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;
And, after five days, came down the High-priest Ananias, with certain Elders and a certain orator Tertullus, and they informed the governor against Paul.
2 and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
And, when he was called, Tertullus began to make accusation, saying—Seeing that, great peace, we are obtaining through thee, and that, reforms, are being brought about for this nation through thy forethought,
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.
both in all ways and in all places, are we accepting it, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 But – not to be tedious – I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
But, lest I too long detain thee, I beseech thee to hear us concisely in thy considerateness.
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.
For, finding this man a pest, and moving sedition with all the Jews that are throughout the inhabited earth, a leader also of the sect of the Nazarenes, —
6 He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
who also attempted to desecrate even, the temple, whom we also seized,
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.”
from whom thou shall be able, thyself, by making examination concerning all these things, to ascertain the things of which, we, are accusing him.
9 The Jewish crowd also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
Moreover, the Jews also were joining in the attack, saying that, these things, were, 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.
And Paul answered, when the governor had motioned him to be speaking, —Well knowing thee to have been, for many years, judge unto his nation, cheerfully, as to the things concerning myself, do I make defence;
11 For you can easily verify that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
seeing thou art able to ascertain, that there are, not more, than twelve days, since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, —
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 neither, in the temple, found they me, with any one, disputing, or causing, a halt, of the multitude, either in the synagogues or throughout the city, —
13 and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
neither can they make good the things concerning which they are, now, accusing 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 I confess, this, unto thee, —That, according to the Way which they call a Sect, so, I am rendering divine service unto my father’s God, believing in all the things which, throughout the law, and those which, in the prophets, are written:
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.
Having, hope, towards God, which, even these themselves, do entertain—that, a resurrection, there shall certainly be, both of righteous and of unrighteous:
16 This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and people.
herein, even I, myself, am studying to have, an unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually.
17 After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
Now, after many years, intending to do, alms, unto my nation, I arrived, —also [to present] offerings; among which they found me, purified in the temple, not with a multitude, nor with tumult;
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.
but certain Jews from Asia [caused it], —
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, before thee, to have presented themselves, and to have been laying accusation, if, anything, they might have had 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 themselves, say what wrong they found, when I stood before the High-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’.”
unless concerning this one voice, wherewith I cried aloud among them, as I stood—Concerning the raising of the dead, am, I, to be judged, this day, by you.
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.”
And Felix deferred them, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, —saying—As soon as, Lysias the captain, hath come down, I will give judgment as to your affairs, —
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.
giving orders unto the centurion, that he should be kept, and have a measure of liberty, and to be hindering, none, of his own from waiting upon 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 certain days, Felix having arrived, with Drusilla his own wife, who was, a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith, respecting Christ Jesus.
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 was reasoning of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix, becoming greatly afraid, answered—For the present, be going thy way, and, when I find an opportunity, I will send 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.
at the same time, also hoping that, money, would be given him by Paul; wherefore also, the more frequently sending for him, he used to converse 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, however, two years, were completed, Felix, was succeeded, by Porcius Festus, and Felix, wishing to gain favour with the Jews, left Paul bound.
