Appendix 1: Acts 29 (The Sonnini Manuscript)

¹ And Paul, full of the blessings of Christ and abounding in the spirit, departed out of Rome, determining to go into Spain, for he had a long time purposed to journey thitherward, and was minded also to go from thence into Britain.

² For he had heard in Phoenicia that certain of the children of Israel, about the time of the Assyrian captivity, had escaped by sea to “the isles afar off,” as spoken by the prophets, and called by the Romans, Britain.

³ And the Lord commanded the gospel to be preached far hence to the Gentiles, and to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

⁴ And no man hindered Paul; for he testified boldly of Jesus before the tribunes and among the people; and he took with him certain of the brethren which abode with him at Rome, and they took shipping to Ostium, and having the winds fair, were brought safely into an haven of Spain.

⁵ And much people were gathered together from the towns and villages and the hill country; for they had heard of the conversion of the apostle and the many miracles which he had wrought.

⁶ And Paul preached mightily in Spain, and great multitudes believed and were converted, for they perceived he was an apostle sent from God.

⁷ And they departed out of Spain, and Paul and his company finding a ship in Armorica sailing unto Britain, they went therein, and passing along the south coast, they reached a port called Raphinus.

⁸ Now when it was noised abroad that the apostle had landed on their coast, great multitudes of the inhabitants met him, and they treated Paul courteously; and he entered in at the east gate of their city and lodged in the house of an Hebrew and one of his own nation.

⁹ And on the morrow he came and stood upon Mount Lud [now Ludgate Hill and Broadway, where St. Paul’s Cathedral is built in London]; and the people thronged at the gate and assembled in the Broadway; and he preached Christ unto them, and many believed the word and the testimony of Jesus.

¹⁰ And at even the Holy Ghost fell upon Paul, and he prophesied, saying, “Behold, in the last days the God of Peace shall dwell in the cities, and the inhabitants thereof shall be numbered; and in the seventh numbering of the people, their eyes shall be opened and the glory of their inheritance shine forth before them. And nations shall come up to worship on the Mount that testifieth of the patience and long suffering of a servant of the Lord.

¹¹ And in the latter days new tidings of the Gospel shall issue forth out of Jerusalem, and the hearts of the people shall rejoice, and behold, fountains shall be opened and there shall be no more plague.

¹² In those days there shall be wars and rumors of wars; and a King shall rise up, and His sword shall be for the healing of the nations, and His peacemaking shall abide, and the glory of His Kingdom a wonder among princes.”

¹³ And it came to pass that certain of the Druids came unto Paul privately and showed by their rites and ceremonies they were descended from the Judahites which escaped from the bondage in the land of Egypt; and the apostle believed these things, and he gave them the kiss of peace.

¹⁴ And Paul abode in his lodgings three months, confirming in the faith and preaching Christ continually.

¹⁵ And after these things, Paul and his brethren departed from Raphinus, and sailed unto Atium in Gaul.

¹⁶ And Paul preached in the Roman garrisons and among the people, exhorting all men to repent and confess their sins.

¹⁷ And there came to him certain of the Belgae to enquire of him of the new doctrine and of the man Jesus; and Paul opened his heart unto them and told them all things that had befallen Him, how be it that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and they departed, pondering among themselves upon the things which they had heard.

¹⁸ And after much preaching and toil, Paul and his fellow laborers passed into Helvetia [now Switzerland] and came unto Mount Pontius Pilate, where he who condemned the Lord Jesus dashed himself down headlong and so miserably perished.

¹⁹ And immediately a torrent gushed out of the mountain and washed his body, broken in pieces, into a lake.

²⁰ And Paul stretched forth his hands upon the water and prayed unto the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, give a sign unto all nations that here Pontius Pilate, which condemned Thine only begotten Son, plunged headlong into the pit.”

²¹ And while Paul was yet speaking, behold, there came a great earthquake, and the face of the waters was changed, and the form of the lake like unto the Son of Man hanging in an agony upon the cross.

²² And a voice came out of heaven, saying, “Even Pilate hath escaped the wrath to come, for he washed his hands before the multitude at the blood shedding of the Lord Jesus.”

²³ When, therefore, Paul and those that were with him saw the earthquake and heard the voice of the angel, they glorified God and were mightily strengthened in spirit.

²⁴ And they journeyed and came to Mount Julius, where stood two pillars, one on the right hand and one on the left hand, erected by Caesar Augustus.

²⁵ And Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, stood up between the two pillars, saying, “Men and brethren, these stones which you see this day shall testify of my journey hence; and verily I say, they shall remain until the outpouring of the Spirit upon all nations, neither shall the way be hindered throughout all generations.”

²⁶ And they went forth and came unto Illyricum, intending to go by Macedonia into Asia, and grace was found in all the churches; and they prospered and had peace. Amen.

This history is included as an extension of Church history, because the Christians living in Palestine were greatly affected by it. Beyond this, the overthrow of Judea and the resulting diaspora of the Jews contains monumental lessons for both them and us, lessons that are indispensable for a proper biblical understanding of the law and the prophets.