The Jews were highly enraged against St. Paul for preaching the gospel of Christ with such freedom and boldness in several places; and when they found him at Jerusalem, they took occasion to seize him, and bring him before the magistrates, with heavy accusations; but when he had defended himself so well, the magistrates saw no cause to punish him. The Jews lay in wait to assasinate him, or murder him privately; which being known, he was sent by night to Cesarea, to be judged by Felix the governor; and there he lay in prison two years, till a new governor, Festus, came to the province.
The Jews still pursued their malice against Paul, and what they could not obtain of Felix, they hoped to persuade Festus to grant them: And when Festus had heard what charges the Jews brought against him, and when Paul appealed unto Cæsar, fearing that Festus would comply with the unjust desire of the Jews, Festus had a mind to hear the whole cause, that he might send Cæsar a more particular account. Now king Agrippa being there upon a visit, Festus tells Agrippa the story in this speech of which my text is a part, ver. 17, &c.
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