The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Now therfore geve the knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the counsell that he bringe him forth vnto vs to morow as though we wolde knowe some thinge more perfectly of him. But we (or ever he come neare) are redy in the meane season to kill him.

When Pauls sisters sonne hearde of their layinge awayte he wet and entred into the castle and tolde Paul.

And Paul called one of the vnder captaynes vnto him and sayde: bringe this younge man vnto the hye captayne: for he hath a certayne thinge to shewe him.

And he toke him and sayd: Paul the presoner called me vnto him and prayed me to brige this youge man vnto the which hath a certayne matter to shewe the.

The hye captayne toke him by the hond and wet a parte with him out of the waye: and axed him: what hast thou to saye vnto me?

And he sayd: the Iewes are determined to desyre the that thou woldest brynge forth Paul to morowe into the counsell as though they wolde enquyre somwhat of him more parfectly.

But folowe not their mindes: for ther lyein wayte for him of the moo then .xl. men which have boude the selves with a vowe that they will nether eate ner drinke till they have killed him. And now are they redy and loke for thy promes.

The vpper captayne let the yonge man departe and charged: se thou tell it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thinges to me.

And he called vnto him two vnder captaynes sayinge: make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea and horsmen threscore and ten and speare men two houndred at the thyrde houre of the nyght.

And delyvre them beastes that they maye put Paul on and bringe him safe vnto Felix the hye debite

and wrote a letter in this maner.

Claudius Lisias vnto the most mighty rular Felix sendeth gretinges.

This man was take of the Iewes and shuld have bene killed of them. Then cam I with soudiers and rescued him and perceaved that he was a Romayne.

And when I wolde have knowen the cause wherfore they accused him I brought him forth into their consell.

There perceaved I that he was accused of questions of their lawe: but was not giltye of eny thinge worthy of deeth or of bondes.

Afterwarde when it was shewed me how that the Iewes layde wayte for the man I sent him strayght waye to the and gave commaundment to his accusars yf they had ought agaynst him to tell it vnto the: fare well.

Then the soudiers as it was commaunded the toke Paul and brought him by nyght to Antipatras.

On the morowe they lefte horsmen to goo with him and returned vnto the castle.

Which when they cam to Cesarea they delivered the epistle to the debite and presented Paul before him.

When the debite had redde the letter he axed of what countre he was and when he vnderstode that he was of Cicill

I will heare the (sayde he) when thyne accusars are come also: and commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes pallys.

After .v. dayes Ananias the hye preste descended with elders and with a certayne Oratour named Tartullus and enformed the ruelar of Paul.

When Paul was called forth Tartullus beganne to accuse him saying: Seynge that we live in great quyetnes by the meanes of the and that many good thinges are done vnto this nacion thorow thy providence:

that alowe we ever and in all places most myghty Felix with all thankes.

Notwithstondinge that I be not tedeous vnto the I praye the that thou woldest heare vs of thy curtesy a feawe wordes.

We have founde this man a pestilent felowe and a mover of debate vnto all the Iewes thorowe out the worlde and a mayntayner of the secte of the Nazarites

and hath also enforsed to pollute the temple. Whom we toke and wolde have iudged acordinge to oure lawe:

but the hye captayne Lisias came vpon vs and with great violence toke him awaye out of oure hodes

commaundinge his accusars to come vnto the. Of who thou mayst (yf thou wilt enquyre) knowe the certayne of all these thinges where of we accuse him.

The Iewes lyke wyse affermed sayinge that it was even so.

Then Paul (after that the rular him selfe had beckened vnto him that he shuld speake) answered: I shall with a moare quyet minde answere for my selfe for as moche as I vnderstonde that thou hast bene of many yeares a iudge vnto this people

because that thou mayst knowe that there are yet .xii. dayes sence I went vp to Ierusalem for to praye

and that they nether founde me in the temple disputinge with eny man other raysinge vp the people nether in the Synagoges nor in the cite.

Nether can they prove the thinges wher of they accuse me.

