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temple, nor yet against Cæsar have I commit9 ted any offence. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged 10 of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: To the Jews I have done no 11 wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be nothing in the things, whereof these accuse me, no man should deliver me unto 12 them. I appeal unto Cæsar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? 13 Unto Cæsar thou shalt go. And after certain days, king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæ14 sarea to salute Festus.* And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain 15 man left in bonds by Felix: About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring 16 judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver

*

Agrippa was son of Herod, who, had beheaded the apostle James, and great grand-son to Herod, who reigned in Judea when Christ was born. Herod who caused John Baptist to be slain was brother of Aristobulus, grand-father of Agrippa. The father of this Agrippa was king of Judea, appointed by, and accountable to the Roman emperor. After his death Judea was under the management of Roman governors. Agrippa however was vested with kingly power in northern parts of Judea.

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any man to die, before he who is accused have the accusers face to face, and have opportunity for a defence, touching the matter 17 alleged against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay, on the morrow I sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth : 18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things 19 as I supposed: But had certain questions

against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed 20 to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged 21 of these matters. But Paul having claimed to be reserved for the judgment of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send 22 him to Cæsar. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To23 morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice with great pomp, and had entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, by Festus' order, 24 Paul was brought forth. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all who are here present With us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that 25 he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to 26 Augustus, I determined to send him. Of

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whom I have no certain thing to write unto my master. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that after examination had, 27 I might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also to signify the crimes laid against him.

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CHAP. XXVI.

THEN Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered 2 for himself:* I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things 3 of which I am accused by the Jews; especially, as thou hast knowledge of all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4 Now my manner of life from my youth, which was from the first among mine own nation at 5 Jerusalem, all the Jews well know, who knew me from the beginning, (if they would testify) that after the strictest sect of our religion, I 6 lived a Pharisee. And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made by 7 God unto our fathers: To which promise our twelve tribes, constantly worshipping, day and

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* Or made his defence, or and it shews both the zeal and ability of the apostle. THEOLOGICAL

SEMINARY NEW YORK

night, hope to come: for which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead ?* 9 I indeed thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus 10 of Nazareth.f Which I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, havign received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice 11 against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blas pheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign 12 cities. Whereupon, as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief 13 priests, at mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them 14 who journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking. unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is 15 hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And

I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I 16 am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of the things which

* Paul has reference here to the resurrection of Jesus, which the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles denied.

† Paul was sincere in his opposition to Christianity. See chap. xxiii. 1; xxiv. 16; 1 Tim. i. 13.

thou hast seen, and of those in which I will 17 appear unto thee; delivering thee from the

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people, and the Gentiles, to whom now I send 18 thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are 19 sanctified by faith which is in me. From that time, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient gunto the heavenly vision: but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.* 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the 22 temple, and attempted to kill me. But having obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the 23 prophets and Moses said should come: That Christ should suffer, that he should be the first who should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak the words of truth and sober26 ness. For the king knoweth of these things,

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Works fitting those to perform, whose repentance is sincere.

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