The Emissary: A Biblical Epic (1997) - full transcript

[Village people yelling]
Blasphemer! Heretic!

Kill him! Stone him!

Death to the Blasphemer!

This should teach the followers
of Jesus a lesson.

I hope that you are right.

But I fear we may fuel their
fanaticism.

You remember what the Rabbi
Gamaliel said,

"Leave these men alone.

If their purpose is of human
origin it will
fail...

But if it's God's design we
won't be able to
stop it."

He is wrong!



We must stop these Nazarenes.

There is a young man from
Tarsus-

Saul is his name--

a very bright, very ambitious.

I have put him in charge of
rounding up these
heretics.

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit...

Lord, do not hold this sin
against them.

Punish him!

I've done what I can here in
Jerusalem to
eliminate

the followers of this false
Messiah.

I've put several hundred men and
women
under arrest.

Very good, Saul.

Very thorough.

Thank you, sir...



However, my informers have
advised me that

many members of this sect have
escaped to
Damascus.

What do you propose?

I would like to go to Damascus
and bring
these heretics

back to Jerusalem for trial.

With all respect Caiaphas,
Annas... you know,
as well as I

that Damascus is the hub of
caravan trading

from all over the Roman Empire.

If we don't stop it there,

this false Messiah movement
could spread
through Persia,

Mespotamia, perhaps even to Rome
itself.

See my scribe in the morning.

He will give you the necessary
letters

of introductions to our people
in Damascus.

Saul...Saul, why do you
persecute me?

Who are you, Lord?

I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting...

What?!...

What have I done?!

Oh Lord, what do you want of me?

Arise.

I am sending you to your own
people and to
the Gentiles

to open their eyes and to turn
them

from darkness to light-- from
the power of
Satan

to the power of the living God.

Now go into the city, and you
will be told

what you must do.

I can't see.

I can't see.

He hasn't had anything to eat or
drink for
three days.

Ananias...you've come.

How did you know?

In a vision, the Lord showed me
a man called
Ananias.

He placed his hands on me and
opened my
eyes.

It is just as the Lord said...

Saul, the Lord Jesus,

who appeared to you on the road
here has sent
me to pray for you

that you might receive your
sight

and be filled with the Spirit of
the Lord.

Thank you, Lord.

I am your servant.

From that time onward Saul of
Tarsus was a
different man.

He changed his name to Paul

and became an ardent evangelist
for Jesus
Christ.

And we have been given the
message of
salvation.

The people of Jerusalem and
their leaders

did not recognize Jesus.

Yet when they condemned him,
they fulfilled
the prophesies

that are read every Sabbath.

They crucified him, but god
raised him from
the dead

on the third day.

And I am sent by Him to let you
know that
through

this same Jesus the forgiveness
of sins is
given.

Through Him everyone who
believes is given
eternal life.

How long have you been like
this?

All my life.

Do you believe that what I've
been saying is
the truth?

I do.

Then stand up on your feet.

"My God!"

Look at me... I am walking.

Look at me...l am walking!

Look at me...l am walking!

Hail Zeus! Hail Hermes!

Hail Zeus! Hail Hermes!

Listen this is wrong.

Listen! Stop!

No! Listen! Listen!

Stop this, please!

We are not gods.

Barnabas and I are just men,
like you.

We've brought you the good news

that these idols have no power.

God wants you to turn from the
worship of
these

worthless things to the living
God,

who through Jesus the Christ has
come to
save you.

In the past, God let all nations
go their own
way...

Yet, he did not leave himself
with that...

is blasphemed because of them?

They're heretics!

They should be stoned for this
sacrilege.

Excellent idea!

It's time to put a stop to their
sect.

You must reject these lifeless
gods

and worship the one, true living
God.

I tried to stop them, from
stoning Paul,

but there were too many for
me...

If you'd been there, they would
have stoned
you too..

Where is he?

He's there...

Paul?

He can't be alive...

Lord please...

So what have all your schemes
accomplished?

Your persecution of the
followers of Jesus

have caused them to flee
Jerusalem.

They're scattered all over the
Roman Empire

and taken their heretical ideas
with them.

And what do you do?

You sent Saul to stop them and
what
happened?

He becomes one of them!

No...more than that...he is a
leader.

Soon Jews all over the world
will become
devotees of this...

this Jesus.

Then what becomes of us?

How many of them will come back
to support
the Temple?

Annas, you worry too much.

I'm in communication with our
people.

Where ever he goes, they are
ready to resist
him.

Leave us.

This Saul, or Paul, as he now
calls himself,

will be found dead at the hands
of an angry
mob

before very long.

Yes... I heard that they tried
to stone him in
Lystra,

but they failed to kill him.

