CHAPTER I.

Paul's Conversion. Improbability and Discordancy of the Accounts of it1
     1. List of these Accounts, with preliminary Observations. Table in which they are confronted1
     2. Vision I. Dialogue on the road: Paul hears a voice, sees nothing8
     3. Vision II. Ananias's21, 34
     4. Ananias: his Visit to Paul at Damascus26, 57
     5. Vision III. Paul's anterior Vision, as reported by the Lord to Ananias. Acts ix. 1262
     6. Visions, why two or three, instead of one?64
     7. Commission to Paul by Jerusalem Rulers—Commission to bring in Bonds Damascus Christians—Paul's Contempt put upon it69
     8. Companions—had Paul any upon the road?72
     9. In Paul's Epistle to his Galatians,—by his silence, Acts Accounts of his Conversion are virtually contradicted 77

TABLE II

CHAPTER II.

Outward Conversion—how produced—how planned89
     1. Motive, Temporal Advantage—Plan93
     2. At Damascus, no such Ananias probably97
     3. On Damascus journey—Companions none100
     4. Flight from Damascus: Causes—false—true101
     5. Arabia Visit—mentioned by Paul, not Acts108,  113
     6. Gamaliel—had he part in Paul's plan?125

CHAPTER III.

Paul disbelieved.—Neither his divine Commission nor his inward Conversion ever credited by the
Apostles or their Jerusalem Disciples.—Source of Proof stated135
     1. To Paul's Conversion Vision, sole original Witness himself135
     2. Counter-Witnesses, the Apostles: by them, the Story probably not heard—certainly not credited136
     3. In proof, so much of the Acts history must here be anticipated138
     4. Topics under his several Jerusalem Visits: viz. I. Reconciliation Visit139, 143
     5. Topics under Visit II.—Money-bringing Visit153
     6. Remarks on Visit III.—Deputation Visit154
     7. Topics under Visit IV.—Invasion Visit156
     8. Self-written Biography—its superior Value and Claim to Credence159

CHAPTER IV.

Paul disbelieved continued. First of his four Visits to Jerusalem after his Conversion—say Jerusalem Visit I.
or Reconciliation Visit.—Barnabas introducing him from Antioch to the Apostles160
     1. Paul's Proceedings between his Conversion and this Visit.—Contradiction. Per Paul, it was not till
         after three Years spent in Arabia; per Acts, immediately164
     2. Grounds of Paul's Prospect of Reconciliation on this Occasion with the Apostles and their Disciples171
     3. Occasion of this Visit, as per Paul's own Account177
     4. Occasion, as per Acts Account compared with Paul's180
     5. Cause of the Discordance between the two Accounts188
     6. Length of this Visit192
     7. Mode and Cause of its Termination197

CHAPTER V.

Paul disbelieved continued. Jerusalem Visit II. Money-bringing Visit.—Barnabas accompanying him from Antioch203
     1. At Antioch, Agabus having predicted a Dearth, Money is collected for the Jerusalem Saints203
     2. Barnabas and Paul dispatched with the Money to Jerusalem208

CHAPTER VI.

Paul disbelieved continued.—Jerusalem Visit III. Deputation Visit.—Paul and Barnabas delegated by Antioch
Saints, to confer on the Necessity of Jewish Rites to Heathen Converts to the Religion of Jesus211
     1. Occasion of this Visit211
     2. The Delegates how received.—Council of Apostles and Elders215
     3. Debates—Course carried by James against Peter220
     4. Result, supposed Apostolic Decree and Letter to Antioch, which, per Acts, Paul circulates224

CHAPTER VII.

Paul disbelieved continued. After his third Jerusalem Visit, Contest between him and Peter at Antioch. Partition
Treaty: Paul for himself: Peter, James and John for the Apostles228
     1. Contest and Partition-Treaty, as per Acts and Paul's Epistles228
     2. Partition-Treaty—Probability, given by the financial Stipulation, to Paul's Account of it238
     3. Time of the Partition-Treaty, most probably that of Visit I242

CHAPTER VIII.

Interview the Fourth.—Peter at Antioch.—Deputies to Antioch from Jerusalem, Judas and Silas.—Paul disagrees with
Peter and Barnabas, quits Antioch, and on a Missionary Excursion takes with him Silas. What concerns the Partition
Treaty, down to this Period, reviewed.—Peter and the Apostles justified249
     1. Paul's Account of this Interview quoted.—Acts Account of what followed upon it249
     2. Paul disagrees with Peter and Barnabas; quits Antioch, taking Silas from the Apostles252
     3. The Partition Treaty, and the proceedings in relation to it, down to this Period, reviewed255
     4. Peter and the Apostles justified, as to the financial Stipulation in the Treaty, and the succeeding Missionary
Labours of Peter among the Gentiles258

CHAPTER IX.

