THE ACTS

OF THE

APOSTLES.

. I COMPOSED, O Theophilus, the former treatise con-

£ cerning all that Jesus took occasion both to do and teach till

the day when he was taken up, after giving a charge by the

Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, and to whom

3 he had, after his suffering, shewn himself to be alive, by many proofs, during forty days appearing to them, and speaking

4 of what concerned the kingdom of God. Then assembling them together, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard

5 from me.* For John indeed baptized in water, but you shall be baptized in a Holy Spirit not many days hence. When they

6 therefore were come together they asked him, saying, Lord, art thou at this time aljout to restore the kingdom to Israel ?

7 Whereupon he said to them, It is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father hath reserved in his own dispo-

8 sal. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the remotest part of the earth.

9 And having said this, while they were beholding [him] he

* See John 14. 26: 15.-26: 16,1. Luke 24. 49.

10 was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And as they continued looking stedfastly up to heaven, while he was going, behold! two men stood near them, robed in

11 white, who addressed them, saying, Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up to heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same manner as you have seen him going to heaven.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called

13 Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey* from it. And when they came in, they went up into the upper room, where Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, usually

14 made their abode. These all continued with one mind in prayer and supplication, with the women, particularly Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 And in those days Peter rising up in the midst of the disciples, (the number of persons assembled being about one hun-

16 dred and twenty) said, Men, brethren, It was necessary that this scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit predicted, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was

17 guide to them who laid hold on Jesus; because he was num-

18 beredwithus,and had a part of this service allotted him—(Now this man indeed had purchased! a field with the reward of his iniquity, and, falling on his face, had burst asunder, and all

19 his bowels gushed out; and this was so generally known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that the field is called in their

20 language, Akeldama, that is field of blood) "for it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his fold be desolate, and let tliere be no

21 inhabitant therein.^" And, His office let another take;\ It is necessary therefore, that one of these men who have accompanied us, during all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and

22 went out over us, beginning from the baptism of John to the day on which he was taken up from us, should be a witness

* About a mile. f That is, according to the Hebrew idiom,

had occasioned a field to be purchased,. t Ps. 69. 25, $109.8.

Vol. iv. n d

\

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23 with us of his resurrection." So they set up two, Joseph call-

24 ed Barsabas, who was surnamecl Justus, and Matthias. And having prayed, saying, "Thou, O Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew which of these two thou hast chosen to take

25 the share of this ministration and apostleship which Judas

26 abandoned to go to his own place," they cast lots; and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

II. Now when the day of pentecost * was fully come, they

2 were all with one accord in the same place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a mighty rushing wind, which

3 filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them separate tongues, as of fire, and it settled

4 on each of them. And they were all filled with a holy spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the spirit gave

5 them to make solemn addresses. Now there were residing at Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

6 So when this report spread, the multitude came together and

7 were confounded. Because every one heard them speaking in his own peduliar dialect; therefore they were astonished and expressed their amazement, saying one to another, Behold!

8 are not all these men who speak, Galileans"? How then do we

9 hear, every one in his own native tongue! Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia and Judea,

10 and Capadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt and the parts of Lybia about Gyrene, the Roman

11 strangers also both Jews and Proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them speaking, in our own tongues, the wonderful

12 dispensations of God. So they were all amazed and in suspense, saying to one another, What can be the meaning of

13 this ? But others scoffingly said, They are filled with sweet wine.

14 Whereupon Peter, as he was standing with the eleven, raised his voice and thus solemnly addressed them, " Men of Judea and all ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be made

15 known to you ; and listen attentively to my words : for these

* Pentecost the 5Oth day. See Lev. 23. 15, 16.

men are not drunk as you suppose; for it is but the third 1{> hour* of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet

17 Joel, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons and your daughters shall pro'phesy; and your young

18 men shall see visions; and your old men shall dream dreams; and upon my servants, and upon my handmaids, in those days I will pour out a portion of my spirit, and they shall prophe-

19 sy : and I will exhibit wonders in the heaven above, and signs

20 on the earth beneath—blood and fire and smoky vapour. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and illustrious day of the Lord.

21 And it shall come to pass, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.f'

22 "Men of Israel hear these words—Jesus the Nazarene, a man from God, pointed out to you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God performed by him among you, as you

23 yourselves know.—Him, being surrendered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken ; and by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain.—

24 Him God hath raised up, having loosed the bondsj of death, as it was not possible that he could be holden by it: for concerning him David saith, I saw the Lord continually before

25 me : because he is at my right hand that I may not be mov-

26 ed ; therefore my heart was gladdened, and my tongue exulted with joy ; and moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,

27 that thou wilt not leave my soul in the mansion of the dead,^

28 nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou with thy presence wilt fill me with joy.||"

29 " Men, brethren, permit me to speak freely to you concerning the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried;

30 and his sepulchre is among us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him with an oath, that from the fruit of his loins he would, as far as re- gardeth the flesh, raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he

31 spoke prophetically of the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul was not left in the mansion of the dead, nor did his flesh

32 see corruption.-—This very Jesus God hath raised up, of which

33 we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he hath poured out this which you now see

34 and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens; yet he

35 saith, " The Lord said to my lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.*" Therefore let all the

36 house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified, Lord and Christ.

37 Upon hearing this, they were pierced to the heart and said

38 to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men, brethren, What shall we do? Thereupon Peter said to them, Repent and let every one of you be baptized to the remission of sins for the name of Jesus Christ, and you will receive the gift of the Ho-

39 ly Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all them afar off, whomsoever the Lord our God may in-

40 vite." And with many other words he obtested and exhorted them, saying, " Save yourselves from this depraved genera-

41 tion." Then they who gladly received his word were baptized, and about three thousand souls were that day added; and con-

42 tinued stedfast in the doctrine of the apostles and in the com,

43 munity, and in the breaking of the loaf, and in prayers, and there was fear on every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 Now all they who believed were together, and had all

45 things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods

46 and distributed them to all, as any had need. And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at

47 home, they partook of food with joy and singleness of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added daily to the congregation them who were cured.

*Ps. 110. 1.

III. Now at the same time that Peter and John were going up

2 to the temple at the hour of prayer, namely, at the ninth hour,* there was a certain man carried up who had been lame from his birth, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, call-

3 ed Beauty-Gate, to ask alms of them who were going int\ the temple; who seeing Peter and John just about to enter the

4 temple, begged to receive an alms. Whereupon Peter and John

5 having fixed their eyes on him, Peter said, Look on us. Upon which he looked earnestly at them, expecting to receive some-

6 thing from them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold I have none. But what I have, that I give thee. In the name of Jesus

7 Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk. Then having taken him by the right hand he raised him up. And instantly his

8 feet and ankle bones were strengthened ; and leaping up, he stood; then walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 and recollected that he was the man who used to sit begging at the Beauty-gate of the temple, they were filled with wonder

11 and astonishment at what had happened to him. And while the lame man who was cured, kept hold of Peter and John, all the people in amaze crowded to them in the portico called So-

12 lomon's. Now when Peter saw this he thus addressed the people.

" Men of Israel, why wonder ye at this? Or why do ye fix your eyes on us, as if we by our own power or piety had made

13 this man walk? The God of Abraham, and Isaak, and Jacob— the God of our fathers hath glorified his servant Jesus whom ye delivered up. Yes, you renounced him in the presence of

14 Pilate, when he had determined to release him : you indeed renounced the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murder-

15 er to be granted to you. You indeed killed him who is the conductor to life, whom God hath raised from the dead, of which

16 we are witnesses. Now for the belief in his name, his name hath strengthened this man whom you see and know. Yes, the belief which is by him hath given this man this perfect sound-

17 ness in the presence of you all. And now brethren, I know that

Three o'clock afternoon, the time of the evening sacrifice.

it \vas through ignorance that both' you and your rulers acted

18 thus; and that what God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets—That The Christ Should Suffer, he hath thus

19 accomplished. Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be blotted out, that seasons of refreshment may come from the

20 presence of the Lord; and that he may send him who hath been

21 before hand proclaimed to you^-namely, Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive till the time of the consummation of all which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy pro-

22 phets of old: for Moses indeed said to the fathers, " The Lord your God will raise up for you from among your brethren a prophet like me. To him you must hearken according

23 to all that he shall speak to you; and whoever the person be who will not hearken to that prophet, he shall be cut off front

24 among the people.* All the prophets also from Samuel, even

25 as many of the following ones as have spoken, have likewise foretold these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham " And by thy seed all the families of the earth shall

26 be blessed.f" It is to you first that God, having raised up his son Jesus, hath sent him, blessing you, when you turn every one from his iniquities.

IV. Now while they were speaking to the people; the priests,

2 and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, displeased at their teaching the people and promulgating by Jesus the re-

3 surrection from the dead, came on them, and laid hands on

4 them, and put them in prison till the next day. For it was now evening. But many of those who heard the word believed. And the number of the men became about five thousand.

5 And on the morrow their rulers, and elders, and Scribes at

6 Jerusalem assembled, with Annas the chief priest, and Caia-

7 phas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the pontifical family; and having set them in the midst, they asked

8 by what power, or by what name, have you done this ? Then Peter being filled with a holy spirit, said to them,

9 Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if \Ve are this day 10 examined for a good deed done to an infirm man, by what means he hath been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Na- zarene, whom ye crucified—whom God raised from the dead

11 —by him this man standeth before you, perfectly cured. This is the stone that was rejected by you the builders, which

12 was for the head of the corner.* This cure indeed is by no other, nor is there any other name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved."

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and found that they were illiterate men, and in private stations of life, they wondered; and recollected their having been with

J4 Jesus. And seeing the man who was cured standing with 15 them, they could make no reply. So, having ordered them to

withdraw from the Sanhedrim, they conferred among them- 16» selves, saying, What can we do with these men? For that a

signal miracle hath indeed been done by them, is manifest to

17 all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But that it may not spread farther among the people, let us severely threaten them not to speak any more for this name to

18 any man. So having called them in, they gave them this general charge, not to make solemn addresses, noY teach, for the

19 name of that Jesus. But Peter and John in reply to them, said, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you ra-

20 ther than to God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the

21 things which we have seen and heard. So, having further threatened them, they dismissed them, not finding how to punish them, because of the people who all glorified God for

22 that which was done. For the man, upon whom this miracle of healing was performed, was above forty years old. So, be-

23 ing discharged, they went to their brethren and told them all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them; which when they heard, they with one accord raised their voice to

24 God and said, O Lord, thou art the God, who madest the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that are therein, who

25 by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, "Why did na-

26 tions rage, and tribes meditate vain things?"

* Ps. 118. 22.

