Part 34

026:020 but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance.

026:021 "It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

026:022 Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen,

026:023 since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

026:024 As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."

026:025 "I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking words of sober truth.

026:026 For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.

026:027 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe them."

026:028 Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."

026:029 "My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul, "would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day, might become such as I am--except these chains."

026:030 So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them;

026:031 and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

026:032 And Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar."

027:001 Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius, a Captain of the Augustan battalion;

027:002 and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica, forming one of our party.

027:003 The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul with thoughtful kindness and allowed him to visit his friends and profit by their generous care.

027:004 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us;

027:005 and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

027:006 There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.

027:007 It took several days of slow sailing for us to come with difficulty off Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not allow us to get on in the direct course, we ran under the lee of Crete by Salmone.

027:008 Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place called `Fair Havens,' near the town of Lasea.

027:009 Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and the navigation being now unsafe and the Fast also already over, Paul warned them.

027:010 "Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship but to our own lives also."

027:011 But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the owner rather than by Paul's arguments;

027:012 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.

027:013 And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so that they supposed they were now sure of their purpose. So weighing anchor they ran along the coast of Crete, hugging the shore.

027:014 But it was not long before a furious north-east wind, coming down from the mountains, burst upon us and carried the ship out of her course.

027:015 She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we gave up and let her drive.