Acts 24
1 Five days later Ananias the high priest, [having heard that Paul was now in Caesarea], went down [there from Jerusalem], along with some [other Jewish] elders and a lawyer [whose name was] Tertullus. There they formally told the governor what Paul had done [that they considered] wrong.
And aftir fyue daies, Ananye, prince of preestis, cam doun with summe eldere men, and Terculle, a feir speker, which wenten to the precident ayens Poul.
2 [The governor commanded] Paul to be brought {[a soldier] to bring Paul} in. [When Paul arrived], Tertullus began to accuse him. He said [to the governor], “Honorable Governor Felix, during the many years that you [(sg)] have ruled us, we [(exc)] have lived well/peacefully. By planning wisely, you have improved many things in this province.
And whanne Poul was somened, Terculle bigan to accuse hym, and seide, Whanne in myche pees we doon bi thee, and many thingis ben amendid bi thi wisdom, euere more and euery where,
3 [Therefore], sir, we [(exc)] always gratefully acknowledge everything that [you have done] for all [of us], wherever [you have done those things].
thou best Felix, we han resseyued with al doyng of thankingis.
4 But, so that I will not take up too much of your time, I earnestly request that you kindly listen to me very briefly.
But lest Y tarie thee lengere, Y preie thee, schortly here vs for thi mekenesse.
5 We [(exc)] have observed that this man, [wherever he goes], causes trouble. [Specifically], he causes all the Jews everywhere [HYP] to riot. [Also], he leads the entire group [whom people call] ‘the followers of the Nazarene’, a [false] sect.
We han foundun this wickid man stirynge dissencioun to alle Jewis in al the world, and auctour of dissencioun of the secte of Nazarenus; and he also enforside to defoule the temple;
6 He even tried to do things in the Temple [in Jerusalem] that would (defile it/make it unholy). So we [(exc)] seized him.
whom also we token, and wolden deme, after oure lawe.
7 But Lysias, the commander at the Roman fort, came with his soldiers and forcefully took him away from us [SYN].
But Lisias, the trybune, cam with greet strengthe aboue, and delyuerede hym fro oure hoondis;
8 Lysias also commanded Paul’s accusers to come here and accuse Paul before you. If you question him yourself, you will be able to learn that all these things about which we are accusing him are true.”
and comaundide hise accuseris to come to thee, of whom thou demynge, maist knowe of alle these thingis, of whiche we accusen hym.
9 When the Jewish [leaders who were listening heard that, they] told [the governor that] what Tertullus had said was true.
And Jewis putten to, and seiden, that these thingis hadden hem so.
10 Then the governor motioned with [his hand to Paul that] he should speak. So Paul replied. He said, “[Governor Felix, I know that you(sg) have judged this Jewish] province for many years. Therefore I gladly defend myself, confident [that you will listen to me and will judge me fairly].
And Poul answeride, whanne the president grauntide hym to seie, Of mony yeeris Y knowe thee, that thou art domesman `to this folk, and Y schal do ynowy for me with good resoun.
11 You [(sg)] can [easily] ascertain that (it has not been more than twelve days since/only twelve days ago) I went up went up to Jerusalem to worship [God. That is not enough time to cause a lot of trouble].
For thou maist knowe, for to me ben not more than twelue daies, sithen Y cam vp to worschipe in Jerusalem;
12 No one [can claim legitimately that they] saw me arguing with anyone at the Temple courts [because I did not do that. No one can claim legitimately that they saw me] causing people to riot in [any Jewish meeting place], or causing trouble anywhere [else] in [Jerusalem] city, [because I did not do that].
and nether in the temple thei founden me disputinge with ony man, nether makynge concours of puple, nether in synagogis, nether in citee;
13 So they cannot prove to you the things about which they are now accusing me.
nether thei moun preue to thee, of the whiche thingis thei now accusen me.
14 But I admit to you [(sg) that this is true]: I do worship the God that our ancestors [worshipped. It is true that] I follow the way that [Jesus taught us]. The Jewish leaders call that a false religion/teaching. I also believe everything that was written [by Moses] {that [Moses wrote]} in the laws that [God gave him], and everything that was written by the [other] prophets {that the [other] prophets wrote} [in their books] [MTY].