Can't your people do anything
right!?

Mark my words Annas.

Within a year know one will
remember

the name of Jesus or Paul.

You had your fortune told, it's
a waist of
money

how many times have I told you
to stay away
from that woman.

You must be on your guard.

One from the house of Libra will
try to take
advantage of you.

But another, whose moon is in
Pisces,

will make a very auspicious
offer.

You must not refuse.

But how will I know this person?

Please tell me more!

Come along Deanok. Come on.

Eurodia has told you quite
enough...No, No, No,
No,

If you want to hear anymore, you
must come
another time.

Well, Eurodia's never been wrong
before.

She predicted that my father
would die last
year--

although she said he would fall
from a horse-

he died in his sleep-- of course
he was

ninety-four years old and never
knew how to
ride.

It was truly remarkable--
extraordinary
really...

Eurodia! Get back in there!

Out of my way!

I know who you are...

Silas and I know who you are...

Let's find a place where we can
be alone...

Satan, you have nothing with
which to tempt
me.

You've come here to tell these
people how to
be saved,

haven't you?

Do you know who these men are?

They are the servants of the
most high god!

I tell you, you must listen to
these men,

for they will show you the way
to salvation.

Does Eurodia know those men?

Are they fortune-tellers too?

Listen to these servants of the
most high
God.

For they know the path to
eternal life.

These men are servants of the
most high God!

Hear them!

Satan, I command you in the name
of Jesus
Christ,

to come out of her!

Get your hands off her! She is
mine.

What have you done to her?!

You better not have damaged my
property.

She is mine!

She belongs to Jesus now.

This slave is worth a thousand
drachma!

If you've damaged her, I'll make
you pay.

Do you think you can go around
destroying

other people's property? Well?

This will teach you to touch
other people's slaves.

You hear me?

We would gladly pay this price

to see someone freed from
Satan's chains.

It is Gods will all people
should be free...even
you.

If your God wants to set people
free,

he should take care of his own.

You don't look very free to me!

These troubles are momentary.

In this life we have freedom
through the Holy
Spirit

and when we have finished the
course that is
set before us,

we have the promise of life
everlasting.

When your god gets you out of
prison--

that's when I'll believe in him.

Beaten and thrown in jail... not
important?

A life to come??

Freedom?

Fools...fools...

They make no sense...

What are you looking at?

[Singing/Praying]

The ground is shaking, it's an
earthquake!

Earthquake!

Earthquake!

Earthquake! Where's my sword!

The prisoners! They can't
escape!

Everybody, this way.

This way, through there...

Quickly, quickly!

Everybody, Through there.

Guards!

Where are my guards!

Anyone here! Hello!

Hello?

They're gone!

Everyone's gone!

I'm finished... I'm a dead man!

Quartus, stop!

Don't!

They're here!

Come!

You're here!

They're all here!

You...You've given me back my
life.

You could have escaped.

Why...why didn't you escape?

Jesus set Silas and me free

when he saved us from the law of
sin and
death...

and Quartus he wants you to be
free too.

What must I do to be saved?

Trust and believe in the Lord
Jesus

and you will be saved.

I do...l do believe.

The following day, Paul and
Silas

were released from prison and
continued
their tourney

through Macedonia.

Once the city magistrates of
Philippi
discovered that

Paul and I were Roman citizens
they could
not wait

to get us out of town as quickly
as possible...

no this one...

For it was illegal for them to
beat us

and throw us into jail without a
trial.

Paul...Silas... You've got to
leave!

Why? What is it?

There's no time! The Jews are
coming for
Paul!

You've got to go!

I'll get our things.

I'm not leaving...

But Paul, they're coming...

There's a huge mob...

It's been the same everywhere. I
can't keep
on running.

Must we always be afraid?

No!

The Holy Spirit who lives within
us,

is stronger than anything on
earth!

Anyone who has seen you preach

and the miracles that God
performs through
YOU.

Knows that you're not afraid,
Paul but we
need you.

They need you.

If you're killed, who will lead
us?

Silas, you stay here. It's me
they want.

I'll go on to Athens, We'll meet
again there.

They're coming!

If God wills, we'll meet in
Athens.

Come on! Hurry!

Men of Athens, I see you are a
very religious
people,

for as I was passing through
your city

I noticed how many gods you
worship.

I even saw an altar to an
unknown god.

I want to tell you that this god
that you
worship

without knowing is the same God
who made
the world

and everything in it.

But since he is Lord of heaven
and earth

he does not dwell in temples
made by men.

Nor does he served with human
hands,

as if he needed anything.

For he himself gives all men
life and breath
and everything.