"The kings of the earth combined, and the chiefs assembled together against the Lord and against his Axcri NTsD.*"

27 For indeed against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with nations and

28 the tribes of Israel, were gathered together, to do what thy

29 hand and thy council had determinately marked out beforehand to be brought to pass. Now with regard to present occurrences, look down, O Lord, on their threatenings, and ena-

30 ble thy servants to speak thy word with all freedom when thou stretchest forth thy hand for healing; and signs and. wonders are done by the name of thy holy child, Jesus. And while they

31 were praying, the place in which they were assembled was shaken. And they were all filled with a Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 Now the whole body of the believers were of one heart and one soul. And no one said that any of his goods were his own; but all things were common among them. And the apostles delivered with great power the testimony of the resurrection of

33 the Lord Jesus. And there was great thank fulness among them all; for there was not one indigent person among them: for as

34 many as were proprietors of lands or houses sold them and

35 brought the prices of the things sold, which being laid at the apostles' feet, distribution was made to every one according as

36 any had need. In particular Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, the signification of which is Son of Consolation, a Levite, and by birth a Cyprian, having an estate, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. But

V. there was a'certain man named Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira sold an estate and kept back a part of the price, his

2 wife also being privy to it. And having brought a certain part

3 he laid it at the feet of the apostles. Upon which Peter said, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit, and keep back a part of the price of

4 the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine? And when sold it was still at thine own disposal. Why then hast thou determined this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to

*Ps. 2. l,&c.

men, but to God. Upon hearing these words Ananias fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard

6 these things. Then the young men arose and having swathed

7 him, they carried him out and buried him. And about the space of three hours after, his wife, not knowing what had

8 happened, came in. And Peter said to her, Tell me ; did you

9 sell the land for such a price ? And she said, Yes, for so much. Thereupon Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed to try the spirit of the Lord ? Behold the feet of them, who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will

10 carry thee out. At that instant she fell at his feet and e»-

11 pired. And the young men coming in found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the congregation, and upon all that

12 heard these things; and by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people :

Now they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch,

13 and of the rest no one presumed to join himself to them, but

14 the people magnified them, and believers in the Lord, multi^

15 tudes both of men and women were more and more added so that in every street they brought out the sick and laid them on beds and couches, that the shadow of Peter as he went along might overshadow some of them.

16 But when the multitude also of the cities around flocked to Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented

17 with unclean spirits, who were all cured; the chief priest rising up, and all his party—the sect of the Sadducees, they

18 were filled with zeal, and laid their hands on the apostles and

19 put them in the common prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison ; and having

20 brought them out said, Go, and having taken your station in the temple, speak to the people all the words of this life.

21 Upon hearing this they went into the temple about break of day, and taught. Now when the chief priest was come with his party and had convened the Sanhedrim and all the elders of the children of Israel, they sent to the prison to have them

22 brought up. But when the officers went and did not find them in the prison ; they returned and made report, saying,

23 We found indeed the prison shut with all safety, and the

Vol. iv. r. e

guards without standing before the door; but on opening

24 we found no one within. And while the priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests, upon hearing these words,

25 were doubting how this could be, there came one who told them, saying, Behold! the men whom you put in prison,

26 are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then . the captain went with the under officers and brought them,

but without violence ; for they were afraid of being stoned by

27 the people. And when they had brought them, and set them before the Sanhedrim, the chief priest asked them, saying,

£8 Did we not strictly charge you not to teach for this name"? Yet behold you have filled Jerusalem with this doctrine of

29 yours and wish to bring that man's blood upon us. In reply to which Peter and the apostles said, We must obey God

30 rather than men. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, having caused him to be suspended

31 on a cross—even him, a chief leader and a Saviour, God hath exalted at his right hand to give repentance to Israel and

32 a remission of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit which God hath granted to them who obey him.

33 At hearing this they were cut to the heart, and consulted

34 to put them to death. But there stood up a man in the Sanhedrim—a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, in great esteem among all the people ; and having moved that

35 the apostles withdraw for a little while, he said to them, "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves how you proceed in regard

36 to these men. For some time ago Theudas started up, saying that he was an. extraordinary person, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was destroyed, and all that put confidence in him were broken up and

37 came to nothing. After him started up Judas, the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew a great many people after him. He also perished, and ali that put confidence in

38 him were dispersed. Now therefore on this occasion I say to you, Forbear from meddling with these men, and let them

39 alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men,-it will moulder away. But if it be of God you cannot annul it. Per-

40 adventure you may be found even fighting against God." So

to him they agreed: and having called in the apostles and scourged them, they charged them not to speak about the

41 name of Jesus and dismissed them. Thereupon they went from the presence of the Sanhedrim, rejoicing that they were

42 counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And every day, both in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and

publish the glad tidings, That Jesus is the Christ. VI. Now in those days, the number of the disciples being multiplied, there was a murmuring of the Hellenists* against the Hebrews that their widows were neglected in the daily

2 distribution. Wherefore the twelve having called together the multitude of the disciples said, It is not proper that we

3 should leave the word of God to attend tables: look out therefore, brethren, from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, full of a holy spirit and wisdom, whom we may ap-

4 point to this office. And as for us, we will continue in the constant exercise of prayer, and in the ministration of the

5 word. And this speech pleased the whole multitude. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and a holy spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenias

6 and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles, who having prayed, laid their hands on them.

7 So the word of God spread, and the number of disciples was greatly multiplied in Jerusalem, and a great multitude of the priests became obedient to the faith.

8 Now Stephen being full of faith and power performed mi-

9 racles and great signs among the people, and there arose some of the synagogue of the Libertini, as it was called, and of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia,

10 who disputed with Stephen; but not being able to withstand the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke, they suborned

11 men to say, We heard him speak blasphemous words against

12 Moses, and against God. And having stirred up the people and the elders and the Scribes, they came upon him and seiz-

13 ed him, and brought him to the Sanhedrim, and set up false witnesses, who said, This man is incessantly speaking blas-

14 phemous words against this holy place and the law ; for we heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to

15 us. And all who sat in the Sanhedrim, looking stedfastly at him, beheld hjs countenance, like the countenance of an angel.

VIT. Then the chief priest said, Are these things so ? Upon which he said,

2 Men, brethren and fathers hearken. The God of the glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopo-

3 tamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, Depart from this country of thine, and from thy kindred, and come

4 to the land which I will shew thee. Thereupon he went from the land of the Chaldces, and dwelt in Charran; and thence after his father died, God removed him to this land in which you now dwell, but gave him no inheritance in it; not even

5 a foot of land. He indeed promised that he would give it to him for a possession, even to his seed after him, though he

6 then had no child. And God spake thus—That his seed should sojourn in a strange land and be enslaved and afflicted:

7 four hundred years: and the nation which they shall serve I will judge, said God, and after that they shall come out and

8 serve me in this" place. Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham begat Isaak, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaak begat Jacob; and Jacob, the twelve

9 patriarchs. And the patriarchs, being moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him, and delivered him

10 out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler

11 over Egypt, and all his household. And there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan. It was indeed a great

12 affliction and our fathers found no sustenance. So when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers the

13 first time ; and on their second going down Joseph made himself known to his brothers; and Joseph's kindred was made

14 luiown to Pharao. Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and

15 all his kindred, amounting to threescore and fifteen souls. So

16 Jacob went down to Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were conveyed to Sychem, and deposited in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of £Chet, and in the field bought of*] Emmer the Sychemite.

17 And as the time approached for accomplishing the promise which God had made with an oath to Abraham, the people in-

18 creased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose,

19 who knew not Joseph. This king, mischievously politic against our family, ill treated our fathers, causing their children to be ex posed that they might not be preserved alive. At this time

20 Moses was born, who was exceeding beautiful, and was nurs-

21 ed up three months in his father's house. Being then ex posed, Pharao's daughter took him up and had him nursed for her

22 own son. So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom .of tlie Egyptians, and became mighty in council and in actions. And

23 when he was forty years old it came into his mind to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them in-

24 jured, he defended him and avenged the injury by killing the

25 Egyptian. Now he supposed that his brethren would understand that by his hand God was about to give them deliver-

26 ance. But they understood not, and on the next day when he shewed himself to them who were quarrelling and persuaded

27 them to peace, saying, Men, you are brethren, Why do ye injure one another? He who was doing his neighbour the in. jury thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a chief and a

28 judge over us? Dost thou mean to kill me as thou didst the

29 Egyptian yesterday? At this speech Moses fled and became a sojourner in the land of Madiam, where he became the father

30 of two sons. And when forty years were completed, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness at mount Sinai,

31 in a flame of fire in a bush, which when Moses saw, he was astonished at the vision. And as he was going near to view it, there came a voice of the Lord to him, " I am die God of thy

32 fathers—the God of Abraham, and die God of Isaak, and the God of Jacob." Upon which Moses trembled and durst not

33 view it. Then the Lord said to him, Loose the sandals from

34 thy feet, for the place where thou standest is holy ground.

* These words I have added to supply a line which appears to have been omitted by ancient transcribers.

I have indeed seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them. Now therefore come, I will send thee to Egypt. This Mbses

35 whom they rejected, saying, Who made thee a chief and a judge—this very person God sent as a chief and a deliverer by the hand of an angel who appeared to him in the bush—This

36 person brought them out by performing wonders and signs in

37 Egypt and at the Red sea, and in the wilderness, forty years. * This is the very Moses who said to the children of Israel, The

Lord your God will raise up for you, from among your bre-

38 thren, a prophet like me, to him you are to hearken. This is the person who was in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel who spake to him at mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us; to whom our

39 fathers would not be obedient, but rejected him, when with

40 their hearts they turned towards Egypt, saying to Aaron, Make gods for us to go before us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what is

41 become of him. So they made a calf in those days and brought a sacrifice for the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own

42 hands. Therefore God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. As it is written in the book of the Prophets, "Have you, O house of Israel, offered to me burnt offerings

43 and sacrifices, forty years in the wilderness? You have indeed taken up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your God Remphan—those types which you have made to worship them; therefore I will transport you beyond Babylon.*

44 The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, as he who spoke to Moses had ordered it to be made according to the pattern which he had seen. This taber-

45 nacle, which our fathers with Joshua received and brought into the territory of the nations which God drove out from before our fathers, continued till the days of David; who found

46 favour in the sight of God, and made it his petition to find a

47 habitation for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who

48 built a house for him. But the Most High dwelleth not in 49 temples made with hands. As the prophet saith, "The hea-

50 ven is my throne, and the earth, my footstool. What sort of a house will you build for me? saith the Lord. And of what sort shall be the place of my rest? Did not my hands make all these things?*"

51 O stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! Ye do

52 always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? Indeed they have slain them who prophesied concerning the coming of that Righteous one, of whom you have now become

53 the betrayers and murderers—you who have received the law through ranks of angels, but have not kept it.

54 At hearing this they were cut to the heart and gnashed

55 their teeth at him. But he being full of a holy spirit, having his eyes fixed towards heaven, beheld the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God: whereupon he said,

56 Behold! I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing

57 at the right hand of God. At which Uiey screamed aloud, and stopped jtheir ears and rushed upon him with one accord.

58 And having driven him out of the city they stoned him. And the witnesses laid their mantles at the feet of a young man named Saul, and stoned Stephen, invoking and saying, Lord

59 Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he kneeled down and cried CO with a loud voice, O! Lord, charge not this sin to their account;

and having said this he fell asleep.

VIH: Now Saul continued to express satisfaction at his death: and there was at that time a great persecution against the congregation which was at Jerusalem; and all, except the apostles, were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

2 While devout men were carrying Stephen to the grave and making great lamentation for him, Saul was making havock of

3 the congregation. Entering into houses and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.

4 They, however, who were dispersed, went about proclaim-

5 ing the glad tidings of the word; and Philip having come to a

6 city of Samaria, proclaimed to them the Christ. And the

* Es. 66. 1.

crowds with one accord attended to what were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signal miracles which he

7 performed. For unclean spirits, with which many were pos-

8 sessed, went out of them with loud outcries: and many paralytic and lame persons were cured. And there was great joy in that city.

9 Now there was a certain man, named Simon, who had heretofore practised magical arts in that city and astonished the nation of Samaria, pretending that he was an extraordinary

10 person, to whom all paid regard, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. To him indeed

11 they paid regard because for a long time he had astonished

12 them with his magical arts. But when they believed Philip's proclamation of the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both

13 men and women. And even Simon himself believed, and being baptized, he continued steadily with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles done, he was astonished.

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Pe-

15 ter and John, who having gone down, prayed for them that

16 they might receive a holy spirit. For it had not yet fallen on any of them, and they were only baptized to the name of the

17 Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they re-

18 ceived a holy spirit. When Simon saw that by the laying Chi of the hands of the apostles the holy spirit was given, he of-

19 fered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands he may receive a holy spirit.