But Y knowleche to thee this thing, that aftir the secte which thei seien eresie, so Y serue to God the fadir, `and Y bileue to alle thingis that ben writun in the lawe and profetis; and Y haue hope in God,
15 I confidently expect, just like [some of] these men also expect, that [some day God] will cause everyone who has died to become alive again. He will (cause to become alive again/raise from the dead) both those who were righteous and those who were wicked.
whiche also thei hem silf abiden, the ayenrisyng `to comynge of iust men and wickid.
16 [Because I am confidently waiting for that day], I always try to do what pleases God and what other people think is right.
In this thing Y studie with outen hirtyng, to haue concience to God, and to men euermore.
17 After I [had been in other places for] several years, I returned to Jerusalem. I went there to deliver some money to my fellow Jews [who are] poor, and to offer sacrifices [to God].
But after many yeeris, Y cam to do almes dedis to my folc, and offryngis, and auowis;
18 Some [Jews] saw me in the temple [courts] after I had completed the ritual by which a person is made {that makes a person} pure. There was no crowd with me, and I was not causing [people] to riot.
in whiche thei founden me purified in the temple, not with company, nether with noise. And thei cauyten me, and thei crieden, and seiden, Take awei oure enemye.
19 But it was some [other] Jews [who had come] from Asia [province who really caused people to riot. They] should be here in front of you [(sg)] to accuse me, if they thought that I [did] something [wrong].
And summe Jewis of Asie, whiche it behofte to be now present at thee, and accuse, if thei hadden ony thing ayens me,
20 [But if they] do not [want to do that] (OR, [But because they] are [not] here), these [Jewish] men who are here should tell you [(sg)] what [they think] I did that was wrong, when I [defended myself] before their Council.
ether these hem silf seie, if thei founden in me ony thing of wickidnesse, sithen Y stonde `in the counsel,
21 [They might say that] one thing that I shouted as I stood before them [was wrong. What I said] was, ‘You are judging me today because I believe that [God] will (cause [all people] who have died to become alive again/raise [all people] from the dead).’”
but oneli of this vois, by which Y criede stondynge among hem, For of the ayenrisyng of deed men Y am demyd this dai of you.
22 Felix already knew quite a lot about [what people called] ‘the way [of Jesus’]. But he did not let Paul or his accusers continue to speak. [Instead], he said [to them], “[Later], when Commander Lysias comes down here, I will decide these matters that concern you all.”
Sothely Felix delayede hem, and knewe moost certeynli of the weie, and seide, Whanne Lisias, the tribune, schal come doun, Y schal here you.
23 Then he told the officer [who was guarding Paul] to [take Paul back to the prison and] make sure that he was guarded all the time. But he said that Paul was not to be chained {that the officer was not to fasten chains on him}, and if his friends came to visit him, [the officer] should allow them to help Paul [in any way that they wished].
And he comaundide to a centurien to kepe hym, and that he hadde reste, nethir to forbede ony man to mynystre of his owne thingis to him.
24 Several days later Felix and his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew, came [back to Caesarea after having been away for a few days]. Felix [commanded] Paul to be brought in {[a soldier to] bring Paul in}. Then Felix listened to what Paul [said to him]. Paul spoke about what [Christians] believe about the Messiah Jesus.
And after summe dayes Felix cam, with Drussille his wijf, that was a Jewesse, and clepide Poul, and herde of him the feith that is in Crist Jhesu.
25 Paul explained [to them about what God requires people] to do in order to please him. [He also explained about God requiring people to] control how they act. [Paul also told him that there will be a time when God] will judge [people]. Felix became alarmed [after hearing those things. So] he said to Paul, “That is all I [want to hear] now. When there is a time that is convenient I will ask you [(sg)] to come [to me again].”
And while he disputide of riytwisnesse, and chastite, and of dom to comynge, Felix was maad tremblinge, and answerde, That perteneth now, go; but in tyme couenable Y schal clepe thee.
26 [Felix said that because] he hoped that Paul would give him some money [to allow Paul to get out of prison]. So he repeatedly sent for Paul to come, and Paul [repeatedly went and] talked with him. [But he] did not [give Felix any money, and Felix did not command his soldiers to release Paul from prison].
Also he hopide, that money schulde be youun to hym of Poul; for which thing eft he clepide hym, and spak with hym.
27 Felix let Paul remain in prison, because he wanted to please the Jewish [leaders and he knew that they did not want him to release Paul]. But when two years had passed, Porcius Festus became governor in place of Felix.
And whanne twei yeeris weren fillid, Felix took a successoure, Porcius Festus; and Felix wolde yyue grace to Jewis, and lefte Poul boundun.