Paul disbelieved continued.—Jerusalem Visit IV. and last Invasion Visit. The Purpose concealed: Opposition universal;
among his own Disciples, and among those of the Apostles266
     1. Motives to this Visit266
     2. The Visit announced by Paul and deferred267
     3. The design indefensible272
     4. Opposition made to it by his own attendants and other adherents275
     5. Opposition made to it by the Apostles and their disciples277
     6. Plan of the Apostles for ridding themselves of Paul282

CHAPTER X.

Paul disbelieved continued.—Jerusalem Visit IV. continued. His Arrival and Reception. Accused by all the Disciples of the Apostles,
he commences an exculpatory Oath in the Temple. Dragged out by them—rescued by a Roman Commander—sent in Custody to Rome     288
     1. At Jerusalem, Paul is received by the Elders and James; but by no other Apostle288
     2. Low Tone assumed by him on this Occasion291
     3. Posterior to all his supposed Miracles, his Silence proves them unreal295
     4. Accused by the Disciples, he commences, at the Recommendation of the Apostles, an exculpatory Oath in the Temple298
     5. The Design of this Recommendation justified308
     6. Dragged out of the Temple by Jews or Christians, he is saved by a Roman Commander309

CHAPTER XI.

Paul disbelieved continued.—Paul's fourth Jerusalem Visit continued. Perjurious was the Purpose of the exculpatory
Ceremony commenced in the Temple310
     1. General Proof of the Perjury from the Acts310
     2. Proof from the Epistles327

CHAPTER XII.

More Falsehoods.—Resurrection-Witnesses multiplied.—World's End predicted.—To save credit, Antichrist invented333
     1. Resurrection-Witnesses multiplied333
     2. False Prophecy, that the World would end in the Lifetime of Persons then living338
     3. Disorder and Mischief produced by this Prediction343
     4. Paul's Remedy for the Disorder, and Salvo for himself. Antichrist must first come347

CHAPTER XIII.

Paul's supposable Miracles explained354
     1. Objections, applying to them in the Aggregate354
     2. Supposable Miracle I. Elymas the Sorcerer blinded.—Acts xiii. 6-12358
     3. Supposable Miracle II.—At Lystra, Cripple cured.—Acts xiv. 8-11361
     4. Supposable Miracle III.—Divineress silenced.—Acts xvi. 16-18362
     5. Supposable Miracle IV.—At Philippi, an Earthquake: Paul and Silas freed from Prison, A.D. 53365
     6. Supposable Miracle V.—At Corinth, Paul comforted by the Lord in an unseen Vision, A.D. 54—Acts xviii. 7-11369
     7. Supposable Miracle VI.—At Ephesus, Diseases and Devils expelled by foul Handkerchiefs.—Acts xix. 1-12372
     8. Supposable Miracle VII.—At Ephesus, Exorcist Scevas bedeviled.—Acts xix. 13-20373
     9. Supposable Miracle VIII.—Magical Books burnt by the Owners.—Acts xix. 19, 20380
   10. Supposable Miracle IX.—At Troas, Eutychus found not to be dead.—Acts xx. 7-12382
   11. Supposable Miracle X.—On Shipboard, Paul comforted by an Angel.—Acts xxvii. 20-25385
   12. Supposable Miracle XI.—At Malta, a Reptile shaken off by Paul without hurt.—Acts xxviii. 1-6386
   13. Supposable Miracle XII.—At Malta, Deputy Publius's Father cured.—Acts xxviii. 7, 8389
   14. Conclusion: the Supposable Miracles classed and summed up393

CHAPTER XIV.

Acts, Part false, Part true: Author not Saint Luke397
     1. By the false Parts, the Gospel not affected: most Parts true397
     2. Time between Resurrection and Ascension—Acts contradicts Luke398
     3. As to Ascension, Acts inconsistent with Luke403

CHAPTER XV.

Law Report.—Jews versus Paul: Trials five, with Observations406
     1. Introduction406
     2. Trial I. Place, Jerusalem-Temple.—Judicatory, the mixed Multitude.—Acts xxii. 1-21407
     3. Trial II. Judicatory, Jerusalem Council-Board.—Acts xxiii. 1-10409
     4. Trial III. Place, Cæsarea.—Acts xxiv. 1-23413
     5. Trial IV. Place, again, Cæsarea.—Acts xxv. 1-12417
     6. Trial V. and last.—Place, still Cæsarea420

CHAPTER XVI.

Paul's Doctrines Anti-Apostolic.—Was he not Antichrist?426
     1. Paul's Doctrine was at variance with that of the Apostles426
     2. Of Conformity, use made of the Name of Jesus no Proof428
     3. Paul, was he not Antichrist?432

Transcriber's Notes:

Punctuation corrected without comment. Original spelling retained with the exception of apparent typesetting errors. Corrections in text indicated by grey dotted line. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will appear.