20 Whereupon Peter said to him, let thy money with thee be for

21 destruction! Because thou hast thought that this free gift of God may be purchased with money, thou hast no portion nor share in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of

22 God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of thine; and beseech God, if indeed this thought of thy heart can be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art for bitter gall and for a bond of ini-

24 quity. In reply to which Simon said, Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which you have mentioned may come upon me.

25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they set out on their return to Jerusalem, and commu-

26 nicated the glad tidings to many villages of the Samaritans. In the mean while an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go southward on the road which leadeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, namely, the desert road. So he arose and

27 went. And lo! a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, a grandee of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was her high trea-

28 surer, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was on his return, was sitting in a chariot and reading the prophet Esaias.

29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and keep close to that

30 chariot. So Philip ran close up and heard him reading the prophet Esaias. Whereupon he said, Dost thou understand

31 -what thou art reading ? To which he replied, How can I un-

32 less some one guide me? Then he invited Philip to come up and take a seat with him. Now the passage of scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he openeth not

33 his mouth. In his humiliation his legal trial is taken away. Who will declare his manner of life? Because his life is taken from the earth.*"—And the eunuch addressing Philip, said,

34 Of whom, I pray thee, doth the prophet say this? Of himself,

35 or of some other person? Then Philip opened His mouth, and beginning with this scripture, told him the glad tidings of Je-

36 sus. And as they continued the journey, they came to a certain water. Whereupon the eunuch said, Behold! here is water. What hindereth my being baptized? And Philip said, If

37 thou believest with thy whole heart, it may be done. To which

38 he replied, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Then he ordered the chariot to stop. And they both went do\vh into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they came up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord conveyed Philip away. And the eunuch saw him no

40 more. For he proceeded on in his journey rejoicing, and Philip was found at Azotus. And passing on he proclaimed the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

* Esaias 53. 7, &c. VOL. IV. t f

IX. As for Saul he was still breathing out threatening anfl slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Having gone to the

2 chief priest, he asked letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he should find any of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. But

3 when he was on the road and drawing near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And having fal-

4 len on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,

5 Saul, Why persecutes! thou me?" And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom thou art persecuting. It is hurting thyself to kick against sharp pointed goads."

6 Whereupon he trembling and in amaze, said, Lord, What wouldst thou have me do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the city and it will be told thee what thou must do."

7 Now the men who accompanied him were amazed, hearing

8 indeed the sound, but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the earth. But as upon opening his eyes he saw nobody, they

9 led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was in Damascus a certain disciple named Ananias, And to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he

11 said, Lord, here lam. Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street, which is called Straight-street, and inquire at the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus; for behold he is pray-

12 ing, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in and laying a hand on him that he may recover sight. Upon

13 which Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in

14 Jerusalem; and he is here with authority from the chief priests

15 to bind all who invoke thy name. And the Lord said to him, Go: for this person is a vessel which I have chosen to bear my name before nations and kings and the children of Israel. For

16 I will shew him what he must suffer for my name. So Ananias

17 went and entered the house, and having laid his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, The Lord, even Jesus who appeared to thee on the road as thou earnest, hath sent me that thou mayst recover sight and be filled with a holy spirit. Upon this there fell

18 immediately from his eyes something like scales, and instantly he recovered sight. Then he arose and was baptized; and hav

19 ing taken some food, he was strengthened. And Saul was some

20 days with the brethren in Damascus, and forthwith, in the synagogues proclaimed Jesus,* that he is the son of God. At

21 which all that heard were 'surprised, and said, Is not this he who made havoc of them at Jerusalem, who invoked that name, and came hither on purpose to carry such bound to the chief

22 priests? But Saul was strengthened more and more, and con- Founded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this person is the C H R i s T .

23 Now when many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired

24 to kill him; and Saul was apprized of their plot. As they were

25 watching the gates day and night to murder him, the disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering

26 him in a basket. And when Saul came to Jerusalem and tried to associate with the disciples, they were all afraid of him, not

27 believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and told them, how he had on the road seen the Lord, who had spoken to him; and how he had spoken boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was

28 with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem, and speaking

29 boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke also and disputed with the Hellenists, and they attempted to kill him. But

30 when the brethren knew this they brought him down to Czesa- rea, and sent him on to Tarsus.

31 Now then the congregations throughout all Judea and Galilee, and Samaria, were enjoying peace. Being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord, and the consolation of the ho-

32 ly spirit, they were multiplied. And it came to pass that as Peter was passing through all, he came down also to the saints

33 who dwelt at Lydda and found there a man, named ./Eneas,

34 who was paralytic, and had been confined to his bed eight years. And Peter said to him, "^Eneas, Jesus, The Christ,

35 cureth thee. Arise and make thy bed." And he arose immediately. And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sarona saw him, and turned to the Lord.

36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha,

* I have adopted the reading Jesus, instead of Christ,

(the signification of which in Greek, is Dorcas [a Roe.]) This woman abounded in good works and in acts of charity. And

37 at this time she fell sick and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her out in an upper room. And as Lydda

38 was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, intreating him to come to them without

39 delay. Accordingly Peter arose and went with them. And when he came they took him up to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping and shewing the tunicks and mantles which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

40 Then Peter, having put them all out, kneeled down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. Up. on which she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, sat up. Then

41 Peter giving her his hand, helped her up, and having called the

42 saints and the widows, presented her alive. And this was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

43 And after this he continued many days at Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

X. Now there was at Czesarca a certain man named Corneli-

2 us, a centurion of that called the Italian cohort.* He was pious, and feared God with all his household, and did many acts of benevolence to the people, and prayed to God continually.

3 About the ninth hourf of the day, he saw plainly in a vision, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, Corneli-

4 us! Upon which he having fixed his eyes on him, and being terrified, said, Lord! what is it? Then the angel said to him, Thy prayers and thine acts of benevolence have ascended for

5 a memorial before God. Now therefore send men to Joppa and

6 call for Simon who is surnamed Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. He will tell

7 thce what thou must do. So when the angel who spoke to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of them who waited on him continually, and

8 having related to them the whole affair, he sent them to Joppa.

9 And on the next day while they were on their journey and approaching towards the city, Peter went up on the house top to

* See Matthew 27. 27. f That is, three in the afternoon.

10 pray, about the sixth hour.* Now he had become hungry and wished to take some refreshment; and while it was preparing he fell into a trance, and saw the heaven opened, and a kind of

11 vessel coming down to him, like a great sheet tied by the four corners, and let down to the earth, in which were all sorts of

12 four footed beasts of the earth, namely, the wild beasts and the

13 reptiles, and the birds of the air. And there came a voice to

14 him, Rise Peter; Kill And Eat. Whereupon Peter said, By no means, Lord. For I have never eaten any thing com-

15 mon or unclean. And a voice said to him a second time,¹ What God hath cleansed call not thou that common. And this was

16 done thrice, and then the vessel was again taken up into hea-

17 ven. And while Peter was in great doubt, what this vision which he had seen could mean, behold the men who were sent by Cornelius, having inquired out Simon's house, stood at the

18 gate, and calling, asked, Doth Simon who is surnamed Peter,

19 lodge here? And while Peter was pondering on the vision, the spirit said to him, Behold there are three men inquiring for tliee.

20 Arise therefore, get thee down and go with them, without any

21 cavilling, for I have sent them. So Peter went down to the men who were sent to him from Cornelius, and said, Behold I am he for whom you are inquiring. What is the cause of your

22 coming? They said, Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man, and one who feareth God, and is approved by the testimony of the whole Jewish nation, hath been divinely warned by a holy angel to send for thee to his house and receive instruction

23 from thee. Peter therefore, having invited them in, entertained them hospitably, and on the morrow he set out with them. And some of the bretliren who were of Joppa accompanied

24 him. And on the day following they arrived at Cassarea, Now Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together

25 his kinsmen and intimate friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and prostrating himself at his feet,

26 made obeisance. But Peter raised him up, saying, Rise up:

27 I am but a man. Then conversing with him he went in, and

28 finding many assembled he said to them, You know

unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew, to associate with or go to one of another nation: but God hath shewn me, that I ara

29 not to call any man common or unclean. For this cause, when I was sent for, I came without any hesitation. I ask therefore

30 on what account you have sent for me ? Thereupon Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting till this hour, and at

31 the ninth hour praying in my house. And lo! a man stood before me in splendid attire, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine acts of benevolence are remembered be-

32 fore God ; send therefore to Joppa for Simon who is surnam- ed Peter. He lodgeth at the house of Simon, a tanner, by

33 the sea side. He will come and speak to thee. Therefore I sent to thee immediately and thou hast done well in coming. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God, to hear all that God hath given thee in charge.

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I per-

35 ceive that God is not a respecter of persons; but in every nation he who feareth him and worketh righteousness is ac-

36 ceptable to him. According to the word which he sent to the children of Israel, when he published the glad tidings of

37 peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all. You know the affair which is spread through all Judea, taking its rise from Galilee after the baptism which John proclaimed respecting Jesus— him from Nazareth—how God anointed him with a holy

38 spirit and power. Him who went about doing good, and heal-

39 ing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him, and we are witnesses of all that he did both in the coun-

40 try of the Jews, and in Jerusalem.—Him, whom they slew, suspending him on a cross—even him God raised up the third day, and granted him to become manifest, not to all the

41 people, but to witnesses who were pre-appointed by God—to us who have eaten, and drunk with him after he arose from

42 the dead. And he commanded us to proclaim to the people and testify that he is the one determinatcly pointed out bv God

43 to be the judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that every one who believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins bv his name.

M

44 While Peter was yet speaking these words the holy spirit

45 fell on all them who heard this word. Whereupon all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the holy spirit was poured out upon the Gen-

46 tiles also. For they heard them speaking in divers languages

47 and magnifying God. Then Peter addressed them saying, Can any one on any account forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the holy spirit in the same

48 manner as even we did ? So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they intreated him to stay some days.

XI. Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, they of the circumci-

3 sion cavilled at him, saying, Thou hast gone to men who

4 are uncircumcised, and hast eaten with them. Thereupon

5 Peter stated to them the whole affair in order from the beginning, saying, I was praying in the city Joppa, and in a trance I saw a vision, a kind of vessel coming down, like a great sheet let down by the four corners, out of heaven, and it

6 came close to me. On which when I fixed mine eyes, I observed and saw the four footed beasts of the earth, namely

7 the wild beasts and the reptiles, and the birds of the air; and I heard a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter ; kill and eat.

8 But I said, By no means, Lord; For nothing common or

9 unclean hath ever entered my mouth. Thereupon a voice from heaven addressed me a second time, saying, What God

10 hath cleansed, call not thou that common. Now this was done

11 three times, then all were drawn up again into heaven. And lo ! at that instant three men arrived at the house where I was,

12 who were sent to me from Cccsarea. And the spirit commanded me to go with them without any scruple. Now there

13 went with me these six brethren. And when we came to the house of the man, he told us how he had seen in his house, the angel standing and saying to him, Send men to Joppa for

14 Simon, surnamed Peter, who will dictate to thec matters by

15 which thou and all thy household shall be saved. And when I had begun to speak, the holy spirit fell upon them as it did

16 upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord how he said, John indeed .baptized in water, but ye

17 shall be baptized in a holy spirit. If then God granted the same free gift to them as to us, who believed in the Lord

18 Jesus Christ, who was I, that I should obstruct God? Having heard this they acquiesced and glorified God, saying, God hath then indeed granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life.

