for Macedonia and went through those parts unto Greece, where he abode three months.*

Having left Greece he set out for Jerusalem. In his way he came to Troas, and while he tarried in this place, Paul preached to the disciples upon the first day of the week, when they came together to break bread. Here a young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep as Paul was preaching, fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and embraced him, and his life was restored.

Paul having embarked at Assos, proceeded by ship to Samos and Miletus, at which last place the elders of Ephesus came down to meet him. In an affecting address, the apostle reminded them how earnestly he had laboured among them, keeping back nothing that was profitable to them, but teaching publicly and from house to house, and testifying both to Jews and Gentiles repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. He told them that he knew that afflictions awaited him in every city, but that he counted not his life dear, so that he might finish with joy the ministry committed to him. He testified his own faithful discharge of his duty, and exhorted the elders to take heed to the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers. And he commended them unto God, and to the word of His grace.+ "And when he had spoken unto them, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they * What we know of this journey from Ephesus to Corinth is given in Lesson 12.

The whole of this beautiful address should be read, as it is given in the Acts, xx. 18-35.

all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship."

Paul and his companions now continued their voyage, touching at Tyre and Ptolemais, at both places finding brethren to salute; and arrived at Cesarea. Here they stayed for some days at the house of Philip the evangelist; and there came down from Judæa a prophet named Agabus, "who took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, 'Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."" His friends then besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. "Then Paul answered, 'What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' And when he would not be persuaded, they ceased, saying, 'The will of the Lord be done."

So they came to Jerusalem. It was then thirteen years since Paul started with Barnabas from Antioch on his first missionary journey.

Acts xviii. 23-28; xix. xx. xxi. 1-17.

LESSON 9.

ST. PAUL APPREHENDED.

A.D. 58.

ST. PAUL had been very resolute in asserting the liberty of Gentile converts in respect to the Mosaic law; but he was anxious to give no offence to his

brethren at Jerusalem, and was willing to attend himself at the services of the temple.

He therefore consented to take part in a solemn act of purification, in order to show that he walked orderly and kept the law, it being now fully understood that the Gentiles were free from the necessity of such observances.

But at the very time at which Paul was thus showing respect to the law, the unbelieving Jews raised a tumult against him for violating it. The apostle had been seen in the city in the company of one Trophimus an Ephesian, and the Asiatic Jews now in Jerusalem took occasion to stir up the multitude, pretending that he had introduced Gentiles into the temple, contrary to the law. They "laid hands on him, crying out, 'Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.' And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar; who immediately took soldiers and centurions, aud ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. 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. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he

commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.”

Paul having obtained leave, stood on the stairs and spoke to the people, in the native language of the Jews. This pleased them and made them more attentive.

Paul then proceeded to relate his own history and the circumstances of his conversion; and spoke of a remarkable vision he had seen at Jerusalem. "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; and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: 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. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.' 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.' And as they cried out, they cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air."

6

The chief captain then led Paul away, and was about to examine by scourging, when Paul declared himself to be a Roman, and it was not lawful to scourge a Roman uncondemned. The chief captain, therefore, no longer attempted to molest Paul, but kept him bound, and on the morrow brought him before

the chief priests and their council to be examined by them.

The council was composed partly of Pharisees and partly of Sadducees. The Sadducees said that there was no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit. But the Pharisees confessed both. Paul therefore, standing in the midst of them said, "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."

Then there was a great dissension in the counsel, and the chief captain fearing that Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, carried him off to the castle. "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.' 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. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 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. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to-morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.' And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul."

But the chief captain, having been informed of this, sent off Paul by night with a strong guard to Felix, the Roman governor, who resided at Cesarea. Acts xxi. 18-40; xxii. xxiii.