On the next day the Commanding Officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jews, had his chains taken off, and directed the Chief Priests and the whole of the High Council to assemble, and then took Paul down and brought him before them.

"I did not know, Brothers, that it was the High Priest," said Paul, "for Scripture says--'Of the Ruler of thy People thou shalt speak no ill'."

As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.

The dispute was becoming so violent, that the Commanding Officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.

The Commanding Officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.

The man whom I send with this had been seized by the Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.

When I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.

Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.'

And it was while engaged in this that they found me in the Temple, after completing a period of purification, but not with any crowd or disorder.

Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,

Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was herself a Jewess, and, sending for Paul, listened to what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.

But, while Paul was speaking at length about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became terrified, and interrupted him--"Go for the present, but, when I find an opportunity, I will send for you again."

He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.

But, after the lapse of two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and, wishing to gain popularity with the Jews, he left Paul a prisoner.

But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.

Paul's answer to the charge was--'I have not committed any offence against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.'

My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up any man to his accusers till the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against him.

And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be put upon his trial.

So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.

My life, then, from youth upwards, was passed, from the very first, among my own nation, and in Jerusalem, and is within the knowledge of all Jews;

And I actually did so at Jerusalem. Acting on the authority of the Chief Priests, I myself threw many of the People of Christ into prison, and, when it was proposed to put them to death, I gave my vote for it.

Time after time, in every Synagogue, I tried by punishments to force them to blaspheme. So frantic was I against them, that I pursued them even to towns beyond our borders.

It was while I was traveling to Damascus on an errand of this kind, entrusted with full powers by the Chief Priests,

That the Christ must suffer, and that, by rising from the dead, he was destined to be the first to bring news of Light, not only to our nation, but also to the Gentiles."

While Paul was making this defense, Festus called out loudly: "You are mad, Paul; your great learning is driving you mad."

As it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were put in charge of a Captain of the Augustan Guard, named Julius.

We went on board a ship from Adramyttium, which was on the point of sailing to the ports along the coast of Roman Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.

Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us;

For several days our progress was slow, and it was only with difficulty that we arrived off Cnidus. As the wind was still unfavorable when we came off Cape Salmone, we sailed under the lee of Crete,

And with difficulty, by keeping close in shore, we reached a place called 'Fair Havens,' near which was the town of Lasea.

This had taken a considerable time, and sailing was already dangerous, for the Fast was already over; and so Paul gave this warning.

The Roman Officer, however, was more influenced by the captain and the owner than by what was said by Paul.

And, as the harbor was not a suitable one to winter in, the majority were in favor of continuing the voyage, in hope of being able to reach Phoenix, and winter there. Phoenix was a Cretan harbor, open to the north-east and south-east.

The ship was caught by it and was unable to keep her head to the wind, so we had to give way and let her drive before it.

As neither sun nor stars were visible for several days, and, as the gale still continued severe, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

It was then, when they had gone a long time without food, that Paul came forward, and said: "My friends, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and so incurred this injury and damage.

It was now the fourteenth night of the storm, and we were drifting about in the Adriatic Sea, when, about midnight, the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near land.

When daylight came, they could not make out what land it was, but, observing a creek in which there was a beach, they consulted as to whether they could run the ship safely into it.

The advice of the soldiers was that the prisoners should be killed, for fear that any of them should swim away and make their escape.

When we were all safe, we found that the island was called Malta.

The natives showed us marked kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all under shelter, because it had come on to rain and was cold.

The natives were expecting inflammation to set in, or that he would suddenly fall dead; but, after waiting for a long time, and seeing that there was nothing amiss with him, they changed their minds and said that he was a God.

In that neighborhood there was an estate belonging to the Governor of the island, whose name was Publius. He took us up to his house, and for three days entertained us most courteously.

It happened that the father of Publius was lying ill of fever and dysentery. So Paul went to see him; and, after praying, he placed his hands on him and cured him.

After three months, we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island. She was an Alexandrian vessel, and had the Twin Sons of Zeus for her figure-head.

The Brethren there had heard about us, and came out as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At sight of them Paul thanked God and was much cheered.

On our reaching Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, except for the soldier who was in charge of him.

Three days after our arrival, Paul invited the leading Jews to meet him; and, when they came, he spoke to them as follows: "Brothers, although I had done nothing hostile to the interests of our nation or to our ancestral customs, yet I was sent from Jerusalem as a prisoner, and handed over to the Romans.

The Romans, when they had examined me, were ready to release me, because there was nothing in my conduct deserving death.

But, as the Jews opposed my release, I was compelled to appeal to the Emperor--not, indeed, that I had any charge to make against my own nation.