19 Now they who had been dispersed by reason of the distress which arose about Stephen, had travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none but

20 Jews only. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who went into Antioch and spoke to the Greeks,*

21 proclaiming the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

22 When the report of this reached the ears of the congregation which was at Jerusalem, they sent forth Barnabas to go as for

23 as Antioch. And when he came and saw the grace of God, he was filled with joy and exhorted them all to adhere to

24 the Lord with a firm determination of heart. Because he was a good man and full of a holy spirit and faith, therefore a con-

25 siderable multitude was added to the Lord. Upon which Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek. Saul. And having found him

26 he brought him to Antioch. And for a whole year they assembled with this congregation, and taught a considerable multitude. And the disciples at Antioch first got the name of Christians.

27 And in those days there came down prophets from Jeru-

28 salem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus rising up signified by the spirit that there would very soon be a great famine throughout the whole inhabited land, which accord-

29 ingly came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Whereupon the disciples determined, every one according to his abi-

30 lity to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea. And. this they did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Bama.- bas and Saul.

XII. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his

f I adopt the reading of those manuscripts which have Greet not' Hellenists.

hands to afflict some of the congregation, and slew with the sword James the brother of John. And as he saw that this

2 pleased the Jews, he proceeded to apprehend Peter also. But

3 as this was during the days of unleavened bread, when he had apprehended him he put him in prison, committing him to

4 the custody of four quaternions of soldiers, intending to bring

5 him out to the people after the passover. So Peter was kept in prison; and there was earnest prayer to God made for him

6 by the congregation. And when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that very night, as Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, being bound with two chains; and the guards before the door were keeping watch, behold an angel of the

7 Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the prison. And touching Peter's side he roused him up, saying, Arise quickly. Upon which his chains dropped from his hands. Then the au-

8 gel said to him, Gird thyself and put on thy sandals; and when he had done so, then he saith to him, Throw thy mantle around

9 thee and follow me. So going out, he followed him, but did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought

10 he saw a vision. And having passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of its own accord. So, going out, they proceeded on through one street, and suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter coming to himself, said, Now I know certainly that the Lord hath sent his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jews. Then,

12 upon recollection, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, surnamed Mark, where many were assembled and

13 praying. And when Peter knocked at the door of the gateway,

14 a servant maid named Rhodu, went to inquire who was there. But knowing Peter's voice, she, for joy, did not open the gate,

15 but ran and told that Peter was at the gate. Upon which they said to her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was certainly so: then they said, It is his angel. As Peter

16 continued knocking, they opened the gate, and upon seeing

17 him, were extremely surprised. But he having beckoned to them with his hand to be silent, related to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and said, Tell this to James

Vol. iv. c g

and the brethren. Then departing, he went to another place. 18 Now as soon as it was day there was no small disturbance

among the soldiers, What was become of Peter. And Herod X9 having caused search to be made for him, and not finding him,

after examining the guards, he ordered them to be led away

to execution. Then departing from Judea, he went down to

20 Casarea and resided there. Now Herod was meditating a war against the Tyrians and Sidonians; but they with one accord waited on him, and having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they sued for peace, because their country was

21 subsisted by that of the king. And on a set day Herod arrayed in robes of state and seated on the throne, made a speech to

22 them, upon which the people shouted, It is the voice of a

23 god and not of a man! And instantly an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory. And being gnawed by worms he died.

24 Still the word of God increased and was multiplied; and

25 Barnabas and Saul, having fully performed their service, had returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John who was

XIII. surnamed Mark. Now there was in the congregation at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers, namely, Barnabas and Symeon called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Mana- em, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and

2 Saul. And whilst they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the holy spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul,

3 for the work to which I have called them. So having fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they dismissed them.

4 They then being sent forth by the holy spirit, went down to Seleucia, and thence sailed to Cyprus. And arriving at Sala-

5 mis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John for their attendant. And having

6 traversed the island till they came to Paphos, they found there

7 a magian, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Barjesus. He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding, who hud sent for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to

8 hear the word of God. But Elymas the Magian, (for thus his name is translated) set himself against them, endeavouring to

9 divert the proconsul from the belief. Upon which Saul, who is also called Paul, being filled with a holy spirit, and having

10 his eyes fixed upon him, said, O! full of alldeceit and of all wick- edness, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness; wilt thou

11 not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord! Now therefore behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shall be blind and shall nol see ihe sun for a season. And instantly

12 there fell upon him a mist and darkness. And groping about he sought some to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, upon seeing what was done, believed, being struck with awe at the doctrine concerning the Lord.

13 Now Paul and his company, having taken their departure from Paphos, came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John having

14 withdrawn from them, returned to Jerusalem. They, however, went on from Pcrga and came to Antioch, in Pisidia, and going into the synagogue on the sabbath day, they sat down.

15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men, brethren, if you have any word of consolation to the people, deliver it. Where-

16 upon Paul stood up and beckoning with his hand for attention,

17 said, Men of Israel and ye who fear God, hearken! The God of the people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm brought them out of it; and for the space of about forty

18 5'ears bore with their behaviour in the wilderness. And having

19 destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he distributed

20 their land among them. And after these things, which took up about four hundred and fifty years, he gave them judges

21 till Samuel the prophet. But from that time they desired a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, Forty years. Then having removed him,

22 he raised up for them David to be king, to whom he gave this testimony, " I have found David the son of Jesse, a man according to my heart, who will execute all my orders.*" Of his

23 seed God hath, according to promise, raised up for Israel a

24 saviour, namely Jesus, before whose appearance John proclaimed a baptism of reformation to all the people of Israel.

25 And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, I am not he

* Sam. 13.14. and Ps. 89. 20.

whom you suppose me to be; but behold he is coming after me, the latchct of whose shoe I am not worthy to untie.

26 Men, brethren, children of the race of Abraham, and those

27 among you, who fear God, to you the word of this salvation is sent. For the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their chiefs, not knowing him, have indeed by condemning him fulfilled the words of the prophets which are read every sabbath day.

28 Though they found no cause of death, they demanded of Pi-

29 late that he should be executed. And when they had accomplished all that was written concerning him, he was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. But God raised him

30 from the dead, and for many days he appeared to them who

31 came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are his

32 witnesses to the people. And we proclaim to you the glnd tidings with respect to the promise made to the lathers, That God hath fulfilled it to us their children by raising up Jesus, even

33 as it is written in the second psalm, " Thou art my son, this

34 day I have begotten thee"-—and that hefiath raised him from the dead never more to return to corruption, as he said, "I will

35 give you the gracious promises to David which arc faithful:* and therefore, in another place, he saith, "Thou wilt not suf-

36 fer thy holy one to see corruption.!" For David indeed, having in his generation answered the purpose of God, went to

37 rest and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption; but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

38 Be it known therefore to you, Men, brethren, that by this person remission of sins is proclaimed to you; and that by him

39 every one who believeth is acquitted from all those sins, from which you Could not be acquitted by the law of Moses. Take

40 hoed therefore that what is said in the prophets may not come

41 u :oa you—"Behold ye despisers, and express your amaze and vanish. For I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe, though one tell you.J"

42 And on their going out of the synagogue of the Jews, the Gentiles intreated that these things might be spoken to them,

43 in the interim* till the next babbath. And when the syna-

* Es. 35. 3. f Ps- 16.10. JHabak. I. 5.

gogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout prose- lytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and ex-

44 horted them to persevere in the grace of God. And on the

45 next sabbath almost the whole city was assembled to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with zeal and contradicted what was spoken by Paul; con-

46 tradicting and reviling. Whereupon Paul and Barnabas with great freedom of speech said, It was necessary that the word of

47 God should be first spoken to you. But since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of this everlasting life, behold we turn to the Gentiles; for thus the Lord hath commanded us, "I have set thee for the light of nations, that thou mayst be for salvation to the remotest parts of the earth.*"

48 Upon hearing this, the Gentiles rejoiced and glorified the

49 word of the Lord; and as many as were fitly disposed for ever, lasting life, believed. And the word of the Lord spread through

50 that whole region. But the Jews stirred up the devout women, even such as were women of rank, and the leading men of the city, and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and

51 expelled them out of their territories. Upon which they having shaken off the dust of their feet againstthem, went to Iconitim.

J2 Now the disciples were filled with joy and a holy spirit,

K.IV. and at Iconium they went in the same manner to the

synagogue of the Jews, and spoke so that a great number both

2 of Jews and Greeks believed. But the disbelieving Jews stir- red up and disaffected the minds of the Gentiles against the

3 brethren. They, however, staid there a considerable time, speaking boldly for the Lord \vho gave attestation to the word of his grace, and granted signs and miracles to be done by

4 their hands. So the multitude of the city were divided, some

5 siding with the Jews, and some with the apostles. But as a violent attempt was going to be made, both by the Gentiles and

6 Jews, with their chiefs, to assault and stone them, they having intelligence of it, fled to the cities of Lycaonia—to Lystra

7 and Derbe, and the region around; and proclaimed the glad tidings there.

* Esaias 49. 6.

8 Now at Lystra there sat a man who had no use of his feet,

9 being a cripple from his birth, who had never walked. This man was listening to Paul speaking, who fixing his eyes upon him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a

10 loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. Upon which he leaped

11 up and walked. When the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, and, in the Lycaonian dialect, said, "The Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." And

12 they called Barnabas, Jupiter: and Paul, Mercury; because he

13 was the chief speaker. And the priests of Jupiter's temple which was before their city, brought bulls with garlands to

14 the gates, and together with the multitude, desired to offer a sacrifice. But the apostles Barnabas and Paul, hearing of this, rent their clothes and ran in among the crowd, crying out and

15 saying, Men, why do ye these things? We are only frail mortals like yourselves, proclaiming to you to turn from these vanities to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth,

16 and the sea, and all the things which are therein; who in the ages

17 past suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways, though at the same time he did not fail to give an evidence of himself, by conferring favours, giving us rain from heaven and fruitful

18 seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with such speeches as these, they, with difficulty, restrained the pco-

19 pie from offering them a sacrifice. But there came thither some Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who, having gained over the populace and stoned Paul, dragged him out of the

20 city, supposing him dead. But while the disciples were around him, ne arose and went into the city. And on the morrow he

21 departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had proclaimed the glad tidings in that city, and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, and Iconium,

22 and Antioch, establishing and confirming the souls of the dis-

23 ciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith. And because we must enter into the kingdom of God through many afflictions; they therefore appointed ciders for them in every congregation, and having fasted and prayed, they recom-

24 mended them to the Lord in whom they believed. Then pass-

25 ing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphilia. And having spo-

26 ken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and thence sailed to Antioch, from which place they had been delivered up to the grace of God, for the work which they had now accomplished.

27 And on their arrival they assembled the congregation and told them all that God had done with them; and that he had opened the door of faith for the Gentiles.

28 Now when they had continued there a considerable time XV. with the disciples, there came down from Judea some

persons who taught the brethren, "Unless you be circumcised

2 after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved." Whereupon, as there arose a dissentkv, and Paul and Barnabas had no small debate with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and some from among themselves, should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, about this question.

3 They therefore, being forwarded on their journey by the congregation, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria; and by- declaring fully the conversion of the Gentiles, they gave great

4 joy to all the brethren. And when they arrived at Jerusalem they were well received by the congregation, particularly by the apostles and elders, and they gave an account of all that

5 God had done by them. Thereupon some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, rose up and said, that it was necessary to circumcise those, and order them to keep the law of

6 Moses. And the apostles and elders were convened to deli-

7 berate on this matter. And after much debate, Peter arose, and said to them, Men, brethren, you know that a good while ago, God made choice among us that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of these glad tidings and believe.

