Paul's im

§ CLXIII. THE AMBASSADOR IN BONDS

Five days after Paul arrived at Cæsarea the high priest, peach- Ananias, came down with some elders and an orator called

ment

(Acts 241-9)

Paul's protesta

inno

cence

(10-21)

Tertullus. They laid the case against Paul before the governor. After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Inasmuch as it is owing to you, most excellent Felix, that we enjoy perfect peace and as it is through your wise provision that evils are corrected in this nation in every instance and in every place, we accept these with profound gratitude. But in order that I may not detain you too long, I beg you in your forbearance to hear a brief statement from us. For we have found this man Paul a pest and a disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. He even tried to desecrate the temple, but we arrested him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out about all these charges which we allege against him. The Jews also joined in the attack, declaring that these things were so.

Then at a signal from the governor, Paul made his reply: Knowing that you have administered justice in this nation tion of for many years, I willingly make my defense, because, as you are able to ascertain, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. They neither found me arguing with any one in the temple nor stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or in the city. They cannot prove the charges which they are now bringing against me. But this I confess to you that in the way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, and I believe all that is written in the law and the prophets and I hold the same hope in God as they themselves entertain, that there is to be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. Therefore, I too am under obligation at all times to have a clear conscience before God and man. After several years I came up to bring alms and sacrifices for my nation. They found me while doing this in the temple, ceremonially pure and mixed up in no mob nor riot; but there were certain Jews from Asia who ought to be here

PAUL'S PROTESTATION OF INNOCENCE

before you to present whatever charge they may have against me. Or let those men there tell what fault they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, unless it be that single sentence which I uttered when I shouted as I stood among them, 'It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am being tried to-day before you.'

decision

ing

Paul

But Felix, being accurately informed regarding the way, Felix's adjourned their case, saying to them, When Lysias the com- regardmander comes down, I will decide your case. He also gave orders to the officer to hold him in custody and to allow him (22, 23) some liberty and not to prevent his own friends from ministering to him.

delay

case

Some days later, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who Felix's was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak re- of garding faith in Christ Jesus. But when he argued about Paul's justice, self-control, and future judgment, Felix became (24-27) alarmed and replied, You may go for the present and when I find a convenient time I will send for you, though he hoped at the same time that Paul would give him money. For this reason he sent for him frequently and conversed with him. But when two full years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And as Felix wished to ingratiate himself with the Jews, he left Paul in custody.

new

Jews

Now three days after Festus entered the province he The went up from Cæsarea to Jerusalem. Then the high plot priests and the leading Jews brought a charge against Paul of the and begged Festus as a favor to send and have him brought (251-6) to Jerusalem, for they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. But Festus replied that Paul was in custody in Cæsarea and that he himself was about to go there in a short time. Therefore, he said, let those of you who are able go down with me and charge the man with whatever crime he has committed. After staying eight or ten days in Jerusalem he went down to Cæsarea.

The next day Festus took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought in. When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many and grave charges against him which they were unable to prove. Paul said in reply, I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or the temple or Cæsar.

Paul's

defense

(-8)

Paul's appeal

em

peror

(9-12)

But Festus, wishing to win favor with the Jews, asked to the Paul, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there before me regarding these charges? Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know perfectly well. If, however, I have done wrong and have done anything worthy of death I do not object to dying. But if these men have brought no real charges against me, then no one has a right to favor them by giving me up to them. I appeal to Cæsar! Then after conferring with the council, Festus answered, You have appealed to Cæsar, to Cæsar you shall go.