"We," was their reply, "have not had any letter about you from Judea, nor have any of our fellow-Jews come and reported or said anything bad about you.

They then fixed a day with him, and came to the place where he was staying, in even larger numbers, when Paul proceeded to lay the subject before them. He bore his testimony to the Kingdom of God, and tried to convince them about Jesus, by arguments drawn from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets--speaking from morning till evening.

So, as they disagreed among themselves, they began to disperse, Paul adding only--"True, indeed, was the declaration made by the Holy Spirit, through the Prophet Isaiah to your ancestors--

Understand, then, that this Salvation of God was sent for the Gentiles; and they will listen."

Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, as to his human nature, was descended from David,

But, as to the spirit of holiness within him, was miraculously designated Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.

What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin.

If he was pronounced righteous as the result of obedience, then he has something to boast of. Yes, but not before God.

For what are the words of Scripture? 'Abraham had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.'

Is this blessing, then, pronounced upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised as well? We say that-'Abraham's faith was regarded by God as righteousness.'

Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision-to attest the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man-in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous;

Though he was nearly a hundred years old, yet his faith did not fail him, even when he thought of his own body, then utterly worn out, and remembered that Sarah was past bearing children.

He was not led by want of faith to doubt God's promise.

And therefore his faith 'was regarded as righteousness.'

Now these words-'it was regarded as righteousness'-were not written with reference to Abraham only;

For Jesus 'was given up to death to atone for our offences,' and was raised to life that we might be pronounced righteous.

And that 'hope never disappoints.' For the love of God has filled our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given us;

Even before the time of the Law there was sin in the world; but sin cannot be charged against a man where no Law exists.

Yet, from Adam to Moses, Death reigned even over those whose sin was not a breach of a law, as Adam's was. And Adam foreshadows the One to come.

For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.

Law was introduced in order that offences might be multiplied. But, where sins were multiplied, the loving-kindness of God was lavished the more,

Consequently, through sharing his death in our baptism, we were buried with him; that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by a manifestation of the Father's power, so we also may live a new Life.

We recognize the truth that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the body, the stronghold of Sin, might be rendered powerless, so that we should no longer be slaves to Sin.

For the death that he died was a death to sin, once and for all. But the Life that he now lives, he lives for God.

And so with you, my Brothers; as far as the Law was concerned, you underwent death in the crucified body of the Christ, so that you might be united to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that our lives might bear fruit for God.

There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died!

Did, then, a thing, which in itself was good, involve Death in my case? Heaven forbid! It was sin that involved Death; so that, by its use of what I regarded as good to bring about my Death, its true nature might appear; and in this way the Commandment showed how intensely sinful sin is.

For Nature was made subject to imperfection-not by its own choice, but owing to him who made it so--

Who is there to condemn them? He who died for us is Christ Jesus!-or, rather, it was he who was raised from the dead, and who is now at God's right hand and is even pleading on our behalf!

They are descended from the Patriarchs; and, as far as his human nature was concerned, from them came the Christ-he who is supreme over all things, God for ever blessed. Amen.

Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac.

For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong,

In Scripture, again, it is said to Pharaoh-'It was for this very purpose that I raised thee to the throne, to show my power by my dealings with thee, and to make my name known throughout the world.'

This, indeed, is what he says in the Book of Hosea-'I will call those my People who were not my People, and her my beloved who was not beloved.

And in the very place where it was said to them-"Ye are not my People", they shall be called Sons of the Living God.'

What are we to say, then? Why, that Gentiles, who were not in search of righteousness, secured it-a righteousness which was the result of faith;

While Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one.

And Isaiah says boldly--'I was found by those who were not seeking me; I made myself known to those who were not inquiring of me.

But what was the divine response? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to Baal.'

What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it.

I ask then--'Was their stumbling to result in their fall?' Heaven forbid! On the contrary, through their falling away Salvation has reached the Gentiles, to stir the rivalry of Israel.

True; it was because of their want of faith that they were broken off, and it is because of your faith that you are standing. Do not think too highly of yourself, but beware.

The very purpose for which Christ died and came back to life was this--that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.

Whatever was written in the Scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the Scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you, as promised in the Good News entrusted to me and in the proclamation of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the revelation of that hidden purpose, which in past ages was kept secret but now has been revealed

You have rent the Christ in pieces! Was it Paul who was crucified for you? or were you baptized into the Faith of Paul?

My mission from Christ was not to baptize, but to tell the Good News; not, however, in the language of philosophy, lest the cross of the Christ should be robbed of its meaning.

For my own part, Brothers, when I came to you, it was with no display of eloquence or philosophy that I came to tell the hidden purpose of God;

Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.

I planted, and Apollos watered, but it was God who caused the growth.