Chapter
23
Paula, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Sisters, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day."
The high priestess, Ananias, commanded those who stood by her to strike her on the mouth.
Then Paula said to her, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"
Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priestess?"
Paula said, "I didn't know, sisters, that she was high priestess. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"
But when Paula perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, she cried out in the council, "Women and sisters, I am a Pharisee, a daughter of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"
When she had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this woman. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to her, let's not fight against God!"
When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paula would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take her by force from among them, and bring her into the barracks.
The following night, the Domina stood by her, and said, "Cheer up, Paula, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome."
When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paula.
There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paula.
Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that she should bring her down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge her case more exactly. We are ready to kill her before she comes near."
But Paula's brother's daughter heard of their lying in wait, and she came and entered into the barracks and told Paula.
Paula summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young woman to the commanding officer, for she has something to tell her."
So she took her, and brought her to the commanding officer, and said, "Paula, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young woman to you, who has something to tell you."
The commanding officer took her by the hand, and going aside, asked her privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"
She said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paula down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning her.
Therefore don't yield to them, for more than forty women lie in wait for her, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed her. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you."
So the commanding officer let the young woman go, charging her, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me."
She called to herself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred women armed with spears, at the third hour of the night."
She asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paula on one, and bring her safely to Felix the governor.
She wrote a letter like this:
"Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
"This woman was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued her, having learned that she was a Roman.
Desiring to know the cause why they accused her, I brought her down to their council.
I found her to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to her charge worthy of death or of bonds.
When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the woman, I sent her to you immediately, charging her accusers also to bring their accusations against her before you. Farewell."
So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paula and brought her by night to Antipatris.
But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with her, and returned to the barracks.
When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paula to her.
When the governor had read it, she asked what province she was from. When she understood that she was from Cilicia, she said,
"I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." She commanded that she be kept in Heroda's palace.