Language
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
1.
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2.
(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3.
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4.
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5.
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6.
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7.
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8.
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10.
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12.
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13.
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16.
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17.
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18.
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19.
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21.
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22.
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23.
And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25.
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26.
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27.
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28.
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29.
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
31.
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
32.
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
33.
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
34.
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
35.
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
36.
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
37.
And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
38.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
39.
And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
40.
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
41.
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
42.
And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
43.
And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
44.
And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
45.
Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
46.
And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
47.
Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
48.
So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
49.
Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
50.
And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
51.
But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
52.
So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
53.
And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
54.
And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
55.
And he wrote a letter after this manner:
56.
Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
57.
This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
58.
And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
59.
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
60.
And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
61.
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
62.
On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
63.
Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
64.
And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
65.
I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.
66.
And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
67.
And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
68.
We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
69.
Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
70.
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
71.
Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
72.
But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
73.
Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
74.
And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
75.
Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
76.
Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
77.
And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
78.
Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
79.
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
80.
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
81.
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
82.
Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
83.
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
84.
Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
85.
Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
86.
Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
87.
And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
88.
And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
89.
And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
90.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
91.
He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
92.
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
