ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 24
1 ⲁ̅ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ϯⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲛⲁⲛⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩϩⲣⲏⲧⲱⲣ ϫⲉ ⲧⲉⲣⲧⲩⲗⲗⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩⲥⲙⲙⲉ ⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲙⲫⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ
Five days afterward the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and a barrister named Tertullus. They laid an information with the Governor against Paul;
2 ⲃ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁϥⲁⲣⲭⲉⲓ ⲛⲕⲁⲧⲏⲅⲟⲣⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲧⲉⲣⲧⲩⲗⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲕ ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲉⲛⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲙⲡⲉⲓϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲕⲡⲣⲟⲛⲟⲓⲁ
and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
“We owe it to your Excellency,” he said, “that we are enjoying profound peace, and we owe it to your foresight that this nation is constantly securing reforms – advantages which we very gratefully accept at all times and places.
But – not to be tedious – I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
5 ⲉ̅ ⲁⲛϩⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲡⲉⲓⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲗⲟⲓⲙⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲧⲟⲩⲛⲉⲥ ⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲉⲧϩⲛ ⲧⲟⲓⲕⲟⲩⲙⲉⲛⲏ ⲉⲡⲥⲁϩ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲑⲁⲓⲣⲉⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲛⲁⲍⲱⲣⲁⲓⲟⲥ
We have found this man a public pest; he is one who stirs up disputes among our people all the world over, and is a ringleader of the Nazarene heretics.
He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
7 ⲍ̅
and you will be able, by examining him on all these points, to satisfy yourself as to the charges which we are bringing against him.”
The Jewish crowd also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
10 ⲓ̅ ⲁⲫⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲇⲉ ϫⲱⲣⲙ ⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲓⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲕⲉⲓⲥ ϩⲁϩ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲉⲕⲟ ⲛⲣⲉϥϯϩⲁⲡ ⲉⲡⲉⲓϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲧⲟⲛ ϭⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ϯⲛⲁϣⲁϫⲉ ϩⲁⲣⲟⲓ
On a sign from the Governor, Paul made this reply: “Knowing, as I do, for how many years you have acted as judge to this nation, it is with confidence that I undertake my own defense.
For you can easily verify that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
where my prosecutors never found me holding discussions with anyone, or causing a crowd to collect – either in the Temple, or in the synagogues, or about the city;
and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
14 ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ ϯϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲙⲡⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲛⲁⲓ ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ϩⲁⲓⲣⲉⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲓϣⲙϣⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲥⲏϩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ
This, however, I do acknowledge to you, that it is as a believer in the Way which they call heretical, that I worship the God of my ancestors. At the same time, I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the prophets;
15 ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ ⲉⲟⲩⲛⲧⲁⲓ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲧⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲛⲁⲓ ϭⲱϣⲧ ϩⲏⲧⲥ ⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲛⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲁⲇⲓⲕⲟⲥ
and I have a hope that rests in God – a hope which they also cherish – that there will one day be a resurrection of good and bad alike.
This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and people.
After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲣⲡⲉ ⲉⲓⲧⲃⲃⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϣⲧⲟⲣⲧⲣ ⲁⲛⲛϭⲓ ϩⲉⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲥⲓⲁ
and it was while engaged in this that they found me in the Temple, after completing a period of purification, but not with any crowd or disorder.
There were, however, some Jews from Roman Asia who ought to have been here before you, and to have made any charge that they may have against me –
Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,
21 ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ ⲉⲓⲙⲏⲧⲓ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲓⲥⲙⲏ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲧⲁⲓϫⲓϣⲕⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲙⲏⲧⲉ ϫⲉ ⲉⲩⲉⲕⲣⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲓⲱⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ
except as to the one sentence that I shouted out as I stood among them – ‘It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial before you today’.”
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲫⲏⲗⲓⲝ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲛⲁⲓ ⲁϥⲛⲉϫⲫⲱⲃ ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲉϥⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲣϫ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛⲗⲩⲥⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲭⲓⲗⲓⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲉⲓ ϯⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ
Felix, however, adjourned the case – though he had a fairly accurate knowledge of all that concerned the Way – with the promise, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will give my decision in your case.”
23 ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡϩⲉⲕⲁⲧⲟⲛⲧⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲉϩⲁⲣⲉϩ ⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲟⲕϩϥ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲙⲕⲱⲗⲩ ⲛⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲛⲉϥⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲙϣⲙϣⲏⲧϥ ⲏ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲁϥ
So he gave orders to the centurion in charge of Paul to keep him in custody, but to relax the regulations, and not to prevent any of his personal friends from attending to his wants.
24 ⲕ̅ⲇ̅ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ϩⲉⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲛϭⲓ ⲫⲏⲗⲓⲝ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲣⲟⲩⲥⲓⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲉϥⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲩⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲓⲥ
Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and, sending for Paul, listened to what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.
25 ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲕⲣⲁⲧⲓⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲣ ϩⲟⲧⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲫⲏⲗⲓⲝ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ϫⲉ ⲃⲱⲕ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛϩⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲡⲉⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ϯⲛⲁⲧⲁⲩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲱⲕ
But, while Paul was speaking at length about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became terrified, and interrupted him – “Go for the present, but, when I find an opportunity, I will send for you again.”
26 ⲕ̅ⲋ̅ ϩⲁⲙⲁ ⲧⲉ ⲉϥϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲍⲉ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϯϩⲉⲛⲭⲣⲏⲙⲁ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϥⲉⲃⲟⲗϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲉϥⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲱϥ ⲛϩⲁϩ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ⲉϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ
He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.
27 ⲕ̅ⲍ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲉⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲥⲛⲧⲉ ϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲉⲫⲏⲗⲓⲝ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲙⲁ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲟⲣⲕⲓⲟⲥ ⲫⲏⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲫⲏⲗⲓⲝ ⲉϯ ⲛⲟⲩⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲛⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲁϥⲕⲁ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲙⲏⲣ
But, after the lapse of two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and, wishing to gain popularity with the Jewish leaders, he left Paul a prisoner.
