The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

Paul Receives his Commission

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 to me, Make haste, and get quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. To this I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed You: And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiments of them that slew him. To this He said to me, Depart: for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.

Paul Appears before the Roman Court

They (the heavily Religous Jews or Judizers, those who set themselves apart from all the rest) gave him audience to 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. As they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and be held there, that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. As they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what you do: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, "Yes." Then the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, "But I am free born." Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. 

Paul before His former counter parts of the Sanhedrin

Paul, beholding the council in earnest, said, "Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then said Paul to him, "God shall smite you, you whited wall: for you sit to judge me after the law, and command me to be smitten contrary to the law?" And they that stood by said to him, Revile you God's high priest? Then said Paul, "I did not (know him is implied here), brothers, that he was the high priest:" for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. But when Paul perceived that part of them were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brothers, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great out cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God. Then there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. The night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness of Me also at Rome.

The Plot and Conspiracy against Paul

because of his witness by the same line of Religionists that put Christ Jesus to death.

When it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a oath of 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 you of the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you want to inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he will come near, and we are ready to kill him. 

When Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, "Bring this young man to the chief captain: for he has a certain information to tell him." So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and prayed me to bring this young man to you, who has something to say to you. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that you have to tell me? He said, The Jews have agreed to desire that you would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. But do not yield to them: for there lies in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you. So the chief captain let the young man depart, and charged him, See you tell no man that you have shown these things to me. 

Then he called to two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spear-men two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 
 
Then he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman citizen. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him before their council: Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway him to you, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before you what charge they have against him. Farewell. 
 
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him that very night to Antipatris. On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia; I will hear you, said he, when your accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

Next we will look at Paul's testimony before Festus as recorded in Acts 25.