8 And God who knoweth the heart, bare witness for them, giv-.

9 ing them the holy spirit in the same manner as he did to us; and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their

10 hearts by belief. Now therefore why do ye try God, to put upon the neck of the disciples, a yoke which neither our fall thers nor we are able to bear; but we trust that we shall be saved by the favour of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the same

12 manner as they do. Upon this the multitude were silent and heard Barnabas and Paul, relating all the signs and wonders

13 which God hath done among the Gentiles by them. And when

14 they had done speaking, James answered and said, Men,brethren, hearken to me, Simeon hath related how God first looked down on the Gentiles, to tiflte from among them a

15 people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets

16 agree, as it is written. "After this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David which hath fallen—I will rebuild those parts of it which have fallen to decay, and those parts of

17 it which have been demolished, and raise it up again, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord—even all the nations who are called by my name, saith the Lord who doth all these

18 things.*" To God all his works are known from eternity;

19 therefore it is my judgmc-it not to disquiet those of the Gen-

20 tiles who turn to God; but to enjoin them to abstain from

21 the pollutions of idols, and fornication, and what is strangled, and blood, because from generations of old Moses hath in every city them who preach him, being read in the synagogue every sabbath.

22 It was then determined by the apostles and elders, when they with the whole congregation had chosen chief men from among them, to send with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, Judas, who is surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among

23 the brethren, by whom they wrote the following letter. " The apostles and the elders and the brethren, to the brethren from

24 among the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria and Cilicia, gretting. As we have heard that some who went out from among us have troubled you with discourses, unsettling your minds, saying, You must be circumcised and keep the law, though we gave

25 them no such injunction, we being all of one mind determined that after making a choice, we would send men to you with

26 our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have hazarded their

27 lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: wo have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who by word of mouth will tell you

28 the same things. For it hath seemed good to the holy spirit and to us to lay upon you, over and above thft things abso-

29 lutely necessary, no more- burden than these.—To abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and what is strangled, and fornication, from which you will do well to keep your-

. selves. Farewell."

*

30 So they being despatched came to Antioch and assem-

31 bling the multitude, delivered the letter, and when they had

32 read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. And as Judas and Silas were themselves also teachers, they with many dis-

33 courses exhorted the brethren, and established them. And having tarried some time they had leave to depart with peace

34 from the .brethren to the apostles. But Silas thought proper

35 to continue there. Paul also, and Barnabas, continued at Antioch, teaching and publishing with many others the glad tidings of the word of the Lord.

36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us, I pray thee, return and visit our brethren in every city where we have published the word of the Lord, to see how they do.

3-7 And Barnabas advised to take along with them, John sur-

38 named Mark. But Paul did not think it proper to take along with them one who had quitted them in Pamphylia, and had

39 not gone with them to the work. There was therefore a sharp dispute, so that they separated one from the other. And Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.

40 As for Paul, having chosen Silas and being commended by the brethren to the favour of God, he set out and passed through Syria and Cilicia, establishing the congregations and

XVI. then went down to Derbe and Lystra. And behold there was there a certain disciple, named Timothy, whose

2 mother was a believing Jewess, but his father was a Greek. He

3 was well spokenof by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium. This man Paul wished to go with him. So he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for

4 they all knew that his father was a Greek. And as they passed through the cities they "delivered to their keeping the deter- minations of the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

5* So the congregations were established in the faith, and grew daily more and more numerous.

6 Now when they had passed through Phrygia and Galatia, (having been restrained by the holy spirit from speaking the

7 word in Asia proper) coming towards Mysia, they attempted

8 to go to Bithynia, but the spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision ap.

9 pfeared to Paul in the night—it was a certain man, a Macedo-,

Vol. iv. H h

i

nian, standing and intrcating him, and saying, Cross over to

10 Macedonia and help us. Therefore as he saw this vision, we immediately endeavoured to go to Macedonia, concluding from it, that the Lord called us to publish the glad tidings to

11 them. So, embarking at Troas, we sailed directly to Samo- thracia, and the next day to Neapolis, and thence to Philippi,

12 which is a city of the first district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. And in this city we continued several days, and on the

13 sabbath day we went out of the city to the river side, where there was an established place of prayer,* and sat down and

14 spoke to the women who had assembled. And a certain woman, named Lydia, a dealer in purple, of the city of Thyati- ra, a worshipper of God, was listening. The Lord had opened her heart to attend to the things which were spoken by Paul.

15 And when she and her household were baptized, she intreat- ed us saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord

16 come and lodge at my house. So she prevailed upon us. And it came to pass, as we were going to the oratory, we were met by a certain female slave who had a spirit of Python, and

17 who brought her masters much gain by divining. This girl, following Paul and us, cried, saying, These men are the ser-

18 vants of the most high God. They are telling us the way of salvation. And this she did for many days. At length Paul, being troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to go out of her. And at that in-

19 stant it went out. When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them to the forum, before the magistrates. And having set

20 them before the generals of the army, they said, These men,

21 being Jews, trouble this city of ours exceedingly, and teach customs which it is not lawful for us, who are Romans to re-

22 ceive or practise. Upon this the populace rose up together

23 against them; and the generals ordered them to be stript and beaten with rods. And having inflicted on them many stripe's, they committed them to prison, charging the jailor to keep

24. them safely. He having received such a charge, thrust them

* Literally, a proseucha or oratory.

25 into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. And about midnight Paul and Silas, having prayed, sung a hymn

26 to God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the doors were instantly opened, and the

27 fetters of all dropped off. Upon which the jailor awaking, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drew his sword and was just going to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had es-

28 caped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself

29 no harm, for we are all here. Thereupon, calling for lights, he ran in, and-being in a tremour, prostrated himself before Paul

30 and Silas, and having brought them out, said, O sirs, What

31 must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy household.

32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all that

33 were in his house. And he taking them that very hour of the night, washed their stripes; and he and all his family were im-

34 mediately baptized. Then conducting them up to his house, he spread a table and rejoiced with all his family for having

35 believed in God. And in the course of the day the generals sent

36 the lictors, saying, Dismiss those men, When the jailor made

37 this report to Paul, The generals have sent that you may be discharged; now, therefore, depart and go in peace; Paul said to them, Having scourged us publicly without a trial, men who are Roman citizens, they have cast us into prison, and now dis-

38 charge us privately! No. Let them come themselves and take us out. When the lictors reported these words to the generals, they were terrified, hearing that they are Romans. So

39 they came and comforted them, and having taken them out, intreated them to leave the city.

40 Now when they came out of prison, they went to Lydia's, XVII. where seeing the brethren, they comforted them and

departed; and passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of

2 the Jews. And according to his custom, Paul went in among them; and for three sabbaths discoursed to them from the

3 scriptures, opening and stating that the Christ was to suffer .and rise from the dead, and that this Jesus whom I announce

4 to you is The Christ. And some of them were convinced,

and associated with Paul and Silas; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks; and of women of distinction not a few.

5 But the disbelieving Jews, affecting zeal, and collecting some ill disposed men of the lowest class, raised a mob and set the city in an uproar; and besetting Jason's housej sought to bring

6 them out to the people; but not finding them, they dragged Jason and some brethren before the magistrates of the city, crying out, Those men who have turned the world upside

7 down, are come here also; and Jason hath harboured them, though they all act contrary to the decrees of Czesar, saying,

8 There is another king, one Jesus. So they alarmed the muhi-

9 tude and the magistrates, who heard these things; and these having taken security of Jason and the rest, dismissed them.

10 Now the brethren had immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea, where being arrived, they went into

11 the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were of a more generous disposition than those of Thessalonica. They received the word with all readiness, daily examining the scriptures whe-

12 ther these things were so, and accordingly many of them believed, and of the Grecian women of rank, and of the men not

13 a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came thither

14 also and set the populace in a ferment; upon which the brethren immediately sent away Paul towards the sea. But Silas and

15 Timothy continued there. Now they who attended Paul conducted him to Athens, and having received his orders for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16 And while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit within him was greatly troubled, when he saw the city

17 overspread with idols. Therefore he discoursed in the synagogue to the Jews and proselytes, and in the forum daily to

18 them who met him. And while some of the epicurean and stoic philosophers* were conferring with him, some said, "What

* The Epicureans denied a divine Providence, and held the world to be merely the effect of chance, asserting pleasure to be man's chief good, and limiting his existence to the present state. The Stoics maintained the doctrine of an universal necessity, and proudly exalted their wise men.

would this retailer of scraps say?" And others, "He appeareth to be a proclaimer of strange deities." Because he proclaimed

19 the glad tidings of Jesus and the resurrection, therefore they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus,* say- ing, May we know what this new doctrine is which is spoken

20 by thee. For thou bringest some strange things to our ears.

21 .We wish therefore to know what these things mean. Now all the Athenians, and the foreigners who reside among them, spent their leisure time in nothing else but in telling and hearing

22 news. Paul then being placed in the midst of the Areopagus, said,

Men of Athens, I perceive from every thing I see, that you are exceedingly addicted to the worship of demons. For

23 as I passed along and beheld the objects and instruments of your devotion, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown Gon. Him, therefore whom you worship without

24 knowing him, I announce to you. He is the God who made the world and all the things which are therein. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He dwelleth not in temples made with hands; nor is he served by the hands of men, as needing any thing.

25 He is the giver of life and breath, and of all things, to all, and

26 hath made of one blood the whole nation of men to inhabit the whole face of the earth, having marked out times previously arranged in order, and the boundaries of their habitation, for

27 them to seek the Lord if haply they might feel, and find him, though he indeed is not far from any one of us. For in him we

28 live and are moved and exist—as some also of your own po-

29 ets have said, "For we his offspring are." Being therefore the offspring of God, we ought not to imagine the Deity to be like gold, or silver, or stone, wrought by the art and contrivance

30 of man. God indeed having overlooked the ages of this ignorance; now maketh proclamation to all men every where to re-

31 form, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world righteously, by a man whom he hath pointed out: of which he hath given assurance to all men, by raising him. from the dead.

* The supreme court at Athens.

32 When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some

33 made a jest of it; and some said we will hear thee again on

34 this subject. On which Paul went out from among them. But some men of rank adhered to him and believed, among whom was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus; also a woman of rank, named Damaris, and others with them.

XVIII. After this Paul departed from Athens and went to

2 Corinth, where finding a certain Jew, named Aquilas, a native of Pontus, who had lately come from Italy with his wife Pris- cilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart

3 out of Rome, he went to them; and being of the same trade, lived and wrought with them; for they were tentmakcrs.

4 And every sabbath day he discoursed in the synagogue, and

5 conciliated the affections both of Jews and Greeks. But when Silas and Timothy were arrived from Macedonia, Paul was

6 enrapt by the spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is The Christ. And upon their setting themselves against this, and using abusive language, he shook his garments, and said to

7 them, Your blood is on your own head. I am clear. Henceforth I will go to the Gentiles. So having left them, he went to the house of a certain person named Justus, a worshipper of God,

8 whose house was adjoining to the synagogue. Now Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, with all his household, believed in the Lord: and many of the Corinthians, when they heard,

9 believed and were baptized. And in a vision by night, the

10 Lord said to Paul, Be not afraid, but speak, and keep not silence; for I am with thee; and no one shall set upon thee to hurt

11 thee: for I have much people in this city. So he continued there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.

12 Now when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with

13 one accord rose against Paul and brought him to the tribunal,

14 saying, This person persuadeth men to worship God, contrary to the law. And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gal-

.lio said to the Jews, If it were indeed some act of injustice or malicious villainy, I could with reason, O Jews, bear with you.

15 But if it is a question about a word, or names, or your law, you may look to it yourselves; for I will not be a judge of such

16 matters. So he drove them from the tribunal. Then all the

17 Greeks took Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, and beat

him before the tribunal. But Gallio did not concern himself in the affair.