We should not think of God as an
image of
gold

or silver or stone, made by
man's design or
skill.

Now God commands all people
everywhere to
repent.

For he has set a day when Jesus,
the Christ,

will judge the world.

God has given us proof of this

and that after Jesus was
crucified by the
Romans,

he raised him from the dead.

Did he say raised from the dead?

Who ever heard of such a thing.

Impossible!

Gentlemen! Be Quiet! Please! Be
quiet!

We're here to expand our
thinking

and to listen to new truths.

Paul, we've appreciated what
you've had to
say.

You've given us much to think
about...

I know that Jews ask for signs,

and the Greeks search for
wisdom...

but we teach Christ crucified
and
resurrected to life again.

These are stumbling blocks to
the Jews

and foolishness to the Greeks...

Well, I regret that the hour has
grown late.

We will hear you again, Paul.
Thank you.

That is all for today.

Tell us more about Jesus...

Yes, please... We want to
believe.

Is he really alive?

Yes, I have seen him. He is
alive...

That's the sorcerer.

Paul? Where is Paul?

Oh, Prophet, I've been told
you've been given

the power to heal by the Greek
God Apollo.

Then you have been told wrongly.

There is only one true God and
he is the one
who heals.

Is this your son?

Yes, and I have done everything
in my power
to heal him.

I have exhausted my knowledge of
the black
arts

and chanted every incantation
recorded for
healing--

and yet he worsens.

Please help him... I think he's
going to die...

Lord, I ask you, in the name of
Jesus the
Christ,

to heal this little one.

Heal him because you are a God
of compassion

and as a sign to all men that
you are the one
true God.

He's cured... He's cured...

My son is cured!

This Jesus is the one true God.

I'm a sorcerer. How can I serve
him?

First you must leave your
sorcery and
witchcraft.

It is a small price to pay.

Amazing... Truly amazing.

Do you know how much those

scrolls of incantations are
worth?

Why at least fifty thousand
drachmas.

How much greater is the worth of
one man's
soul?

The angels in heaven rejoice
tonight.

Paul...Silas...

May God forgive me.

I have practiced sorcery,
palmistry and
astrology.

All these evils I now renounce.

Thank you Lord for this lost
soul...

Christ has set you free...

After Paul had been away four
years on his
third

missionary journey, he set sail
for Caesarea
in early spring.

He was eager to be in Jerusalem
for the feast
of Pentecost.

So this is the Temple?

It is.

It's beautiful!

Help us! It's the heretic! It's
the heretic!

He's brought Greeks into the
temple!

Get him!

These men, who have turned the
whole world
upside down

have come here too!

[Everyone Yelling] Kill him!
Stone the
heretic!

Who is this man?!

He's a heretic! The man's a
murderer!

What's his crime?

He's an enemy of Rome!

Get him out of here! Take him
back to the
barracks!

Paul was arrested and sent to
Caesarea,

where he was kept in prison for
two years.

As a prisoner of the Lord, I
beseech you to
live a life

that is worthy of the calling
you have
received.

Be completely humble and
gentle...

...be patient,

bearing with one another in
love...

(God's Voice) Paul...Paul, don't
be afraid...

My Lord...

Just as you have testified for
me in
Jerusalem,

so you must also bear witness in
Rome.

Governor Porcius Festus, Roman
Procurator,

King Agrippa, King of Judea and
his wife
Queen Bernice.

King Agrippa, you have come at a
most
fortunate time.

There is a man in my custody

and as you are expert in matters
of Jewish
law,

I thought you might be
interested in hearing
his case.

Yes?

Well, I have taken the liberty
of sending for
him.

Good, good.

King Agrippa, the whole Jewish
community
has petitioned me,

saying that he should be
condemned to death.

However, I can not find any
particular law
that he has

broken deserving that penalty.

Paul has appealed to Caesar and
I've agreed to
send him,

but I don't know what specific
charges to
bring against him.

King Agrippa, I need your wisdom
and advice
in this matter.

Paul, you have permission to
speak.

King Agrippa, I consider myself
very
fortunate to be able

to stand before you today and
make my
defense,

especially as I know you are
well acquainted

with all Jewish customs and
controversy.

I beg you to listen patiently to
me.

The Jews all know that from the
time I was a
child

I lived according to the
strictest laws of our
religion.

I too considered it my duty to
oppose the
name

of Jesus of Nazareth.

And that is what I did in
Jerusalem.

On the authority of the high
priests

I put many of his believers in
prison, and
when

they were put to death, I cast
my vote
against them.

In my obsession to persecute
them,

I even traveled to foreign
cities.

I was on my way to Damascus,
when I saw a
light from heaven

brighter than the sun,

shining all around me and my
companions.