But this I confesse vnto the that after that waye (which they call heresy) so worshippe I the God of my fathers belevinge all thinges which are writte in the lawe and the Prophetes

and have hope towardes God that the same resurreccion from deeth (which they them selves loke for also) shalbe both of iust and vniust.

And therfore stody I to have a cleare consciece towarde God and toward man also.

But after many yeres I came and brought almes to my people and offeringes in the which they founde me purified in the temple nether with multitude nor yet with vnquyetnes.

Howbeit there were certayne Iewes out of Asia

which ought to be here present before the and accuse me yf they had ought agaynst me:

or els let these same here saye if they have founde eny evyll doinge in me whill I stonde here in the counsell:

except it be for this one voyce that I cryed stondinge amonge the of the resurreccion from deeth am I iudged of you this daye.

When Felix hearde these thinges he deferde them for he knewe very well of that waye and sayde: when Lisias the captayne is come I will know the vtmost of youre matters.

And he commaunded an vndercaptayne to kepe Paul and that he shuld have rest and that he shuld forbyd none of his aquayntauce to minister vnto him or to come vnto him.

And after a certayne dayes came Felix and his wyfe Drusilla which was a Iewas and called forth Paul and hearde him of the fayth which is toward Christ.

And as he preached of righteousnes temperaunce and iudgement to come Felix trembled and answered: thou hast done ynough at this tyme departe when I have a conveniet tyme I will sende for the.

He hoped also that money shuld have bene geven him of Paul that he myght lowse him: wherfore he called him the oftener and comened with him.

But after two yeare Festus Porcius came into Felix roume. And Felix willinge to shewe the Iewes a pleasure lefte Paul in preson bounde.

When Festus was come into the province after thre dayes he ascended from Cesarea vnto Ierusalem.

Then enformed him the hye prestes and the chefe of the Iewes of Paul. And they besought him

and desired faveour agaynst him that he wold sende for him to Ierusalem: and layde awayte for him in the waye to kill him.

Festus answered that Paul shuld be kept at Cesarea: but that he him selfe wold shortly departe thither.

Let the therfore (sayd he) which amonge you are able to do it come doune with vs and accuse him if ther be eny faute in the man.

When he had taried there moare then ten dayes he departed vnto Cesarea and the nexte daye sate doune in the iudgement seate and commaunded Paul to be brought.

When he was come the Iewes which were come from Ierusalem came aboute him and layde many and greveous complayntes agaynst Paul which they coulde not prove

as longe as he answered for him selfe that he had nether agaynst the lawe of the Iewes nether agaynst the temple nor yet agaynst Cesar offended eny thinge at all.

Festus willinge to do the Iewes a pleasure answered Paul and sayde: wilt thou goo to Ierusalem and there be iudged of these thinges before me?

Then sayd Paul: I stonde at Cesars iudgement seate where I ought to be iudged. To the Iewes have I no harme done as thou verely well knowest.

If I have hurte them or committed eny thinge worthy of deeth I refuse not to dye. If none of these thinges are where of they accuse me no man owght to delyver me to them. I appeale vnto Cesar.

Then spake Festus with deliberacion and answered. Thou hast appealed vnto Cesar: vnto Cesar shalt thou goo.

After a certayne dayes kinge Agrippa and Bernice came vnto Cesarea to salute Festus.

And when they had bene there a good ceason Festus rehersed Paules cause vnto the kynge sayinge: ther is a certayne man left in preson of Felix

about whom when I came to Ierusalem the hye prestes and elders of the Iewes enformed me and desyred to have iudgement agaynst him.

To whom I answered: It is not the maner of the Romayns to delyver eny man that he shuld perisshe before that he which is accused have the accusars before him and have licence to answer for him selfe concerninge the cryme layde agaynst him:

when they were come hidder with out delaye on the morowe I sate to geve iudgement and commaunded the man to be brought forthe.

Agaynst who when the accusers stode vp they brought none accusacion of soche thinges as I supposed:

but had certayne questions agaynst him of their awne supersticion and of one Iesus which was ded: whom Paul affirmed to be alyve.

And be cause I douted of soche maner questions I axed him whyther he wolde goo to Ierusalem and there be iudged of these matters.

