The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Part 34

(24)And after certain days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. (25)And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered: Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. (26)He hoped also that money would be given him by Paul; wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.

(27)But after two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, wis.h.i.+ng to gain favor with the Jews, left Paul bound.

XXV.

FESTUS, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

(2)And the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, (3)asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, preparing an ambush to slay him on the way. (4)But Festus answered, that Paul was to be kept a prisoner at Caesarea, and that he himself should soon go thither.

(5)Let them therefore, said he, who are powerful among you, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him.

(6)And having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. (7)And when he was come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and grievous charges, which they could not prove; (8)while Paul said in defense: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, did I commit any offense.

(9)But Festus, wis.h.i.+ng to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul, and said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things, before me? (10)And Paul said; I stand at Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged. To Jews I did no wrong, as thou also very well knowest[25:10]. (11)If then I am an offender, and have done anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if there be none of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

(12)Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Thou hast appealed to Caesar; to Caesar thou shalt go.

(13)And after certain days, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came to Caesarea to salute Festus. (14)And as they were spending some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying: There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix; (15)about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews made complaint, asking for judgment against him. (16)To whom I answered: It is not a custom for Romans to give up any man, before the accused has the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

(17)When, therefore, they had come together here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth; (18)and standing up around him, the accusers brought no accusation of such things as I supposed; (19)but had certain controversies with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. (20)And I, being perplexed in regard to the dispute about these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning them.

(21)But Paul having appealed, to be kept in custody for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I shall send him up to Caesar.

(22)And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man myself.

To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

(23)On the morrow, therefore, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and princ.i.p.al 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, about whom all the mult.i.tude of the Jews interceded with me, both at Jerusalem and here, Crying out that he ought not to live any longer. (25)But having found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him. (26)Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, in order that, the examination having been made, I may have something to write. (27)For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also signify the charges against him.

XXVI.

AND Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.

Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

(2)I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself before thee this day, concerning all things whereof I am accused by Jews; (3)especially since thou art expert in all the customs and questions among Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

(4)My manner of life, therefore, from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all Jews know; (5)having known me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

(6)And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by G.o.d to the fathers; (7)unto which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving day and night, hope to attain; concerning which hope, O king, I am accused by Jews.

(8)Why is it judged incredible with you, if G.o.d, raises the dead?

(9)I therefore thought to myself, that I ought to do many hostile things against the name of Jesus the Nazarene. (10)Which I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I myself shut up in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. (11)And punis.h.i.+ng them often, throughout all the synagogues, I constrained them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them also unto foreign cities.

(12)Whereupon, as I went to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests, (13)at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, s.h.i.+ning around me and those who journeyed with me. (14)And we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads. (15)And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And he said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. (16)But arise, and stand upon thy feet; for I appeared to thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of the things in which I will appear to thee; (17)delivering thee from the people, and the Gentiles, to whom I send thee, (18)to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto G.o.d, that they may obtain forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.

(19)Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; (20)but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and unto all the region of Judaea, and to the Gentiles, I announced that they should repent and turn to G.o.d, doing works worthy of repentance.

(21)For these causes the Jews, seizing me in the temple, attempted to kill me. (22)Having therefore obtained help from G.o.d, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except those things which the prophets and Moses said should come; (23)whether the Christ should suffer, whether he, the first of the resurrection from the dead, shall show light to the people and to the Gentiles.

(24)And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art mad; much learning makes thee mad.

(25)But he said: I am not mad, most n.o.ble Festus; but utter words of truth and soberness. (26)For the king knows well concerning these things, to whom also I speak boldly; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner. (27)King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

(28)And Agrippa said to Paul: With little pains[26:28a] thou persuadest[26:28b] me to become a Christian. (29)And Paul said: I could pray G.o.d, that with little or much[26:29], not only thou, but also all that 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 having withdrawn, they talked together, saying: This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds. (32)And Agrippa said to Festus: This man could have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.

XXVII.

AND when it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. (2)And entering into a s.h.i.+p of Adramyttium, about to sail along the coasts of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. (3)And on the second day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul humanely, and permitted him to go to his friends and receive their care. (4)And thence having put to sea, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary, (5)And having sailed over the sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. (6)And there the centurion found a s.h.i.+p of Alexandria sailing to Italy; and he put us on board of it. (7)And sailing slowly many days, and having come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us to put in[27:7], we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; (8)and coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near to which was the city Lasa.

