him to custody, that he might afterwards inquire into the nature of his offence. As he was conducting him to the castle Antonia (1), Paul obtained permission from him to address the people he began by stating to them his former attachment to the Law of Moses (m), and his zealous persecution of the Christians; he then proceeded to relate the circumstances of his miraculous conversion; and when he asserted that he was commissioned by God himself to announce salvation to the Gentiles through faith in the Messiah, they interrupted him with violent exclamations, shewed the strongest marks of indignation, and declared that he was not worthy to live. Lysias, observing the fury of the multitude, commanded that Paul should be carried into the castle, and examined by scourging. While the soldiers were binding him with thongs for that purpose, he informed the centurion who attended, that he was a Roman citizen. The centurion went to the tribune, and advised him to be cautious in what he did to his prisoner, as he was a citizen of Rome. This intelligence

alarmed

(1) This Castle was built by Herod the Great, and called Antonia from his friend Mark Antony; it was afterwards made a garrison for the Romans, when Judæa became a Roman province.

(m) Acts, c. 22.

[PART II, alarmed Lysias, who had already violated the privileges of a Roman citizen by binding Paul (n); and he immediately desisted from his design of examining him by torture.

The next morning "he loosed him from his bands," and brought him before the Sanhedrim, or Jewish council (o); but great altercation and confusion arising, Lysias, fearing lest Paul should be pulled to pieces, again interposed with his soldiers, and conducted him back to the castle. While Paul was asleep that night, Jesus appeared to 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 (p)." The next day Lysias was informed that more than forty persons had entered into a conspiracy to assassinate Paul, and therefore he sent him the following evening under a strong guard to Cæsarea, where Felix the Roman governor resided. Lysias wrote a letter to Felix, explaining the circumstances which originally induced him to apprehend Paul, and now to send him to Cæsarea. Five days after,

(n) Though a Roman citizen might not be bound with thongs by way of punishment, or in order to be scourged, yet he might be chained to a soldier, or kept in custody, if he were suspected of being guilty of any crime.

(0) Acts, c. 23.

(p) Acts, c.23. v.II.

after (q), Ananias the high priest, with the elders, and a certain orator or advocate named Tertullus, went to Cæsarea for the purpose of accusing Paul before Felix. Tertullus stated the charges against him, and Paul made his defence. Felix, having heard both of them, said that he would inquire more fully into the business when Lysias should come to Cæsarea; and in the mean time he commanded the centurion to keep Paul as a prisoner at large, and to allow his friends to have access to him.

It does not appear that Felix ever took any farther step in this trial; but not long after, he and his wife Drusilla (r), who was a Jewess, sent for Paul to hear him "concerning the faith in Christ." Paul knew the characters of the persons before whom he was to speak, and enlarged upon such points as were likely to affect them "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." Felix was a man of profligate life and corrupt principles; and this discourse of the Apostle,

:

-(9) C. 24.

(r) Drusilla was the daughter of the elder Agrippa, and sister to king Agrippa and Bernice, before whom Paul afterwards pleaded.

alarmed Lysias, who had already violated the privileges of a Roman citizen by binding Paul (n); and he immediately desisted from his design of examining him by torture.

The next morning "he loosed him from his bands," and brought him before the Sanhedrim, or Jewish council (o); but great altercation and confusion arising, Lysias, fearing lest Paul should be pulled to pieces, again interposed with his soldiers, and conducted him back to the castle. While Paul was asleep that night, Jesus appeared to 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 (p)." The next day Lysias was informed that more than forty persons had entered into a conspiracy to assassinate Paul, and therefore he sent him the following evening under a strong guard to Cæsarea, where Felix the Roman governor resided. Lysias wrote a letter to Felix, explaining the circumstances which originally induced him to apprehend Paul, and now to send him to Cæsarea. Five days

after,

(n) Though a Roman citizen might not be bound with thongs by way of punishment, or in order to be scourged, yet he might be chained to a soldier, or kept in custody, if he were suspected of being guilty of any crime.

(0) Acts, c. 23.

(p) Acts, c. 23. v. II.

after (9), Ananias the high priest, with the elders, and a certain orator or advocate named Tertullus, went to Cæsarea for the purpose of accusing Paul before Felix. Tertullus stated the charges against him, and Paul made his defence. Felix, having heard both of them, said that he would inquire more fully into the business when Lysias should come to Cæsarea; and in the mean time he commanded the centurion to keep Paul as a prisoner at large, and to allow his friends to have access to him.

It does not appear that Felix ever took any farther step in this trial; but not long after, he and his wife Drusilla (r), who was a Jewess, sent for Paul to hear him "concerning the faith in Christ." Paul knew the characters of the persons before whom he was to speak, and enlarged upon such points as were likely to affect them "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." Felix was a man of profligate life and corrupt principles; and this discourse of the Apostle,

(q) C. 24.

(r) Drusilla was the daughter of the elder Agrippa, and sister to king Agrippa and Bernice, before whom Paul afterwards pleaded.