to the Gentiles. Then they were filled with fury, and cried out for his death. And the tribune had him brought into the castle, that he might be scourged and tortured. But Paul demanded to be spared this torment because he was a Roman citizen, as it was unlawful to Scourge any free-born Roman uncondemned. He was therefore kept in prison, and the next day was brought before the Jewish council and the high priest Ananias for judgment.

CHAP. XIV. Paul before the Council, and before Felix.

AND Paul stood before the council and said: Men, brethren, I have conversed with an entire good conscience before God until this present day. And the high priest Ananias commanded them who stood by him, to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him: God shall strike thee, thou whited wall. For, sittest thou there to judge me according to the law, and contrary to the law commandest me to be struck? And they that stood by, said: Dost thou revile the high priest of God? And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is the high priest. For it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of the prince of thy people.

Then Paul, knowing that the Jews were divided into two parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the former of whom would take part with him against the latter on the doctrine of the resurrection, cried aloud: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. Now a great clamour was raised. And some of the Pharisees rising up, contended, saying: We find no evil in this man: what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? And when there arose a great dissension, the tribune, fearing lest Paul

should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. And the night following, the Lord standing by him, said: Be constant: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

And when it was day, some of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves with a curse, saying: That they would neither eat nor drink, till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty men that had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and the ancients, and said: We have bound ourselves under a curse that we will eat nothing till we kill Paul. Now, therefore, do you with the council signify to the tribune, that he bring him forth to you, as if you meant to know something more certain concerning him: and we, before he come near, are ready to kill him. And when Paul's sister's son had heard of their lying in wait, he came, and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul, calling to him one of the centurions, said: Bring this young man to the tribune; for he hath something to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the tribune, and said: Paul the prisoner desired me to bring this young man to thee, who hath something to say to thee. And the tribune taking him by the hand, went aside with him privately, and asked him: What is it that thou hast to tell me? And he said: The Jews have agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring forth Paul to-morrow into the council, as if they meant to inquire something more certain concerning him. But do not thou give credit to them: for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor to drink till they kill him and they are now ready waiting for thy promise. The tribune therefore dismissed the young man, charging him to tell no man that he had made known these things to him.

The tribune then immediately sent off Paul, guarded by a strong band of soldiers, to Felix, the chief Roman governor at Cesarea, with a letter explaining who he

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was, and what he was accused of by the Jews. Five days afterwards the high priest Ananias, with other Jews, followed Paul to Cesarea, and accused him before Felix as a disturber of the peace of the country. Paul answered them by declaring his innocence of the crime laid to his charge; and Felix, who had married a Jewish wife, and knew well the falsehood of the accusation, dismissed the accusers for a while, and kept Paul in prison, treating him at the same time with gentleness. After some days he sent for him, to hear him speak of the faith of Jesus Christ. And as he treated of justice, and chastening, and of the judgment to come, Felix being terrified, answered: For this time go thy way: but at a convenient time I will send for thee. Hoping also, withal, that money would be given him by Paul: for which account he also frequently sent for him, and spoke with him. But two years passed by, and Felix, though convinced, remained unconverted; and when Festus came to be governor in his place, desirous of gratifying the Jews, he left Paul a prisoner still.

CHAP. XV. Paul before Agrippa.

SOON after Festus entered on his government, the Jews renewed their accusations against Paul; and Festus, to gratify them, asked Paul whether he would return to Jerusalem, and there be tried. But Paul appealed to Cesar, the Roman emperor, insisting upon his privileges as a Roman citizen, and demanded to be judged by him. This favour Festus could not refuse him; and he was kept in prison until he could be sent to Rome. A short time afterwards, Agrippa, the Roman governor, or king, over another portion of the province of Judea, arrived at Cesarea, to congratulate Festus on his arrival. To him Festus spoke concerning Paul and his accusers. Agrippa wished to hear Paul himself; and the next day the Apostle was brought into the hall of audience, where Agrippa, with his wife Bernice, and Festus, were prepared with great pomp to listen to his defence. And

Paul, when he was permitted to speak, recounted, as before, the history of his past life, and his conversion ; declaring that he now stood a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And as he said this, Festus cried with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. And Paul said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but I speak words of truth and sobriety. For the king knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither were any of these things done in a corner. Believest thou the prophets, O King Agrippa? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian. And Paul said: I would to God that, both in little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these chains. And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And when they were gone aside, they conferred with one another, saying: This man hath done nothing that deserveth death or chains. And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cesar.

CHAP. XVI. Paul's Voyage. His Shipwreck, and arrival at Rome.

Ir being now determined that Paul should go to Rome, he was sent with other prisoners by sea. They sailed by Cyprus and Crete, where the weather became so tempestuous, that Paul counselled them to put into harbour for a time; but his advice was overruled; and at length, after an incessant storm of three days and nights, all hope of safety seemed lost; and captain and sailors despaired of their lives. But Paul bade them take courage; for an angel of God had appeared to him, and assured him that though they would be shipwrecked on

a certain island, and the ship would be lost, every man's life would be saved. On the fourteenth night of the storm, they found that they were coming into shallow waters; and the sailors, by the Apostle's advice to the captain, being compelled to remain in the ship, they cast anchor, took some food, and waited for the day. When the morning broke, the ship being lightened, they ran her ashore. The soldiers then wished to kill the prisoners, to prevent their escaping; but the commander, in order to save Paul, forbade it; and the whole crew, with the prisoners, in all 276 persons, reached the shore in safety.

When they were landed, they discovered that they were upon the island of Melita, now called Malta. And the barbarian inhabitants treated them with great kindness, and kindled a fire to warm and dry them. And Paul himself gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire; and, as he did it, a viper sprung out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the people saw the venomous reptile hanging upon him, they cried out that he must be a murderer, pursued by Divine vengeance. But Paul shook off the viper into the fire; and seeing him remain unhurt, they were amazed, and took him for a god.

After this, they were well received by the chief persons in the island; Paul wrought many miracles on the sick; curing, among others, the father of Publius, the governor of the place. They remained three months altogether, and then sailed for Rome. There Paul was leniently treated by the Roman authorities, and was permitted to live in a house of his own, in the custody of a soldier, who lived with him. For two years he preached both to Jews and Gentiles, and made many converts, no man hindering. After this time he was set at liberty; but the Holy Scriptures give no further account of his life, except such circumstances as are mentioned in his own Epistles to the different Christian Churches. From them, and from other sources, we learn that some time after he was altogether free, he made a second journey among the Christians in Asia,