Paul before

pa

(13, 14,

23)

After some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice Agrip came down to Cæsarea to pay their respects to Festus. And since they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with much pomp and entered the audience hall, accompanied by the military commanders and by the chief men of the city. Then at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

Paul's defense

ра

22, 23)

Thereupon, Agrippa said to Paul, You have permission to before speak in your own behalf. At this, Paul, stretching out Agrip- his hand, began his defense: I consider myself fortunate, (261-4, King Agrippa, in being able this day to defend myself before you against all the accusations with which I am charged by the Jews, for you are exceedingly well informed regarding all the Jewish customs and questions. Therefore, I beg of you hear me patiently. All the Jews know the kind of life I lived from my youth upwards among my nation and in Jerusalem. Now to this day I have had the help of God and have stood firm, testifying to small and great, never saying a single word beyond what the prophets and Moses said would take place, namely, that the Christ was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead and proclaim a message of light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. When Paul thus made his defense, Festus said in a loud of voice, Paul, you are stark mad! Your great learning is Festus driving you insane! But Paul said, I am not mad, most Agrip- noble Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and sober(24-29) ness. For the king to whom I can speak freely, knows

The

replies

and

ра

PAUL'S REPLY TO KING AGRIPPA

about these things. Indeed, I cannot but believe that no detail has escaped his notice, for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you not believe the prophets? I know that you do. But Agrippa said to Paul, In a short time you will believe that you have made a Christian of me! Paul replied, Long or short, I pray to God that not only you but also all my hearers this day may be such as I am, excepting these chains.

ration

inno

Then the king arose with the governor and Bernice and Declathose who had been sitting with them and withdrew to dis- of cuss the matter with one another. And they said, This Paul's man has done nothing deserving of death or imprison- cence ment. Agrippa also said to Festus, This man might have (30-32) been released if he had not appealed to Cæsar.

dents

Now when it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, Incithey handed over Paul and certain other prisoners to an of the officer of the imperial regiment named Julius. Then voyage (271-8) going on board of a ship of Adramyttium, which was bound to the seaports of the province of Asia, we set sail, having with us Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. On the next day we put in at Sidon, where Julius treated Paul very kindly and allowed him to visit his friends and to avail himself of their generous care. Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us. Then, after sailing the whole length of the sea which lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. There the officer found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board of her. For a number of days we made slow progress and came with great difficulty off Cnidus. Then, as the wind did not allow us to go on, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Cape Salome, and coasting along with difficulty we reached a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

advice

(9-12)

Inasmuch as our voyage had taken considerable time Paul's and the sailing had become dangerous, and the autumn to the fast was already over, Paul warned them saying, Men, I sailors. perceive that this voyage will be attended with danger and much loss not only to the cargo and the ship but to our own lives. The officer, however, let himself be persuaded by the captain and the owner of the ship rather than by the

The storm (18-20)

Paul's words

of encouragement

(21-26)

Approach to land (37-32)

things which Paul said. And as the harbor was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority advised putting to sea to try to reach Phoenix, a Cretan harbor facing southwest and northwest, in order to winter there.

When a light southerly breeze sprung up, they thought that they had secured their object. After weighing anchor they ran close along the coast of Crete; but it was not long before a tempestuous wind called Euroklydon rushed down. The ship was caught and was not able to face the wind; so we gave up and let it drive. Then we ran along the lee of a little island called Cauda, where we managed with great difficulty to secure the ship's boat. After hoisting it on board, they used ropes to undergird the ship. Fearing lest they should be stranded on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the sail and lay to. But as we were being terribly battered by the storm, they began to lighten the ship the next day, and on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. Then for many days, neither sun nor stars were seen and a heavy gale still raged so that at last all hope of our being saved was taken away.

Now when they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood forth in their midst and said, Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thus spared yourself this hardship and loss. But now I bid you have courage, for there will be no loss of life, only of the ship, for last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood beside me and said, 'Fear not, Paul, for you must stand before Cæsar. Behold also, God hath granted you the lives of all those who are sailing with you.' Therefore, have courage, men! For I believe God and that it will be just as I have been told. But we are to be stranded on a certain island.

It was now the fourteenth night and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when the sailors in the middle of the night suspected that land was near. And when they cast the lead, they found twenty fathoms of water and a little further, when they cast the lead, they found fifteen. Then, fearing lest we should be stranded on the rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern and longed for