are not you the Egyptian, who lately made an insurrection at the head of four thousand banditti in the desart?

then he said, I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but had my education in this city: at the feet of Gamaliel I was instructed in the law, and in the exact decisions of our fathers, and was as religiously zealous as you are at this time.

but as I had lost the use of my eyes by the splendor of that light, I was led by the hand to Damascus, by those who were with me.

there one Ananias a religious observer of the law, who had the good word of all the Jews in that place, came to see me,

Till that word, the Jews had given their attention, but then they broke out into a full cry, "out of the world with such a fellow: for it is not fit he should live."

upon hearing that, the centurion went to acquaint the head officer, take care, said he, what you do; for this man is a Roman.

then the head officer came to him, and said, tell me, are you a Roman?

he answer'd, yes. the officer rejoin'd, my freedom cost me a considerable sum. but I had it, said Paul, by right of birth.

when it was day, some Jews, that had form'd a conspiracy, engag'd themselves by an oath, not to eat, or drink, till they had kill'd Paul.

then the tribune taking him by the hand, retir'd with him in private, and ask'd, what he had to say.

having been informed he was a Roman, I had him brought before their Sanhedrim, to hear what crime they laid to his charge.

and having intelligence that the Jews had form'd a conspiracy against him, I immediately sent him to you, directing his accusers to lay their charge before you. farewel.

and here they ought to have appear'd, if they had any thing to object against me.

as they continued there for some time, Festus represented Paul's case to the king: Felix, said he, had left here a certain prisoner:

I told them, it was not the custom of the Romans to deliver up any man, till he was accus'd and confronted by his accusers, and had an opportunity of pleading to the charge.

but finding he had done nothing that deserv'd death, I have resolved to send him to the emperor, to whom he had appealed.

When he had said this, the king, the governour, Bernice, and all that were seated near them, rose up: and being retired,

nay, Agrippa said to Festus, "this man might have been discharg'd if he had not appeal'd to Cesar."

when we were nigh the isle Clauda, we had much ado to hoist in the skiff.

For several days, we had not seen either sun or stars: the tempest still bore hard: all our hopes of escape quite sunk,

and our spirits droop with fasting: when Paul presented himself, and said, "well, my friends, it had been, if I could have prevail'd upon you, to have sav'd your selves all this perplexity and loss by staying at Crete.

It was the fourteenth night that we had been driving up and down in the Adriatick sea, when the ship's crew about midnight suspected they were making to land:

but the crew under pretext of dropping their anchors to moor, had hoisted out the boat; designing to make off:

when they had eat enough, they threw the wheat over board to ease the ship:

who had a mind to save Paul, prevented their design: and order'd all that could swim immediately to get off to shore,

when Paul having taken up some brush-wood and laid it upon the fire, a viper started out from the heat, and seiz'd upon his hand.

however, they expected to have seen him swell, or suddenly die away. but when they had waited a good while, and saw no harm come to him, they were of another opinion, and said he was a God.

The chief of the island, one Publius, had his estate in that quarter: he entertain'd us with diet and lodging for three days with great civility.

After having been there three months, we embark'd on board the Castor and Pollux from Alexandria, that had put in there by hard weather:

the brethren there having had news of us, came as far as Appiiforum, and the Three inns to meet us: whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to God, and was greatly encourag'd.

Having therefore set him a day, they came in great numbers to his lodgings; where he explain'd and confirm'd the reality of the gospel-dispensation, from morning to night, enforcing what the writings of Moses and the prophets had affirm'd concerning Jesus.

some believed what he had said, but others did not believe:

so not being able to agree, they retir'd, upon Paul's having told them, that the holy spirit had very justly said to our fathers by the prophet Esaias,

After this, Paul staid two whole years in a house he had hired, and gave access to all that visited him,