A.D. 60.
Luke: Acts (parts of) Chapters 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.
WE * that were of Paul's company came unto Cesarea, into the house of Philip the evangelist. As we tarried there many days, there came down to us from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And Agabus took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
We besought Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. He would not be persuaded; and we went up to Jerusalem. The brethren received him gladly.
¶Paul entered into the temple. When the Jews which were of Asia saw him in the temple, they stirred up the people, and laid hands on him, and drew him out of the temple. But when they went about to kill him, the chief captain and the soldiers took him, demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Some cried one thing, some another, crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Paul said, I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God. I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
The high priest doth bear me witness: from whom I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
As I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying,
I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me,
I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me,
I could not see for the glory of that light. Led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
¶One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, came and said, Brother Saul, receive thy sight.
And I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
When I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him saying unto me,
I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consented unto his death.
He said unto me,
¶The Jews gave Paul audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
The chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
The night following the Lord stood by Paul, and said,
When it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, under a curse, neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait. One of the centurions brought the young man to the chief captain. He told him.
So the chief captain called two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cesarea, and horsement three score and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night. Provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
And he wrote a letter unto the governor after this manner: This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
The horsemen, when they came to Cesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. He commanded Paul to be kept in Herod's judgment-hall.
After certain days Felix (the governor) sent for Paul, and heard him. And as Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
¶Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, said to Paul, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cesar.
¶After certain days king Agrippa came unto Cesarea to salute Festus.
Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, to answer for himself.
But Paul appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus.
Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself.
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come with great pomp into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, Paul was brought forth.
Festus said, King Agrippa, the Jews have dealt with me, crying that he ought not to live. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
A.D. 62. Cesarea.
Luke: Acts 26, 1-32.
AGRIPPA said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak. Then Paul answered:
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee: especially, because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning (if they would testify), that after the most straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon, as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying in the Hebrew tongue,
I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said,
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctioned by faith that is in me.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
¶As Paul thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Paul said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cesar.
A.D. 62. En route to Rome.
Luke: Acts 27, 1-6.
WHEN it was determined that we * should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.
Entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia. The next day we touched at Sidon.
When we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. We came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
Paul: II. Corinthians 12, 7-9.
THERE was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me,
147:* Luke, the narrator, was one of "Paul's company."
151:* Luke, Paul, and his party.
