them in 3 the Hebrew language they became still more quiet; so he proceeds-"I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the rigorous law of the fathers; a 4 zealot for God, as you all are this day. I persecuted this Way to the 5 death, chaining and delivering up to prison men and women alike, as also the high priest and all the assembly of the elders can testify for me. It was from them too that I received letters for the brothers, and journeyed to Damascus to bind those who were there, and bring them 6 also to Jerusalem for punishment. Now it came to pass that as I journeyed and drew near to Damascus, suddenly, about noon, a great 7 light from the sky flashed round me; and I dropped to the earth, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why art thou persecuting me?' 8 I answered, 'Who art thou, sir?' And he said to me, I am Jesus the 9 Nazarene, and thou art persecuting me.' (Now my companions beheld 10 the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke to me.) And I said, 'Lord, what shall I do?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there thou shalt be told of all that is appointed 11 thee to do.' So, as I could not see for the brightness of that light, my 12 companions led me into Damascus by the hands. And there came to me a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good 13 reputation among all the Jewish residents; standing by me, he said, 'Saul, my brother, see again!' At that very moment I saw again, and 14 looked up at him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed thee to know his will, and to see the upright One, and to hear a voice 15 from his own lips; for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men, of 16 what thou hast seen and heard. And now, why linger? Rise, have 17 thyself baptized and wash away thy sins, calling upon his name.' Now it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the 18 temple, I fell into a trance, and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and depart from Jerusalem quickly, for they will not admit any evidence of 19 thine regarding me.' And I said, 'But, Lord, they know it was I who imprisoned and flogged those who believed on thee, in synagogue after 20 synagogue; and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being shed, I stood by also and approved, and took charge of the garments of those 21 who slew him. Yet he said to me, 'Depart: I will send thee forth afar 22 to the Gentiles-."" Up to this sentence they had listened to him; then they raised a cry of, " Away with such a fellow from the earth! He 23 is not fit to live!" As they went on clamouring, tossing their garments, 24 and throwing dust into the air, the tribune commanded him to be brought into the barracks, giving orders to have him examined by Scourging, so as to ascertain the reason why they shouted at him in this 25 way. But after they had strapped him up for the lash, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman 26 citizen, and that too unconvicted?" On hearing this, the centurion went to the tribune and told him, saying, “What is to be done? this man is a 27 Roman citizen." So the tribune went to him and said, "Tell me, art 28 thou a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." The tribune answered, I purchased this citizenship for a large sum?" Paul said, "But I was 29 born in it?" Then those who were going to examine him left him alone at once. Moreover, the tribune himself was alarmed to find that he was a Roman citizen, and that he had bound him. 30 [Now on the morrow, in his desire to ascertain the true reason why he was accused by the Jews, he unbound him and ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble; then he brought Paul down and set him 23 1 before them. Fixing his eyes on the Sanhedrin, Paul said: "Men and brothers, I have borne myself towards God down to this day with a 2 perfectly good conscience." And the high priest Ananias commanded 3 those who stood beside him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, "God shall strike thee, thou white-washed wall! What! art thou sitting to judge me according to the law and yet ordering me against 4 the law to be struck?" The bystanders said, "Revilest thou the high 5 priest of God?" Brothers," said Paul, "I did not know he was high priest." (For it is written, thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy 6 people.) But when Paul discovered that the one half were Sadducees and the other half Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, " Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! For the hope-for the 7 resurrection of the dead I am on trial!" Hardly had he said this, when a discussion broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the 8 meeting was divided. For while the Sadducees say there is no 9 resurrection, no angel or spirit, the Pharisees acknowledge both. So a mighty clamour broke out, and some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party stood up and hotly maintained, "We find no evil in this 10 man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?" Now as the discussion grew violent, the tribune became afraid they would tear Paul asunder; so he ordered the troop of soldiers to go down and carry 11 him from their midst by force, and bring him into the barracks.] The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer as thou hast borne witness in Jerusalem to me, so too must thou witness in 12 Rome." When day broke the Jews formed a conspiracy, binding themselves by a curse to neither eat nor drink until they killed Paul. 13, 14 There were more than forty who formed this intrigue. They went to the high priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves by 15 a solemn curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul. Now then, make you representations to the tribune along with the Sanhedrin, inducing him to bring him down to you on the plea that you propose to investigate his case more accurately; we are all ready to slay him on the road.” 16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and getting entrance 17 into the barracks he told Paul. And Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the tribune, for he has 18 some news to give him." So he took and brought him to the tribune, saying, “The prisoner Paul summoned me, and asked me to bring this 19 young man to thee, as he has something to tell thee. Taking him by the hand the tribune retired, and proceeded in private to ask him, "What 20 news hast thou to give me?" He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring Paul down to-morrow to the Sanhedrin on the plea 21 that it is proposed 1 to make a more accurate inquiry into his case. Now, do not let them persuade thee. For an ambush is being laid against him by more than forty men, who have bound themselves by a curse to neither eat nor drink until they slay him. They are all ready at this 22 very moment, expecting thou wilt consent." The tribune then dismissed the young man with the injunction, "Let nobody know that thou hast 23 disclosed this to me." And summoning two of the centurions, he said, "Get ready two hundred infantry to march as far as Caesarea, also seventy troopers and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of 24 the night." Beasts were also to be provided, on which they were to 25 mount Paul, and conduct him in safety to Felix the procurator. Then he wrote a letter in this style: 26 "Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent procurator Felix : 27 This man had been arrested by the Jews and was on the point of being reached Cæsarea, presented the letter to the procurator, and also handed 34 Paul over to him. On reading the letter, he asked what province he 35 belonged to; and when he ascertained that it was Cilicia, "I will hear thy cause," said he, "so soon as thy accusers have also arrived." His orders were that he was to be kept in the praetorium of Herod. 24 1 Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and Tertullus, a barrister. They made representations to the procurator 2 against Paul; and after he had been called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: As owing to thee we are in the enjoyment of great peace, and as it is owing to thy forethought that this nation has secured reforms 3 everyway and everywhere, we accept these, most excellent Felix, with 4 all gratitude. But not to detain thee too long-I entreat thee to grant 5 us, in thy courtesy, a brief hearing. We have found this man is a pest, 1 Reading μέλλον. |