“There is a certain man,” said he, “left in bonds by Felix; about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth; against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And, because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters; but, when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar.”[162] The curiosity of Agrippa was excited, and he requested that Paul might be brought before him. Accordingly, the next day, the king and his sister, with great pomp, entered the audience-chamber. The king took his seat in the judicial chair, and was attended by a brilliant suite of military officers, and of the most distinguished men of Cæsarea. Before this august assemblage Paul was led. In the following ceremonious speech, Festus described the circumstances under which the prisoner had been left in his charge:―― “King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O King Agrippa! that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write; for it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.”[163] Agrippa then condescendingly said to the prisoner that he was permitted to speak for himself. Paul opened his defence with the following words:―― “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews; especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.” He then briefly recounted his early history, narrating in full the circumstances which attended his conversion to the religion of Jesus. After speaking of the vision which appeared to him on the road to Damascus, before whose brilliancy all had fallen to the earth, he said,――