PAUL BEFORE

chief captain. So the centurion
went with Paul’s nephew to Lysias,
and said, “ Paul, the prisoner, asked
me to bring this young man to
thee; he has something to tell
thee.” Then Lysias took Paul’s
nephew by the hand, and drew him
aside, and said, “ What hast thou to
tell me?” The young man an-
swered, “The Jews are going to-
morrow to ask thee to bring Paul
again into the council; but do not
yield to them; for there are more
than forty men who have made a
vow neither to eat nor drink till
they have killed him; and now they
are ready, looking for a promise
_from thee.” Then the chief captain
told the young man to keep all
secret, and sent him away. As
soon as he was gone, Lysias called
two centurions, and told them to
make ready a number of soldiers,
and horsemen, and spearmen, and
send them that night with Paul, to
Cesarea, to Felix, the governor.
Then he wrote a letter to Felix,
telling him all about Paul, and how
he had been accused, and how his
enemies had conspired against him ;
and he asked Felix to hear for him-
self what Paul had to say. So the
soldiers did as they were command-
ed, and brought Paul to Cesarea,
and gave the letter to the governor.
When Felix had read it, he said he
would hear Paul’s defence as soon
as his accusers were come; and
commanded that Paul should be
kept in Herod’s judgment-hall at
Ceesarea.

In a few days Ananias, the high
priest, came to Ozesarea, and with
- him a man named Tertullus, one of
Paul’s enemies. Then Paul was
called out, and brought before Felix ;

THE COUNCIL. 531

and Tertullus began to accuse him,
as others had done, of despising the
temple, and troubling the Jewish
people. All the Jews who heard
Tertullus speak, agreed with him,
and said that what he had spoken
was true. Then Paul defended
himself, saying that his enemies
falsely accused him of making a
tumult or disturbance in Jerusalem.
But there was one thing they accus-
ed him of, which he confessed was
quite true; and that was, his preach-
ing about the resurrection of the
dead. Then Felix said he would
hear Paul again another time; so
he commanded the centurion to
keep him, but to treat him kindly,
and to let his friends come and see
him.

After some days, Felix sent for
Paul again, and heard him speak
about “the faith in Christ.” And
as Paul 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.” And Felix used often’ to send
for him, and hear him talk; hoping
that Paul would offer him money,
that he might loose him. But we
do not read that Felix ever found a
“convenient season” for secking to
become righteous, and ready for
“the judgment to come,” though he
trembled so much when Paul spoke
to him of these things. Perhaps
Felix thought, “I will attend to all
this another day; there is time
enough yet;” and so he put off
repentance till it was too late; and
at last died without pardon, and
without hope. Learn from Felix to
attend to heavenly things now; and
not to wait for a more “convenient