18 After this Paul having continued there a considerable time longer, took leave of the brethren and sailed to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquilas, having shaved his head at Cenchrea, for he had a vow : and touching at Ephcsus he left

19 them there. He indeed having gone to the synagogue dis-

20 coursed to the Jews ; but though they requested him to tarry

21 longer with them he would not consent, but took his leave of them, saying, I must by all means keep the ensuing festival at Jerusalem. But 1 will come back to you again, if God per-

22 mit. So, sailing from Ephesus he arrived at Casarea; and

23 having gone up and saluted the congregation, he went down to Antioch where he spent some time, and then departed and passed successively through Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples.

24 In the mean while a certain Jew named Apollos, born

25 at Alexandria, an eloquent man, had come to Ephesus. This man being well versed in the scriptures, had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and expounded accurately the passages concerning the Lord,

26 being acquainted only with the baptism of John. And when he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, Aquilas and Priscilla, having heard him, took him home and explained to him

27 more accurately the way of God. And as he was desirous to go to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him. And being arrived there he by his

28 gift greatly assisted them who had believed, for he strenuously confuted the Jews in public, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus is The Christ.

XIX. Now while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper provinces came to Ephesus, where finding

2 certain disciples he said to them, Did you receive a holy spirit when you believed ? Upon which they said to him, We have

3 not so much as heard that a holy spirit is [received.*] There - upon he said to them, To what then were ye baptized ? And

4 they said, To the baptism of John. Then Paul said, John indeed baptized the baptism of reformation, telling the people that they should believe in one coming after him, namely in

5 Jesus The Christ. Upon hearing this they were baptized

6 to the name of the Lord Jesus; and Paul having laid his hands on them, the holy spirit came upon them and they spoke

7 with tongues and prophesied. Now they were in all about twelve men.

8 Now having gone to the synagogue he spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and recommending the things con-

9 cerning the kingdom of God. But as some were stubborn disbelievers and continued to revile the way before the multitude, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples,

10 discoursing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this he continued to do for the space of two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word

11 of the Lord Jesus. And God wrought extraordinary miracles

12 by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs and aprons were carried from his body to them who were sick, and the diseases were removed from them, and evil spirits went out of them.

13 Upon this some of the strolling Jewish exorcists attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus, over them who had these evil spirits, saying, " We adjure you by that Jesus whom

14 Paul proclaimeth" Now there were seven sons of one Sceva,

15 a Jewish chief priest, who did this. Upon which the evil spirit in reply said, Jesus I kno\v, and I have some knowledge of

16 Paul: but who are ye ? Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, springing upon them, and getting a mastery over them, prevailed against them so that they fled out of his house

17 naked and wounded. And this was known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them

18 all. And the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many of them who believed came and confessed, and made a

19 public acknowledgment of their deeds. And several of them having practised magical arts, brought their books and burned them publicly, the value of them by computation amounting

20 to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So powerfully did the word of the Lord increase and prevail.

31 Now when these things were accomplished, Paul resolved in his mind, after passing through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem, saying, after 1 have been there, I must also

22 see Rome. So having sent forward two of them who attended him, namely Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he him-

523 self tarried some time in Asia. And during that time there

24 was a considerable disturbance about this way. For one Demetrius, a silversmith, a maker of silver shrines of Diana,

25 kept in employ a great number of artists ; and having assembled these and the workmen of like occupation, he said, "Men, you know that on this manufacture dependeth our mainte-

26 nance. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasion hath perverted a vast multitude, saying that they which are made

27 with hands, are not gods. So that not only this occupation of ours is in danger of being brought into disrepute; but the temple also of the great goddess Diana, of .being set at naught; and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world wor- shippeth."

28 Upon hearing this and being full of rage they shouted,

29 saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion. And they rushed with one accord into the theatre, dragging along with them Gaius and Aris-

30 tarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's fellow travellers. Upon this Paul had a mind to go to the people, but the disciples

31 did not permit him. And some of the chiefs of Asia also, who were his friends, sent to him and advised him not to venture

32 into the theatre. Now some cried one thing; and some, another. For the congregation was in the utmost confusion, and the greater part did not know for what particular purpose they

33 had convened. But when they had thrust Alexander out of the crowd, the Jews pushing him forward, and Alexander waving his hand wished to make a defence to the people, they

34 knowing that he was a Jew, there was, for about two hours, one continued shout from all, crying out, Great is Diana of

35 the Ephesians. At length the recorder having stilled the crowd, said, Men of Ephesus, who is there who doth not know that the cky of the Ephesians is a humble devotee of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell from Jupiter?

Vol. iv. i i

36 Since these things are incontestable you ought to be quiet, and

37 to do nothing rashly. For you have brought hither these men, who have neither violated things sacred, nor reviled your

38 goddess. If now Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have an action against any one, the courts are open and there are pro-

39 consuls to judge: let them bring their suits. And if you seek any thing in respect to other matters, let it be discussed in a

40 legal assembly of the people. For we indeed are in danger of being called in question for this day's riot, there being no cause which we can assign for this tumultuous concourse. Having said this, he dismissed the assembly.

XX. Now this tumult being over, Paul sent for the disciples,

2 and having embraced them, he set out to go to Macedonia. And when he had gone through those parts, and comforted

3 them with many a discourse, he came to Greece, where having spent three months, as an ambush was laid for him by the Jews just as he was on the point of embarking for Syria, he

4 thought it advisable to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him to Asia, Sopater the Berean; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gains, of Der- be; and Timothy; and the Asiatics, Tychicus, and Trophimus.

5 These having gone before, waited for us at Troas; ajid we, af-

6 ter the days of unleavened bread, set sail from Philippi, and in five days came to them at Troas, where we staid seven days.

T And on the first day of the week when the disciples assembled to break bread, Paul, being about to depart on the morrow, discoursed with them, and lengthened out the discourse till

8 midnight. Now in the upper room where they were assera-

9 bled, there were many lamps. And a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in an open window, bending backwards in a deep sleep, was, while Paul was continuing his discourse, bent quite back with the sleep, and fell from the

10 third story, and was taken up dead. But Paul going down, threw himself upon him, and taking him in his arms, said,

11 Be not troubled, for his life is in him. Then going up again, and having broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them'a considerable time, even till break of day, and so departed.

12 Now when they brought up the lad alive and were not a little comforted, we went before to the ship and sailed to Assos 13 where we were to take in Paul. For so he had ordered, intend-

14 ing himself to go by land. And when he mei us at Assos we

15 took him in and came to Mitylene. And sailing thence we came the next day over against Chios, and on the day following reached Samos. And after stopping at Trogyllium, we came the next day to Miletus. For Paul had determined to

16 sail by Ephesus, that he might not spend time in Asia, for he was earnestly desirous, if it were possible for him, to be at Jc-

17 rusalem on the day of Pentecost. So from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called hither the elders of the congregation. And

18 when they came to him, he said to them,Youknowhowfrom my first coming into Asia, I have been with you all the time, serving

19 the Lord with all humility, and with many tears and trials which

20 befel me by the insidious practices of the Jews—how I have never shrunk from those things which are advantageous—from announcing to you and teaching you publicly and privately,

21 attesting both to Jews and Greeks the turning of the mind to

22 God, and the belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now behold I am going up to Jerusalem, bound by the spirit, not knowing

23 the things which shall befal me there, save only that the Holy spirit testifieth in every city, saying, That bonds and afflictions

24 await me. But I make no account of any of these, nor is this life of mine so much my concern as to finish with joy my course—even the office which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the favour of God. And

25 now behold I know that all you among whom I have gone proclaiming the reign of God, shall no more see my face;

26 therefore I testify to you this day that I am clear from the

27 blood of all men. For I have not shrunk from declaring to

28 you the whole counsel of God. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to the whole flock among which the holy spirit hath made you overseers to tend the congregation of God which

29 he hath purchased with his own blood. For this I know, that after my departure there will enter in among you grievous

50 wolves, not sparing the flock. Yes, even from among yourselves men will start up, speaking perverse things to drawthe disciples

51 after them. Watch therefore, remembering that for the space of three years I did not cease, night nor day, with tears to

i2 warn every one. And now with regard to these things I re-

comtnend you, brethren, to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance

33 among all who are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver

34 or gold, or raiment. Even you yourselves know that these ve- ry hands have ministered to my wants, and to the supply of

35 them who were with me. On all occasions I have suggested to you that you ought thus to labour, and support the indigent, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, "It is a greater happiness to give, than to receive."

36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down with them

37 all and prayed. And there was great weeping among them all; and they fell upon Paul's neck and kissed him, being more

38 particularly afflicted at his having said, that they should see his face no more.

XXI. Then they conducted him to the ship; and soon as we were parted from them and clear of the land, keeping a straight course we came to Coos, and the next day to Rhodes, and

2 thence to Patara; where finding a vessel bound to Phoenicia,

3 we went aboard and set sail. And coming in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on the left, we sailed for Syria and arrived at

4 Tyre; for the ship was to land her cargo there. And having by diligent inquiry found out the disciples, we staid there seven days. Some of these told Paul by the spirit not to go up to

5 Jerusalem. But when these days were ended, we set out on our departure, they, with women and children, all attending us

6 out of the city, and kneeling down on the sea shore, we prayed; then having saluted each other, we embarked, and they

7 returned home. And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren,

8 staid with them one day. And on the morrow we who were Paul's company, departed and came to Caesarea, and going to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven,

9 we abode with him. Now he had four virgin daughters who 10 were prophetesses.* And after we had been there several days .

there came down from Judea a prophet named Agabus, who coming to us and taking Paul's girdle, bound his own hands

11 and feet and said, Thus saith the holy spirit, So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man, whose girdle this is, and deliver

12 him into the hands of the Gentiles. Upon hearing this both

13 we and they of that place in treated him not to go up to Jerusalem. But Paul answered, Why make ye this ado, weeping and breaking my heart? As for me, I am ready, not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the

14 Lord Jesus. So, as he could not be prevailed on, we acqui-

15 esced, saying, The will of the Lord be done. And after those days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. And some of

16 the disciples came with us from Csesarea and brought us to one Mmson, a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we were to lodge.

17 Now when we arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received

18 us with joy. And on the day following Paul went with us to

19 James. And when all the elders were come, he saluted them and gave them a particular account of all that God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry; which when they heard,

20 they glorified the Lord, and said to him, Thou seest, brother, how many myriads there are of believing Jews, and they are

21 all zealous observers of the law. Now they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor walk in the established rites.

22 What then is to be done ? At all events the multitude must needs assemble; for they will hear that thou art come. Do this

23 then which we tell thee: there are four men with us who have

24 a vow upon them. Take these and purify thyself with them, and be at charges for them that they may shave their heads; and that all may know that there is nothing in those things of which they have been told concerning thee; but that thou thy-

25 self walkest regularly, keeping the law. Now with respect to the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent them our decision; that they are not to observe such things, but only to abstain from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.

