Acts 24
1 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;
Now after fiue dayes, Ananias the hie Priest came downe with the Elders, and with Tertullus a certaine oratour, which appeared before the Gouernour against Paul.
2 and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
And when he was called foorth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that we haue obtained great quietnesse through thee, and that many worthy things are done vnto this nation through thy prouidence,
3 “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.
We acknowledge it wholy, and in all places most noble Felix, with all thankes,
4 But – not to be tedious – I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
But that I be not tedious vnto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldest heare vs of thy courtesie a fewe wordes.
5 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.
Certainely we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe, and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world, and a chiefe maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites:
6 He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
And hath gone about to pollute the Temple: therefore wee tooke him, and woulde haue iudged him according to our Lawe:
But the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs, and with great violence tooke him out of our handes,
8 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.”
Commanding his accusers to come to thee: of whom thou mayest (if thou wilt inquire) know all these things whereof we accuse him.
9 The Jewish crowd also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
And the Iewes likewise affirmed, saying that it was so.
10 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.
Then Paul, after that the gouernour had beckened vnto him that hee shoulde speake, answered, I do the more gladly answere for my selfe, for as much as I knowe that thou hast bene of many yeres a iudge vnto this nation,
11 For you can easily verify that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
Seeing that thou mayest knowe, that there are but twelue dayes since I came vp to worship in Hierusalem.
12 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 neither found mee in the Temple disputing with any man, neither making vproare among the people, neither in the Synagogues, nor in the citie.
13 and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
Neither can they proue the things, whereof they now accuse me.
14 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;
But this I confesse vnto thee, that after the way (which they call heresie) so worship I the God of my fathers, beleeuing all things which are written in the Lawe and the Prophets,
15 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.
And haue hope towardes God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselues looke for also, shalbe both of iust and vniust.
16 This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and people.
And herein I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towarde God, and toward men.
17 After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
Now after many yeres, I came and brought almes to my nation and offerings.
18 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.
At what time, certaine Iewes of Asia founde mee purified in the Temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
19 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 –
Who ought to haue bene present before thee, and accuse me, if they had ought against me.
20 Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,
Or let these themselues say, if they haue found any vniust thing in mee, while I stoode in the Council,
21 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’.”
Except it be for this one voyce, that I cried standing among them, Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day.
22 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.”
Nowe when Felix heard these things, he deferred them, and said, When I shall more perfectly know the things which concerne this way, by the comming of Lysias the chiefe Captaine, I will decise your matter.
23 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.
Then hee commanded a Centurion to keepe Paul, and that he should haue ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him.
24 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.
And after certaine dayes, came Felix with his wife Drusilla, which was a Iewesse, and he called foorth Paul, and heard him of the faith in Christ.
25 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.”
And as he disputed of righteousnes and temperance, and of the iudgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time, and when I haue conuenient time, I will call for thee.
26 He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.
Hee hoped also that money shoulde haue bene giuen him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore hee sent for him the oftner, and communed with him.
27 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.
When two yeeres were expired, Porcius Festus came into Felix roume: and Felix willing to get fauour of the Iewes, left Paul bound.
