The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

But when Pauls sisters sonne heard of their laying awaite, he went, and entred into the castel, and tolde Paul.

And Paul called one of the Centurions vnto him, and said, Take this yong man hence vnto the chiefe captaine: for he hath a certaine thing to shewe him.

So hee tooke him, and brought him to the chiefe captaine, and saide, Paul the prisoner called mee vnto him, and prayed mee to bring this yong man vnto thee, which hath some thing to say vnto thee.

Then the chiefe captaine tooke him by the hande, and went apart with him alone, and asked him, What hast thou to shewe me?

And he saide, The Iewes haue conspired to desire thee, that thou wouldest bring foorth Paul to morow into the Council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly:

But let them not perswade thee: for there lie in waite for him of them, more then fourtie men, which haue bound themselues with a curse, that they will neither eate nor drinke, till they haue killed him: and nowe are they readie, and waite for thy promise.

The chiefe captaine then let the yong man depart, after hee had charged him to vtter it to no man, that he had shewed him these things.

And he called vnto him two certaine Centurions, saying, Make readie two hundred souldiers, that they may go to Cæsarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and two hundred with dartes, at the thirde houre of the night.

And let them make readie an horse, that Paul being set on, may be brought safe vnto Felix the Gouernour.

And he wrote an epistle in this maner:

Claudius Lysias vnto the most noble Gouernour Felix sendeth greeting.

As this man was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue bene killed of them, I came vpon them with the garison, and rescued him, perceiuing that he was a Romane.

And when I would haue knowen the cause, wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their Council.

There I perceiued that hee was accused of questions of their Lawe, but had no crime worthy of death, or of bondes.

And when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layd waite for the man, I sent him straightway to thee, and commanded his accusers to speake before thee the thinges that they had against him. Farewell.

Then the souldiers as it was commanded them, tooke Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

And the next day, they left the horsemen to goe with him, and returned vnto the Castel.

Now when they came to Cæsarea, they deliuered the epistle to the Gouernour, and presented Paul also vnto him.

So when the Gouernour had read it, hee asked of what prouince he was: and when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia,

I will heare thee, said he, when thine accusers also are come, and commanded him to bee kept in Herods iudgement hall.

Now after fiue dayes, Ananias the hie Priest came downe with the Elders, and with Tertullus a certaine oratour, which appeared before the Gouernour against Paul.

And when he was called foorth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that we haue obtained great quietnesse through thee, and that many worthy things are done vnto this nation through thy prouidence,

We acknowledge it wholy, and in all places most noble Felix, with all thankes,

But that I be not tedious vnto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldest heare vs of thy courtesie a fewe wordes.

Certainely we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe, and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world, and a chiefe maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites:

And hath gone about to pollute the Temple: therefore wee tooke him, and woulde haue iudged him according to our Lawe:

But the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs, and with great violence tooke him out of our handes,

Commanding his accusers to come to thee: of whom thou mayest (if thou wilt inquire) know all these things whereof we accuse him.

And the Iewes likewise affirmed, saying that it was so.

Then Paul, after that the gouernour had beckened vnto him that hee shoulde speake, answered, I do the more gladly answere for my selfe, for as much as I knowe that thou hast bene of many yeres a iudge vnto this nation,

Seeing that thou mayest knowe, that there are but twelue dayes since I came vp to worship in Hierusalem.

And they neither found mee in the Temple disputing with any man, neither making vproare among the people, neither in the Synagogues, nor in the citie.

Neither can they proue the things, whereof they now accuse me.

But this I confesse vnto thee, that after the way (which they call heresie) so worship I the God of my fathers, beleeuing all things which are written in the Lawe and the Prophets,

And haue hope towardes God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselues looke for also, shalbe both of iust and vniust.

And herein I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towarde God, and toward men.

Now after many yeres, I came and brought almes to my nation and offerings.

At what time, certaine Iewes of Asia founde mee purified in the Temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

Who ought to haue bene present before thee, and accuse me, if they had ought against me.

Or let these themselues say, if they haue found any vniust thing in mee, while I stoode in the Council,

Except it be for this one voyce, that I cried standing among them, Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day.

Nowe when Felix heard these things, he deferred them, and said, When I shall more perfectly know the things which concerne this way, by the comming of Lysias the chiefe Captaine, I will decise your matter.

Then hee commanded a Centurion to keepe Paul, and that he should haue ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him.

And after certaine dayes, came Felix with his wife Drusilla, which was a Iewesse, and he called foorth Paul, and heard him of the faith in Christ.

And as he disputed of righteousnes and temperance, and of the iudgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time, and when I haue conuenient time, I will call for thee.

Hee hoped also that money shoulde haue bene giuen him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore hee sent for him the oftner, and communed with him.

When two yeeres were expired, Porcius Festus came into Felix roume: and Felix willing to get fauour of the Iewes, left Paul bound.

When Festus was then come into the prouince, after three dayes he went vp from Caesarea vnto Hierusalem.

Then the high Priest, and the chiefe of the Iewes appeared before him against Paul: and they besought him,

And desired fauour against him, that hee would send for him to Hierusalem: and they layd waite to kill him by the way.

But Festus answered, that Paul should bee kept at Caesarea, and that he himselfe would shortly depart thither.