:26 So Paul took the men, and the next day being purified with them he went into the temple, announcing the full term of the days of the purification, even to the time when the offering for each of them was to be made; but as the Beven days* were to

27 be completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the tern- pie, threw all the multitude into confusion, and laid hands on him,

28 crying out, Men of Israel help; This is the man who is continually teaching all men every where against the people and the law and this very place; and moreover he hath brought Greeks

29 into the temple and deGled this holy place. (For they had before seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, in the city with him, and

30 imagined tliat Paul had brought him into the temple.) Upon this the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people; and laying hold on Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. And while

31 they were seeking to kill him, a report came to the commander of the cohort that all Jerusalem Was in commotion. Upon

32 which he instantlv took soldiers and centurions and ran in

¥

among them. And when they saw the commander and the sol-

33 diers, they left off beating Paul. Then the commander drew near and arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two

34 chains, and demanded who he was and what he had dorte. And as some in the crowd cried one thing, and some another, and he could not know the certainty by reason of the tumult, he

35 ordered him to be brought into the castle. And when he was on the stairs it happened that Paul was carried up by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the crowd. For the multi-

36 tude of the people followed, crying, Away with him. So, when

37 Paul was just about to enter the castle, he said to the commander, May I be favoured with a word to thee? Upon which

38 he said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art thou not the Egyptian who some time ago raised an insurrection, and led out into the

39 wilderness four thousand of the assassins? Thereupon Paul said, I am indeed a Jew of Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no inconsiderable city, I intreat thee therefore, permit me to

40 speak to the people. And on his giving permission, Paul standing on the stairs waved his hand to the people; and a great silence taking place, he addressed them in the Hebrew dialect,

14—_

* See Numb* 6. 9, 10.

XXII. saying, Men, brethren and fathers, hear my defence

2 which I now make to you. (And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, they were the more si-

3 lent, whereupon he said,) I indeed am a Jew, born at Tarsus, in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, instructed accurately at the feet of Gamaliel in the law of our fathers, being a zealous

4 worshipper of God as you all are at this day; one who perse -

5 cuted this sect to death, binding and delivering into custody both men and women, as even the chief priest and the whole Sanhedrim can witness for me; from whom when I had received letters to the brethren at Damascus, I went with a design to bring those also who were there, in chains to Jerusalem,

6 that they might be punished. But it came to pass that when I was on the journey and drawing near to Damascus, about mid-day, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around

7 me. Upon which I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saving to me, Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? And I an-

8 swered, Lord, who art thou? And he said to me, I am Jesus

9 tlie Nazarene, whom thou art persecuting. Now they who were with me saw indeed the light and were terrified, but did

10 not hear the voice of him who spake to me. Then I said, Lord, what am I to do? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go to Damascus, and there thou shall be told of all that is appointed

11 for thee to do. But as I could not see, by reason of the glory of that light, being led by them who were with me, I went to

12 Damascus, where one Ananias, a devout man according to

13 the law, in high repute with all the Jewish inhabitants, came to me, and standing near me, said, Brother Saul, look up.

14 And that instant I looked up upon him. Then he said, The God of our fathers hath prepared thee to know his will and

15 to see the righteous one, and to hear a voice from his mouth, that thou mayst be a witness for him to all men of what thou

16 hast seen and heard. Now therefore why delayest thou? Arise, baptize and wash thee from thy sins, calling upon the name

17 of the Lord. And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance and

18 saw him saying to me, Make haste and depart speedily out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony conceni-

19 ing me. Whereupon I said, Lord, they know that I am one who imprisoned and scourged in the synagogues them who

20 believed in theej and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I was standing by and gladly consenting to the slaughter of him, and watching the clothes of them who were

21 killing him. And he said to me, Depart, for I will send thec to far distant nations.

22 Now till that Word they had continued listening to him; then they raised their voice saying, Away with such a one

23 from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. And as they continued to cry aloud and were casting off their mantles and

24 throwing dust in the air, the commander ordered him to be - brought into the castle and examined by scourging that he

might know for what cause they raised such an outcry against

25 him. But while they were straining him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to

26 scourge a man who is a Roman, and hath not had a trial. Upon hearing this the centurion went to the commander and told him, saying, Consider what thou art about to do; for this man

27 is a Roman. Thereupon the commander came and said to

28 him, Tell me. Art thou a Roman ? And he said, Yes. The commander replied, I bought that right of citizenship with a

29 large sum. And Paul said, I had it by birth. They therefore who were going to put him to the question, departed from him immediately. And the commander was afraid, knowing that

30 he was a Roman, and that he had been tying him up. And on the next morning, as he was desirous to know certainly what it was of which he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the chains and ordered the chief priests and their whole Sanhedrim to meet; and having brought Paul down he set him before them.

XXIII. Then Paul having fixed his eyes on the Sanhedrim said, Men, brethren, I have conducted myself with an entire

2 good conscience as a subject of God even to this day. Upon which the chief priest Ananias ordered them who stood by him

3 to smite him on the mouth. Whereupon Paul said to him, God is about to smite thee, thou whited wall! Dost thou sit to judge according to the law, and in defiance of the law order

4 me to be smitten? Upon this the bystanders said. Dost thou

5 revile the chief priest of God ? And Paul said. Brethren, I was not aware that he is chief priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.*

6 Paul then perceiving that the one part were Sadducees; and the other Pharisees, cried aloud in the Sanhedrim, Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee. For a hope even of a resurrection of the dead I am now to be judged.

7 And on his saying this there arose a dissention between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.

8 For the Sadducees say, There is no resurrection nor any angel

9 nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge both. And there was a great clamour. And the Scribes, siding with the Pharisees, arose and contended, saying, We find nothing amiss in this man. If a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us

10 not fight against God. And as the tumult increased, the commander, apprehensive that Paul might be torn in pieces by them, ordered the army to march down and take him from among them and bring him into the castle.

11 Now the night following, the Lord standing by him said, " Paul be of good courage; for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome

12 also." And in the course of the day some of the Jews, having entered into a conspiracy, bound themselves by the solemn Anathema, saying they would neither eat nor drink till they

13 had killed Paul. And there were more than forty who took this oath, and who went to the chief priests and elders and

14 said, We have bound ourselves by the solemn Anathema not

15 to taste any thing till we have slain Paul. Now therefore do you with the Sanhedrim make application to the commander that he may bring him down to you to-morrow, as being about to examine his affair more minutely. And as for us,

16 before he come near, we are prepared to kill him. But Paul's sister's son hearing of the plot, went to the castle and being

17 admitted told Paul. Whereupon Paul called one of the centurions and said, Introduce this young man to the commander,

18 for he hath something to tell him. He therefore took him along and conducting him to the commander said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and desired me to introduce tothee

».. _ ...— , . , .„ i ii —- - ~ — ------ ~^tl - T

* Ex. 22. 28.

VOL. IV. Kk

19 this young man who hath something to tell thee. Thereupon the commander took him by the hand, and retiring to a pri-

20 vate place asked, What is it that thou hast to tell me ? And he said, The Jews have agreed to request thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to the Sanhedrim, under a pretence of making

21 some more minute inquiry concerning him; but be not prevailed on by them ; for there are more than forty men of them in ambush, who have bound themselves by a solemn anathema not to eat nor drink, till they have killed him, and they are

22 now ready, expecting this promise from thee. Upon this the commander dismissed the young man with this charge, Tell

23 no one that thou hast given me this information. Then calling two of the centurions he said, Get ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cassarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hun-

24 dred spearmen, by the third hour of the night and provide beasts that they may mount Paul and conduct him safe to Fe-

25 lix the general. Then he wrote a letter of which this is a copy.

26 Claudius Lysias to his excellency general Felix, health and happiness.

27 This man was seized by the Jews and just upon the point of being slain by them, when I came with the army and res-

28 cued him. Having learned that he is a Roman and being desirous to know the crime of which they accused him, I took

29 him down to their Sanhedrim, and found that he was accused of matters touching questions of their law, but had done no-

30 thing that deserved death or imprisonment. But receiving intelligence of a plot against the man, which the Jews were in act to execute, I have sent him to thee and directed his accusers to lay before thee their charges against him. Farewell.

31 The soldiers therefore, pursuant to their orders, took Paul

32 and conducted him that night to Antipatris and on the morrow returned to the castle leaving the horse to go on with

33 him. These on their arrival at Caesarea delivered the letter to

34 the general and presented Paul to him. And when the general had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was.

35 And being informed that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee. said he, when thy accusers arc also come. And he ordered him to be kept in Herod's pnetorium.

XXIV. And after five days the chief priest, Ananias, camr down with the elders and one Tertullus, an orator, and laid

'2 before the general an accusation against Paul. And he being called up, Tertullus began the accusation, saying,

3 As we enjoy great peace by thy means, and from thy prudent administration great benefits result to this nation, we on all occasions and every where acknowledge this, most ex-

4 cellent Felix, with all gratitude. But that I may not further trouble thee, I beseech thee to hear us in brief with thy usual

5 indulgence. For having found this man to be a pest and a mover of sedition, among all the Jews, through the whole empire, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and

6 who attempted to profane even the temple, we apprehended him, and would have judged him according to our law; but

7 Lysias the commander coming with a strong force, took him

8 out of our hands and ordered his accusers to come to thee. By examining the man himself thou canst gain a full knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him.

9 And the Jews gave assent, affirming that these things were so.

10 In answer to this, when the general beckoned to him to speak, Paul replied.

Knowing that thou hast been for many years a judge to

11 this nation, I enter upon my defence with the more cheerfulness, as thou canst know that it is not more than twelve days

12 since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. And they neither found me disputing with any man in the temple ; nor raising

13 sedition among the people, either in the synagogues or in the city : nor can they prove any of the things which they now lay

14 to my charge. But this I confess to thee, that after the way which they call a sect, 1 worship the God of our fathers, believ-

15 ing all the institutes of the law and the writings of the prophets; having a confidence in God, which they themselves also entertain, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of

16 the just and the unjust; and with this I exercise myself to have a conscience void of ofience before God and men con-

17 tinually. Now after many years I went to bring contributions for my nation and religious offerings; in which [services]

18 some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, with-

19 out crowd or tumult. Those ought to have been present before thee, and to bring their accusation, if they had, any against

20 me. Or let these men themselves say whether, when I stood before the Sanhedrim, they found any crime in me ; unless

21 it be for this single expression which I uttered while standing among them, " That for the resurrection of the dead I am this day to be judged by you."

22 When Felix heard these things he put them off, saying, Having gained a more accurate knowledge of the things respecting this way when Lysias the commander comes down, I

23 will inquire fully into your business. And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul be kept in custody, not closely confined ; and that none of his friends be hindered from assisting

24 him or coming to him. And after some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and

25 heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And while Paul was discoursing concerning justice and temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix, being terrified, said, Go thy way for

26 the present, and when I find a convenient time I will send for thee : hoping withal that money would be given him by Paul that he might discharge him, and for this cause he sent

27 for him the oftener, and conversed with him. After two years however Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus, and being desirous to ingratiate himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul bound.

XXV. Therefore when Festus came to the government and

2 three days after went up from Czesarea to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid before him an

3 information against Paul and earnestly intreatcd him to favour them so far as to send for him to Jerusalem ; (they having

4 laid an ambush to kill him on the road.) Whereupon Festus replied, that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he him-

5 self would shortly set out thither. Therefore, said he, Let the chief men among you go down with me ; and if there be any thing criminal in the man, let them accuse him.

6 So when he had tarried among them more than ten days he went down to Caesarea, and on the morrow taking his seat

7 on the tribunal he ordered Paul to be brought. And when he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around and brought many heavy accusations against Paul,

8 which they could not prove. To which when Paul replied, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed any offence, Festus wiU 9 ling to gratify the Jews addressed Paul saying, Wilt thou

go up to Jerusalem, and be judged there before me concern-

LO ing these things ? Upon which Paul said, I stand at Cassar's

judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I

have done no wrong, as thou thyself well knowest. If indeed

11 I am guilty, or have committed any capital crime, I do not deprecate death: but if the charges which they bring against me be groundless, no man can give me up to gratify them. I

12 appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, having conferred with his council, replied, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar thou shall go.