Then when Paul had appealed to be kept vnto the knowledge of Cesar I commaunded him to be kept tyll I myght sende him to Cesar.

Agrippa sayd vnto Festus: I wolde also heare the man my selfe. To morowe (sayde he) thou shalt heare him.

And on the morowe when Agrippa was come and Bernice with greate pompe and were entred into the counsell housse with the captaynes and chefe men of the cite at Festus commaundement Paul was brought forth.

And Festus sayde: kynge Agrippa and all men which are heare present with vs: ye se this man about whom all the multitude of the Iewes have bene with me both at Ierusalem and also here cryinge that he ought not to lyve eny lenger.

Yet founde I nothinge worthy of deeth that he had committed. Neverthelesse seinge that he hath appealed to Cesar I have determined to sende him.

Of whom I have no certayne thinge to wryte vnto my lorde. Wherfore I have brought him vnto you and specially vnto the kynge Agrippa that after examinacion had I myght have sumwhat to wryte.

For me thynketh it vnreasonable for to sende a presoner and not to shewe the causes which are layde agaynst him.

Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: thou arte permitted to speake for thy selfe. Then Paul stretched forth the honde and answered for him selfe.

I thynke my selfe happy kynge Agrippa because I shall answere this daye before the of all the thinges wherof I am accused of the Iewes

namely because thou arte experte in all customes and questions which are amonge the Iewes. Wherfore I beseche the to heare me paciently.

My lyvynge of a chylde which was at the fyrst amonge myne awne nacion at Ierusalem knowe all the Iewes

which knew me from the beginnynge yf they wolde testifie it. For after the most straytest secte of oure laye lyved I a pharisaye.

And now I stond and am iudged for the hope of the promes made of God vnto oure fathers:

vnto which promes oure .xii. tribes instantly servynge God daye and nyght hope to come. For which hopes sake kynge Agrippa am I accused of the Iewes.

Why shuld it be thought a thinge vncredible vnto you that god shuld rayse agayne the deed?

I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to do many cotrary thinges clene agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth:

which thinge I also dyd in Ierusalem. Where many of the sainctes I shut vp in preson and had receaved auctorite of the hye prestes. And when they were put to deeth I gave the sentence.

And I punysshed them ofte in every synagoge and compelled them to blaspheme: and was yet more mad apon them and persecuted the even vnto straunge cities.

About the which thinges as I went to Damasco with auctorite and licence of the hye Prestes

even at myddaye (o kynge) I sawe in the waye a lyght from heven above the brightnes of the sunne shyne rounde about me and them which iorneyed with me.

When we were all fallen to the erth I hearde a voyce speakynge vnto me and sayinge in the Hebrue tonge: Saul Saul why persecutest thou me? It is harde for the to kicke agaynste the pricke.

And I sayde: Who arte thou lorde? And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest.

But ryse and stond vp on thy fete. For I have apered vnto the for this purpose to make the a minister and a witnes both of tho thinges which thou hast sene and of tho thinges in the which I will appere vnto the

delyverynge the from the people and from the gentyls vnto which nowe I sende the

to open their eyes that they myght turne from darcknes vnto lyght and from the power of Satan vnto God that they maye receave forgevenes of synnes and inheritaunce amonge the which are sanctified by fayth in me.

Wherfore kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the hevenly vision:

but shewed fyrst vnto them of Damasco and at Ierusalem and thorow out all the costes of Iewry and to the gentyls that they shuld repent and turne to God and do the ryght workes of repentaunce.

For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple and went about to kyll me.

Neverthelesse I obtayned helpe of God and cotynew vnto this daye witnessyng bothe to small and to greate saying none other thinges then those which the prophetes and Moses dyd saye shuld come

that Christ shulde suffre and that he shuld be the fyrst that shulde ryse from deeth and shuld shewe lyght vnto the people and the gentyls.

As he thus answered for him selfe: Festus sayde with a lowde voyce: Paul thou arte besides thy selfe. Moche learnynge hath made the mad.

And Paul sayde: I am not mad most dere Festus: but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes.