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22. What is it therefore? the multitude muft needs come together: for they will

hear that thou art come.

22. And what must be the na- A. D. 60. tural Confequence of fuch a Prepoffeffion, and falfe Prejudice againft you, but that if you take no previous Methods to undeceive them, they will rife against

you in a tumultuous Manner, as foon as ever they hear of your Arrival?

23. Do therefore this that we fay to thee we have four men which have a vow on them;

24. Them take and

purify thy felf with

them,and be at charges with them, that they may fhave their heads: and all may know that thofe things whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyfelf alfo walkeft orderly, and keepest

the law.

25. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded, that they obferve no fuch thing, fave only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from ftrangled, and from fornication.

23 & 24. To prevent which, be advised by us to join with four of our Chriftian Converts that are under a Vow of Nazaritifm, which is to expire within feven Days. Make you the like religious Vow for fo many Days, provide the Sacrifices required by the Law to be offered at the Time of its Expiration; and being shaved all together, you may by Compliance in an innocent and indifferent Thing, give a publick Demonftration, you have not absolutely thrown off the Jewish Law your felf, and fo could never advife others to do it.

25. As to the Gentile Converts, viz. (fuch as had been profelyted before to the Jewish Religion,) that never were circumcifed, nor under an Obligation to thefe Obfervances, the Decree we made when you were here before (Ch. xv.) has made thefe Jewish Chriftians pretty eafy, and willing they fhould be exempted from them: But as to you, they never

will be fatisfied without fome publick Token of your Refpect to the Mofaical Law.

26. Then Paul took the men, and the next

26. Paul readily complied with
their Advice, and accordingly go-
day
L 4

ing

A. D. 60. day purifying himself with them, entered into the temple, to fignify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering fhould be offered for every one of them.

27. And when the feven days were almoft ended, the Jews See Cb. which were of Afia, xx. 19, & when they faw him in the temple, ftirred up all the people, and

31.

laid hands on him,

28. Crying out, Men of Ifrael, help: this is the man that teacheth all men eve

ry where against the people, and the law, and this place: and farther, brought Greeks alfo into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

29. (For they had feen before with him in the city, Trophian Ephefian, whom they fuppofed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

mus

30. And all the city was moved, and the people ran toge ther and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were fhut.

ing next Day into the Temple with the four Men, declared himfelf to the Priest to be under a religious Vow for the feven Days, and his Intention to perform the Sacrifices with them according to the Law. (See Numb. vi.)

*

27. But before the feven Days were quite expired, fome of the Infidel fews of Afia that had feen him there, and spread this falfe Report of him at Jerufalem, finding him in the Temple, gathered the Rabble together, and apprehended him,

28. Crying out to every Body to come and help them to secure a wicked Fellow, that had been all over their Country preaching against the Law, the Temple, and its Worship; and that had brought Heathen People along with him, even into the inner Court, to the great Difhonour, and Profanation of that facred Place.

29. Now they had fome Days before feen Paul in Company with Trophimus, a Gentile Convert of Ephejus; and from thence maliciously and falfely reported, that he brought him into the Temple along with him.

30. At this Outcry, all the People ran at him, and dragged him out of the Temple, the Keepers fhutting the Doors upon them, to prevent any further Difturbance there.

31 & 32.

31. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief cap

31 & 32. As they were beat- A. D. 60. ing Paul, with an Intent to kill him, the Roman Captain that guarded the Temple, came with a Band of Soldiers and prevented their Design,

tain of the band,
that all Jerusalem
was in an uproar.
32. Who immediately

took foldiers, and centurions, and ran down unto them, and when they faw the chief captain and the foldiers, they left beating of Paul.

33. Then the chief captain came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

34. And fome cryed one thing, fome another, among the multitude: and when he could not know

the certainty for the

33. Who fuppofing he had committed fome notorious Crime, ordered him firft to be chained to two Soldiers to fecure him, and then demanded of the People about him, who he was, and what he had done to incense them at fuch a rate.

34. But the rude Multitude giving a confufed and different Account of him, the Captain fent him into the Castle, till he could get better Information.

tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

35. And when he came upon the ftairs, fo it was that he was born of the foldiers, for the violence of the people.

36. For the multi

35 & 36. The Soldiers were forced to carry him upon their Shoulders, to keep the People from him, who came after them crying out, that he ought to be flain.

tude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

37. And as Paul was to be led into the caftle, he said unto the

chief captain, May I fpeak unto thee? who faid, Canft thou speak Greek?

37. As they were going up the Caftle Stairs, Paul asked the Roman Captain, if he might take the Liberty to fpeak to him in his own Behalf? (addreffing himself to him in the Greek Language.) 38. The

See Chap. xii. 6, 7.

A. D. 60.

38. Art not thou that Egyptian which before thefe days madeft an uproar, and led it out into the wil derness four thousand men that were murtherers ?

38. The Officer told him, he did not expect to hear fuch a fort of Perfon as he seemed to be, fpeak that Language; for by the Riot he had made, he took him to be the Egyptian falfe Prophet, that a Year or two ago had raised a Sedition in Judæa, and was routed by Felix, but made his * Efcape, and was now taken again in the like Attempt.

39. But Paul faid, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarfus, a city in Cilicia, a Citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, fuffer me to speak unto the people.

39. Paul affured him he was no Egyptian, but a few, a Native of Tarfus, one of the chief Cities of Cilicia, a City of confiderable Figure, and endow'd with Roman Privileges; upon which Confiderations, he hop'd he would grant him the Favour of fpeaking in his own Behalf to the People, to whom he had been falfly and maliciously accused.

40. And when he
had given him li-
cenfe, Paul ftood on
the ftairs, and beck-
oned with the hand
unto the people: and
when there was made

a great filence, he
fpake unto them in

the Hebrew tongue,
faying,

40. Upon this, the Captain gave him free Leave; and ftanding upon the Stairs, he demanded Silence, which, out of Refpect to the Roman Officer, was foon made; and then he made his Defence in the

Syriac Language; which being the Language then used by the Natives of Jerufalem, was called the Hebrew Tongue +.

Jofephus Lib. XX. Cap. vi. Lardener's Credibil. Gofp. Hift. Vol. III. Book ii. Chap. 8.

See the NOTE on Chap. i. 19, and in Chap. x. 2.

СНАР.

CHAP. XXII.

The CONTENTS.

Paul's Speech to the Jews, concerning his Converfion to Christianity. The Jews cry out against him in a tumultuous Manner. The Roman Captain orders him to be examined by Scourging; but, finding he was a Roman Freeman, he dares not execute it. He refers his Cafe to the Jewish Council.

IMEN, brethren,

and fathers, hear ye my defence, which I make now

1. YE

1.VE Jews my Brethren, and all among you that are Doctors of the Law, hear now how unjustly I have been accus'd, and the good Reasons I have for turning from a zealous Jew, to be an Affertor of the Christian Faith.

unto you.

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A. D. 61.

2. (When the People found that he spoke the Language of the Town, and fo was not a * See Ch. Stranger, but a right Hebrew xxi. 40. few, they liftned the more patiently to what he faid.)

3. Whereas then (faid he) I have been falfly reprefented to you as a Foreigner, and an abfolute Enemy to, and an Apoftate from your Law, it is very well known that I am an Hebrew Jew; and though born at Tarfus in Cilicia, yet I was educated in this very City under † Gamaliel, that

eminent

Ver. 3. Brought up at the Feet of Gamaliel. An Expreffion taken from the Form of the Jewish SCHOOLS, the Seats and Benches whereof were fo contrived, that the Scholars always fat underneath the Desk of the Rabbi or Doctor.

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