L3 Some days after, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to

14 Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus, and as they spent many days there Festus stated Paul's case to the king, saying, There is a man who was left a prisoner by Felix, con-

15 cerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid an information, soliciting judgment

16 against him. To whom I made answer that it is not customary with the Romans to give up any man to destruction, till he who is accused is confronted with his accusers, and hath an

17 opportunity to make a defence respecting the charge: therefore when they came hither, I without any delay ascended the tribunal the next day, and ordered the man to be brought up.

18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they advanced no

19 charge of such things as I expected, but objected against him some disputed points relative to their peculiar mode of worship, and respecting one Jesus who had died, whom Paul af-

20 firmed to be alive. And as I was at a loss how to decide in such a case, I asked him, if he would go to Jerusalem and be tried there respecting these matters. But Paul having appealed that

21 his cause should be referred to the cognisance of the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody, till I can send him

22 to Cazsar. Upon which Agrippa said to Festus, I could wish myself to hear the man. To-morrow then, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 On the morrow therefore, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with a numerous splendid retinue and had entered the hall of audience, with the commanders of cohorts and the prin-

24 cipal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all you who are here present with us, You see this man, about whom the whole body of the Jews have made application to me, both at Jerusalem and in this place, crying out that he ought not to

25 live any longer. But as for me, finding that he had done nothing which deserved death, and he himself having appealed

26 to the Emperor, I have determined to send him. Now as I have nothing certain to write to my master concerning him; I have therefore brought him out before you and especially before thee, king Agrippa, that after this examination, I may

27 have something to write. For to me it seemeth absurd to send a prisoner without specifying the charge against him.

XXVI. Then Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Upon which Paul stretched forth his hand and made this defence.

2 Touching all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am this

3 day to make my defence before thee, especially skilled as thou art in all the Jewish customs and controversies; therefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 My course of life—that from my youth—that which from the beginning was led among my own nation at Jerusalem, is

5 known to all the Jews. They have a prior knowledge of me from an early period, if they would testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now

6 I stand arraigned for a hope of the promise which God made to

7 our fathers, and which our twelve tribes, by their continual services night and day, hope to obtain: for which hope, O king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

8 It is deemed among you somewhat incredible that God raiscth the dead; as for me I indeed myself thought that I

9 ought to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And this I did at Jerusalem: and many of the

10 saints I shut up in prison, having received this authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I gave as-

11 sent. And in all the synagogues many a time did I, by torments, urge them to blaspheme. And being transported to madness against them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

12 With which views when I was going to Damascus, with authority, and a commission which I had from the chief priests,

13 in the middle of the day, on the road, I saw, O king, a light from heaven, exceeding the brightness of the sun, flashing around me and them who were accompanying me. And when

14 we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and in the Hebrew dialect, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutes! thou me? It is hurting thyself to kick against sharp point-

15 ed goads. And I said, Lord, who art thou? And he said, I am Jesus, whom thou art persecuting. But arise, and stand on thy feet;

16 for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witness of the things which thou hast seen, and of the things for which I will appear to thee, delivering thee

17 from the people and the nations to which I now send thee to

18 open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God, that they may receive a remission of sins and an inheritance among them who are sanc-

19 tifiedby the belief in me. From that time, O king Agrippa,

20 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but made proclamation first to them at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and to the nations, to reform and turn to God, performing works worthy of the change

21 of mind. For these things the Jews seized me in the temple,

22 and attempted to kill me. Having therefore obtained help from God, I have continued to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets have said were to come to pass—particularly Moses, that the Christ should suf-

23 fer, that he the first of a resurrection from the dead is to proclaim light to the people and the nations.

24 While Paul was thus making his defence, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul thou art distracted. Those many writings

25 whirl thee to madness. To which he replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but am speaking the words of truth and so-

26 berness. For the king is acquainted with these things, to whom

27 therefore I speak with freedom. For I am persuaded that none of these things have escaped his notice. For this hath not been done in a corner. Thou, O king Agrippa, believest the pro-

28 phets? I know that thou believest. Upon this Agrippa said to

29 Paul, Thou almost persuadest me to become a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all who hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these chains.

30 And as he was saying this, the king rose up, and the general and Bernice and they who sat with them. And as they were withdrawing, they conferred with each other, saying, This man

31 hath done nothing that deserveth death or chains. And Agrip- pa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed to Caesar.

XXVII. So, as it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners, to a certain cen-

2 turion, named Julius, of the Augustan cohort. And having embarked in a vessel of Adramyttium, we set sail, intending to coast along the shores of Asia, Aristarchus a Macedonian of

3 Thessalonica being with us. And on the next day we touched at Sidon, where Julius, who treated Paul with great humanity, suffered him to go to his friends and enjoy the benefit of their

4 care. Having taken our departure from this place we sailed

5 close under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And traversing the sea over against Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came

6 to Myra of Lycia, where the centurion met with a ship oi

7 Alexandria, bound for Italy, and put us on board it. And sailing slowly for several days and having hardly got over against Cnidus, the wind not favouring us, we sailed close under Crete

8 over against Salmone; and weathering this with much ado came to a place called Fair-haven, near to which is the city Lasea.

9 Much time being spent and the navigation now dangerous (for it was now after the fast,*) Paul gave them warning, say-

10 ing to them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be attended with damage and no small risk, not only of the vessel and

11 cargo, but also of our lives. But the centurion paid greater regard to the pilot and the master of the vessel than to what Paul

12 said. And as the harbour was not convenient for a winter station, the greater part advised to depart thence and try to reach Phenice,' a port in Crete looking south west and north west, to

13 winter there. So a gentle breeze springing up from the south.

* About the 25th of September. See Levit. 14. 29. 23. 27. and Num.29. 7.

they, confident of gaining their point, weighed anchor and sail.

14 ed close along Crete. But not long after there arose against it

15 a tempestuous wind, which is called Euroclydon,* and the vessel being hurried away and not able to look up to the wind, we

16 were forced to let her drive. And running close under a little island called Clauda, we had much ado to secure the boat:

17 Having hoisted this in they used helps, under-girding the ship. And fearing lest they should run on the quicksands, they low-

18 ered the sail and so were driven. But as we were exceedingly tossed by the tempest, they on the next day threw overboard

19 some of the cargo. And on the third day we with our own

20 hands threw overboard the tackling of the ship. Now as neither sun nor stars appeared for several days, and the tempest still bore hard upon us, all hopes of escaping were at last taken

21 away. And there being then a great abstinence from food, Paul standing in the midst of them said, Sirs, you ought to have hearkened to me and not sailed from Crete and incurred this

22 damage and risk. However, for the present, I exhort you to be of good courage, for there will be no loss of any life among you,

23 but of the ship only. For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me last night, and said, Fear not, Paul.

24 Thou must appear before Caesar; and lo! God hath given thee

25 all them who are sailing with thee. Therefore take courage, sirs: for I have a confidence in God that the result will be just

26 as it hath been told me. But we must be shipwrecked on some

27 island. So when the fourteenth night was come, while we were driving about in the Adriatic sea, about midnight, the sailors

28 suspected that they were approaching some land. And upon sounding they found twenty fathoms. And proceeding a little

29 further they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. So fearing lest they should run ashore among rocks, they dropped

30 four anchors from the stern and wished for day. But the sailors seeking to flee from the ship, and having hoisted out the boat

3.1 under a pretence of carrying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless those continue 32 in the ship, you cannot be saved. Upon this the soldiers cut the

33 ropes of the boat and let it go adrift. And while day was coming on, Paul advised them all to take some refreshment, saying, Longing for this fourteenth day you continue fasting, hav-

34 ing taken nothing. Therefore I intreat you to take refreshment, for this is conducive to your safety: for not a hair shall

35 fall from the head of any of you. And having said this he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them

36 all, and having broken it began to eat. And they all became

37 cheerful and also took nourishment. Now we in the ship were

38 in all two hundred and seventy six souls. And when they had satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the vessel, throw-

39 ing out the corn into the sea. And when it was day they did not know the land; but they observed a creek convenient for landing, into which they determined, if possible, to force the

40 ship. So having got rid of the anchors, leaving them in the sea, and at the same time loosing the bands of the rudder and noising the mainsail to the wind, they pressed towards the

41 shore. And coming to a place where two currents met, they ran the ship aground. And the prow stuck fast and remained immoveable ; but the stern was broken to pieces by the force

42 of the waves. It was now the counsel of the soldiers to .kHl

43 the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion desirous to save Paul prevented their design and ordered those who could swim to throw themselves out first and

44 get to land ; and the rest, some on planks, and some on pieces of the vessel: and so it came to pass that all got safe to land.

XXVIII. And having escaped, they then knew that the island was called Melita.

2 Now the barbarians treated us with uncommon humanity; for having kindled a fire they took us all to it, because of the

3 present rain, and because of the cold. And as Paul having gathered a bundle of sticks was laying them on the fire, a viper

4 coming out from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the barbarians saw the venomous creature hanging to his hand they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer whom vengeance suffereth not to live, though he hath escaped

5 from the sea. He indeed shaked off the venomous creature into the fire, and suffered no harm ; but they expected that

6 he would swell*or fall dead suddenly. But when they had waited a considerable time and saw no mishap befal him, they changed their minds and said, He is a god.

7 Now in the neighbourhood of that place lay the estate of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who

8 took us to his house and entertained us kindly three days. And it happened that the father of Publius being seized with a fever and a dysentery, was confined to his bed, to whom Paul went in

9 and having prayed, laid his hands on him, and cured him. This therefore being done, the rest in the island who had diseases

0 came and were cured. Therefore they honoured us with many honours and at our departure put on board such things as were necessary.

1 Now after three months we embarked on board a ship of Alexandria which had for its ensign Castor and Pollux, and

2 which had wintered in that island. And being conveyed to Syracuse we staid there three days. Thence we came round and

3 touched at Regium; and after one day, the south wind spring-

4 ing up, we on the second day arrived at Puteoli, where we met with brethren and \vere intreated to stay with them seven days

,5 and then set out for Rome, from which place the brethren, having heard of us, came, some to Appii-forum* and some

.6 to Tres-tabernae* to meet us. And when Paul saw them he gave thanks to God and took courage. And when we arrived at Rome the centurion delivered the prisoners to the prefect. But Paid was permitted to be at a private lodging, with the soldier who guarded him.

17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul sent for them who were the chief men of the Jews, and when assembled he said to them, Men, brethren, though I have done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered up a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of

L8 the Romans. These when they examined me, would have set me at liberty, because I had done nothing that deserved

L9 death. But the Jews opposing this, I was forced to appeal to

Ccesar, not that I have any thing to lay to the charge of my

20 nation. For this cause, therefore, I have sent for you that I might see you and speak with you. For on account of the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain.

21 To this they replied, We have neither received any letters concerning thee from Judea, nor hath any of the brethren who

22 have arrived, related or spoken any harm of thqe. But we should be glad to hear what thou thinkest; for with respect to this sect we know that it is every where spoken against. So

23 having set him a day, they came to him at his lodging, in greater numbers; to whom he explained the kingdom of God, testifying and endeavouring to reconcile them to the things concerning Jesus, from the law of Moses and the prophets,

24 from morning till evening. And some indeed were reconciled

25 by what were spoken, and some disbelieved. And being at variance among themselves they broke up, upon Paul's saying one word, that the holy spirit liad spoken well to our fathers

26 by the prophet Esaias, saying, " Go and say to the people, Hearing you shall hear, though you may not understand; and seeing you shall see, though you may not perceive; for the

27 heart of this people is callpifs, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, that for a while they may not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and under-

28 stand with their hearts, and turn that I may heal them.*" Be it known therefore to you, that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hearken to it.

29 And when he had said this the Jews departed, debating

30 warmly among themselves. And Paul continued two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came to him, proclaiming the reign of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all freedom and without restraint.

* Esaias 6. 9, &c.