Then I heard a voice saying

"Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?"

I asked, "Who are you, Lord?"

"I am Jesus.

Now, arise and stand on your
feet.

I have chosen you as a servant
and as a
witness

to both the Jews and the
Gentiles.

I am sending you to open their
eyes,

to turn them from darkness to
light,

from the power of Satan to God,

so they may be forgiven of their
sins."

And so, King Agrippa, I was not
disobedient

to this vision from heaven.

I have preached that both the
Jews and
Gentiles should repent

and turn to God.

And that is why the Jews seized
me in the
temple.

But I am saying nothing beyond
what the
prophets

and Moses said would happen--
that the
Messiah would suffer

and as the first to rise from
the dead,

would proclaim light and being
to his own
people

and to the Gentiles.

Rise from the dead! Are you out
of your mind,
Paul!

All of this learning is making
you mad.

What I am saying is the truth

and was foretold by the
prophets.

I know the king is familiar with
these things.

King Agrippa, do you believe the
law and the
prophets?

I know you do...

Paul, Paul... you could almost
persuade me

to become a Christian...

I pray to God that not only
you...

but all those who hear my words,

may become as I am today, except
for these
chains.

What do you think?

Paul isn't guilty of any crime.

He could have been set free if
he hadn't
appealed to Caesar.

It doesn't appear that he's done
anything

deserving death or even
imprisonment.

But by law, he must go to Rome
where Caesar
will judge him.

Late in the Summer, a ship was
found to take
Paul to Italy.

He was handed over to a
Centurion

of the Imperial Regiment named
Julius.

There will be a loss of cargo,
the ship and
perhaps

even our lives.

And what is your occupation, a
fortuneteller I
suppose?

I'm a tent-maker.

Ah, well, tent-maker, the
captain and the
owner

of this ship have advised me
that this is not

a suitable harbor for the
winter,

so we must sail further west
along the coast
to another port.

Look at this weather... it's
beautiful.

There's nothing to worry
about...

Hey there! Trim that sail!

You heard me! Help him! Help
him!

Drop those anchors on the side!

Hurry up! Go on, keep bailing!

Keep it coming! Hurry up!

Everything over!

Faster!

Trim that sail! Trim that sail!

Those sailors are trying to
escape.

If they do, you have on hope of
being saved!

We all stay together! Am I
understood?

We're lost.

I don't know where we are.

Paul, I should have listened to
you.

We're probably all going to die.

Yes...that's right...

No!

No!

Do not lose courage!

No one is going to die.

How do you know this?

An angel of the God I serve
stood beside me
last night

and said, "Paul, do not be
afraid.

You must stand before Caesar;
and God has
also given you

the lives of those who sail with
you.

The ship will be lost, but no
one will perish."

So do not loose hope, I have
faith in God

that it will happen as he has
said.

Land, ho!

We'll run the ship aground!

Cut the anchors! Hoist the
foresail!

We'll make for the beach!

We've struck a sandbar!

We're stuck fast.

The ship is breaking up!

It's coming apart!

We've got to kill the prisoners!

If they escape, we'll be
executed!

No!

Help everyone get overboard.

If they can't swim, give them a
plank from
the ship.

Everyone will make it to shore!!
Is that
understood, Soldier?

Yes, sir!

Paul, you can swim?

Like a fish...

It's a snake!

Back away! It's a viper... It's
deadly!

It's nothing...

The venom in that snake kills
almost
instantly.

Julius, don't worry.

The Lord has promised that I
shall get to
Rome.

Nothing on earth is going to
prevent that.

We stayed on the Island of Malta
for three
months

until a ship from Alexandria
took us to Rome.

And your trial before Caesar?

Ah. yes!

After waiting two more years
here in Rome,

it happened just as the Lord
promised.

I testified before Nero and I
was acquitted on
all charges.

Amazing!

You must remember, the trial was
before

the fire in Rome, before Nero
tried to deflect

the blame by charging the
Christians with the
crime,

before so many of the Faithful
had been
martyred

for the entertainment of the
Emperor.

We heard some of the martyrs

were even from Nero's own
household.

I pray that I can remain as
faithful to the
end.

For God did not give us a spirit
of fear,

but a spirit of power, of love
and of a sound
mind.

So do not be ashamed to testify
in the name
of our Lord,

or be ashamed of me, his
prisoner.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised
from the dead

descended from David.

This is my gospel, for which I
am suffering

even to the point of being
chained like a
criminal.

But God's word is never chained.

For I am already being poured
out like a drink
offering

and the time has come for my
departure...

I have fought the good fight, I
have finished
the race.

I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me
the crown of righteousness...

My Lord!