Let them therefore, saide he, which among you are able, come downe with vs: and if there be any wickednes in the man, let them accuse him.

Now when he had taried among them no more then ten dayes, hee went downe to Caesarea, and the next day sate in the iudgement seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

And when hee was come, the Iewes which were come from Hierusalem, stoode about him and layd many and grieuous complaints against Paul, whereof they could make no plaine proofe,

Forasmuch as he answered, that he had neither offended any thing against the lawe of the Iewes, neither against ye temple, nor against Caesar.

Yet Festus willing to get fauour of the Iewes, answered Paul and saide, Wilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these things before mee?

Then said Paul, I stand at Caesars iudgment seate, where I ought to be iudged: to the Iewes I haue done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

For if I haue done wrong, or committed any thing worthie of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man, to pleasure them, can deliuer me to them: I appeale vnto Caesar.

Then when Festus had spoken with the Council, hee answered, Hast thou appealed vnto Caesar? vnto Caesar shalt thou goe.

And after certaine dayes, King Agrippa and Bernice came downe to Caesarea to salute Festus.

And when they had remained there many dayes, Festus declared Pauls cause vnto the King, saying, There is a certaine man left in prison by Felix,

Of whom when I came to Hierusalem, the high Priestes and Elders of the Iewes informed me, and desired to haue iudgement against him.

To whome I answered, that it is not the maner of the Romanes for fauour to deliuer any man to the death, before that hee which is accused, haue the accusers before him, and haue place to defend himselfe, concerning the crime.

Therefore when they were come hither, without delay the day following I sate on the iudgement seate, and commanded the man to be brought foorth.

Against whom when the accusers stood vp, they brought no crime of such things as I supposed:

But had certaine questions against him of their owne superstition, and of one Iesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be aliue.

And because I doubted of such maner of question, I asked him whether he would goe to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these things.

But because he appealed to be reserued to the examination of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I mght send him to Cesar.

Then Agrippa sayd vnto Festus, I would also heare the man my selfe. To morowe, sayd he, thou shalt heare him.

And on the morowe when Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pompe, and were entred into the Common hall with the chiefe captaines and chiefe men of the citie, at Festus commandement Paul was brought forth.

And Festus sayd, King Agrippa, and all men which are present with vs, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Iewes haue called vpon me, both at Hierusalem, and here, crying, that he ought not to liue any longer.

Yet haue I found nothing worthy of death, that he hath committed: neuertheles, seeing that he hath appealed to Augustus, I haue determined to send him.

Of whome I haue no certaine thing to write vnto my Lord: wherefore I haue brought him forth vnto you, and specially vnto thee, King Agrippa, that after examination had, I might haue somewhat to write.

For me thinketh it vnreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to shewe the causes which are layde against him.

Then Agrippa sayd vnto Paul, Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe. So Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himselfe.

I thinke my selfe happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answere this day before thee of all the things whereof I am accused of the Iewes.

Chiefly, because thou hast knowledge of all customes, and questions which are among the Iewes: wherefore I beseech thee, to heare me patiently.

As touching my life from my childhood, and what it was from the beginning among mine owne nation at Hierusalem, know all the Iewes,

Which knewe me heretofore, euen from my elders (if they would testifie) that after the most straite sect of our religion I liued a Pharise.

And now I stand and am accused for the hope of the promise made of God vnto our fathers.

Whereunto our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day and night, hope to come: for the which hopes sake, O King Agrippa, I am accused of the Iewes.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead?

I also verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to doe many contrarie things against the Name of Iesus of Nazareth.

Which thing I also did in Hierusalem: for many of the Saints I shut vp in prison, hauing receiued authoritie of the hie Priests, and when they were put to death, I gaue my sentence.

And I punished them throughout all the Synagogues, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being more mad against them, I persecuted them, euen vnto strange cities.

At which time, euen as I went to Damascus with authoritie, and commission from the hie Priests,

At midday, O King, I sawe in the way a light from heauen, passing the brightnes of the sunne, shine round about mee, and them which went with me.

So when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voyce speaking vnto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kicke against pricks.

Then I sayd, Who art thou, Lord? And he sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.

But rise and stand vp on thy feete: for I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witnesse, both of the things which thou hast seene, and of the things in the which I will appeare vnto thee,

Deliuering thee from this people, and from the Gentiles, vnto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, that they may turne from darknes to light, and from the power of Satan vnto God, that they may receiue forgiuenes of sinnes, and inheritance among them, which are sanctified by fayth in me.

Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision,

But shewed first vnto them of Damascus, and at Hierusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Iudea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turne to God, and doe workes worthy amendment of life.

For this cause the Iewes caught me in the Temple, and went about to kill me.

Neuertheles, I obteined helpe of God, and continue vnto this day, witnessing both to small and to great, saying none other things, then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come,

To wit, that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light vnto this people, and to the Gentiles.

And as he thus answered for himselfe, Festus said with a loude voyce, Paul, thou art besides thy selfe: much learning doeth make thee mad.

But he said, I am not mad, O noble Festus, but I speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes.

For the King knoweth of these things, before whom also I speake boldly: for I am perswaded that none of these things are hidden from him: for this thing was not done in a corner.