(9)And much time having been spent, and the voyage being now dangerous, because also the fast had already pa.s.sed by, Paul exhorted them, (10)saying: Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with violence and much loss, not only of the lading and the s.h.i.+p, but also of our lives. (11)But the centurion believed the master and the owner of the s.h.i.+p, more than the things spoken by Paul. (12)And as the haven was not well situated for wintering, the greater number advised to sail thence also, if by any means they might reach Phoenix, a haven of Crete, looking toward the southwest and northwest, and there winter.

(13)And a south wind beginning to blow moderately, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor, and coasted along close by Crete. (14)But not long after, there struck against it a tempestuous wind, called Euracylon. (15)And the s.h.i.+p being caught, and unable to face the wind, we yielded to it, and were driven along.

(16)And running under a certain small island called Clauda, we were hardly able to come by the boat; (17)which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the s.h.i.+p; and, fearing lest they should be cast away on the quicksand, they lowered the sail, and so were driven.

(18)And we being violently tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the s.h.i.+p; (19)and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the s.h.i.+p. (20)And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no small tempest lying on us, thenceforward all hope that we should be saved was utterly taken away. (21)But after much abstinence, then Paul, standing up in the midst of then, said: Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me and not put to sea from Crete, and so have escaped this violence and loss. (22)And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the s.h.i.+p. (23)For there stood by me this night an angel of G.o.d, whose I am, and whom I serve, (24)saying: Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar; and, lo, G.o.d has given thee all those who sail with thee. (25)Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe G.o.d, that it will be even so, as it has been told me. (26)But we must be cast away upon a certain island.

(27)And when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven onward in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the seamen suspected that they were near to some country; (28)and sounding, they found twenty fathoms; and having gone a little further, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. (29)Then fearing lest we should fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for day.

(30)And as the seamen were seeking to flee out of the s.h.i.+p, and had let down the boat into the sea, under color as if they were about to extend anchors out of the fores.h.i.+p, (31)Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Except these abide in the s.h.i.+p, ye can not be saved.

(32)Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

(33)And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take food, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that ye have waited, and continued fasting, having taken nothing. (34)Wherefore I pray you to take food; for this is for your safety; for there shall not a hair fall from the head of one of you.

(35)And having thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to G.o.d in presence of them all; and having broken it, he began to eat. (36)Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took food. (37)And we were in all in the s.h.i.+p two hundred and seventy-six souls. (38)And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the s.h.i.+p, casting out the grain into the sea.

(39)And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they perceived a certain creek, having a beach, on which they determined, if they were able, to drive the s.h.i.+p ash.o.r.e. (40)And cutting the anchors entirely away, they abandoned them to the sea, at the same time unfastening the bands of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made toward the beach. (41)And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the s.h.i.+p aground; and the prow sticking fast remained immovable, but the stern was broken by the violence of the waves.

(42)And it was the plan of the soldiers, that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim out, and escape. (43)But the centurion, wis.h.i.+ng to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that those who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land, (44)and the rest, some on boards, and others on some of the pieces from the s.h.i.+p. And so it came to pa.s.s, that all escaped safe to land.

XXVIII.

AND having escaped, they then learned that the island is called Melita. (2)And the barbarians showed us no little kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

(3)And Paul having gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came out a viper from the heat, and fastened on his hand.

(4)And when the barbarians saw the animal hanging from his hand, they said among themselves: No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though escaped from the sea, justice suffered not to live. (5)He, however, shaking off the animal into the fire, suffered no harm. (6)But they were expecting that he would become inflamed, or suddenly fall down dead; but after looking a great while, and seeing no harm befall him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a G.o.d.

(7)In the region around that place, there were lands of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received and entertained us kindly three days. (8)Now it happened, that the father of Publius was lying sick with a fever and a b.l.o.o.d.y flux; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed, laid his hands on him and healed him. (9)And this having been done, the others also, who had diseases in the island, came and were healed; (10)who also honored us with many honors; and when we put to sea, they loaded us with such things as were necessary.

(11)And after three months, we put to sea in a s.h.i.+p of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

(12)And landing at Syracuse, we remained three days. (13)And from thence, making a circuit[28:13], we came to Rhegium. And after one day, a south wind arose, and we came on the second day to Puteoli; (14)where we found brethren, and were entreated to remain with them seven days; and so we went toward Rome. (15)And from thence, the brethren, having heard of us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and the Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to G.o.d, and took courage.

(16)And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander of the camp; but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.