coast, and landed at Tyre, where they remained seven days, and then passed on, first to Ptolemais, and afterwards to Cesarea. Here they stayed some days with Philip, one of the seven deacons; this man had four daughters, who were all endowed with the gift of prophecy.

While they were at Cesarea, a prophet named Agabus, arrived from Jerusalem, and declared that it had been made known to him by the Holy Spirit, that when Paul went up to Jerusalem, the Jews would bind him, and deliver him up to the Gentiles.

Now when Paul's friends heard this, they besought him with tears, not to go up to Jerusalem. This

was Paul's answer, in which you may see his love to his friends, with his devotedness to Christ. "What mean ye to weep, and break my heart? for I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus." Then his friends ceased to persuade him, saying only, "the will of the Lord be done."

But no one deserted Paul; they all went up with him to Jerusalem, where they were joyfully received by the Christian brethren.

And thus was this great Apostle's third journey to teach the Gentile world, brought to a close; it had taken up more than five years, and had been the means of extending

the knowledge of Christ to thousands.

In my next chapter, you

will see what befel him at Jeru

salem.

Σ

CHAPTER XXII.

Paul's Trials at Jerusalem.

PAUL had been scarcely a week at Jerusalem, before his trials began. He went one day to the temple to undergo the ceremony of purification, according to the law of Moses; and the Jews, who had been seeking a pretence to revenge themselves, seeing him there in company with some men whom they believed, or pretended to believe, Gentiles, who as I have told you, were forbidden

by the law to enter that holy place, stirred up the people, crying out, "Men of Israel, help; this is the man who teacheth every where against the people, and the law, and this place, and hath also polluted this holy place, by bringing Greeks into the temple."

The enraged multitude, on hearing this, rushed with one accord on Paul, and dragging him out of the temple, were about to put him to death, when Lysias, the captain of the Roman band of soldiers, hearing that there was a disturbance in the city, came down with his men, and delivering Paul from those who were beating him, caused him to be bound with chains, and taken to the castle.