Acts 24
1 And after five days the chief priest Ananias came down, with the elders, and a certain orator—Tertullus, and they disclosed to the governor [the things] against Paul;
Five days afterwards the High Priest Ananias came down with some of the Councillors and a barrister named Tertullus. They laid an information with the Governor against Paul;
2 and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, “Enjoying much peace through you, and worthy deeds being done to this nation through your forethought,
and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
3 always, also, and everywhere we receive it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness;
“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.
4 and that I may not be further tedious to you, I exhort you to hear us concisely in your gentleness;
But — not to be tedious — I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
5 for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world—also a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes—
We have found this man a public pest; he is one who stirs up disputes among the Jews all the world over, and is a ringleader of the Nazarene heretics.
6 who also tried to profane the temple, whom we also took, [[and wished to judge according to our law,
He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
7 and Lysias the chief captain having come near, took away out of our hands with much violence,
8 having commanded his accusers to come to you, ]] from whom you may be able, yourself having examined, to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him”;
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.”
9 and the Jews also agreed, professing these things to be so.
The Jews also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
10 And Paul—the governor having beckoned to him to speak—answered, “Knowing [that] for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I answer more cheerfully the things concerning myself;
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 defence.
11 you being able to know that it is not more than twelve days to me since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,
For you can easily ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
12 and neither did they find me reasoning with anyone in the temple, or making a dissension of the multitude, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;
where my prosecutors never found me holding discussions with any one, or causing a crowd to collect — either in the Temple, or in the Synagogues, or about the city;
13 nor are they able to prove against me the things concerning which they now accuse me.
and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
14 And I confess this to you, that, according to The Way that they call a sect, so I serve the God of the fathers, believing all things that have been written in the Law and the Prophets,
This, however, I do acknowledge to you, that it is as a believer in the Cause 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 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be a resurrection of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;
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.
16 and in this I exercise myself, to always have a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and man.
17 And after many years I came, about to do kind acts to my nation, and offerings,
After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
18 in which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with multitude, nor with tumult,
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.
19 whom it is necessary to be present before you, and to accuse, if they had anything against me,
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 —
20 or let these same say if they found any unrighteousness in me in my standing before the Sanhedrin,
Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,
21 except concerning this one voice, in which I cried, standing among them—Concerning a resurrection of the dead I am judged by you today.”
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 to-day’.”
22 And having heard these things, Felix delayed them—having known more exactly of the things concerning The Way—saying, “When Lysias the chief captain may come down, I will know fully the things concerning you”;
Felix, however, adjourned the case — though he had a fairly accurate knowledge of all that concerned the Cause — with the promise: “When Lysias, the commanding Officer, comes down, I will give my decision in your case.”
23 having also given a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.
So he gave orders to the Captain 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 And after certain days, Felix having come with his wife Drusilla, being a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning faith toward Christ,
Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was herself a Jewess, and, sending for Paul, listened to what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.
25 and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, “For the present be going, and having time, I will call for you”;
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 and at the same time also hoping that money will be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him often, he was conversing with him;
He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.
27 and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favor on the Jews, left Paul bound.
But, after the lapse of two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and, wishing to gain popularity with the Jews, he left Paul a prisoner.
