Acts 24
1 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;
Post quinque autem dies descendit princeps sacerdotum, Ananias, cum senioribus quibusdam, et Tertullo quodam oratore, qui adierunt praesidem adversus Paulum.
2 and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
Et citato Paulo coepit accusare Tertullus, dicens: Cum in multa pace agamus per te, et multa corrigantur per tuam providentiam;
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.
semper et ubique suscipimus, optime Felix, cum omni gratiarum actione.
4 But — not to be tedious — I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
Ne diutius autem te protraham, oro, breviter ut audias nos pro tua clementia.
5 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.
Invenimus hunc hominem pestiferum, et concitantem seditiones omnibus Iudaeis in universo orbe, et auctorem seditionis sectae Nazarenorum:
6 He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
qui etiam templum violare conatus est, quem et apprehensum voluimus secundum legem nostram iudicare.
Superveniens autem tribunus Lysias, cum vi magna eripuit eum de manibus nostris,
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.”
iubens accusatores eius ad te venire: a quo poteris ipse iudicans, de omnibus istis cognoscere, de quibus nos accusamus eum.
9 The Jews also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
Adiecerunt autem et Iudaei, dicentes haec ita se habere.
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 defence.
Respondit autem Paulus, (annuente sibi Praeside dicere) Ex multis annis te esse iudicem genti huic sciens, bono animo pro me satisfaciam.
11 For you can easily ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
Potes enim cognoscere quia non plus sunt mihi dies quam duodecim, ex quo ascendi adorare in Ierusalem:
12 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;
et neque in templo invenerunt me cum aliquo disputantem, aut concursum facientem turbae, neque in synagogis, neque in civitate:
13 and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
neque probare possunt tibi de quibus nunc me accusant.
14 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;
Confiteor autem hoc tibi, quod secundum sectam, quam dicunt haeresim, sic deservio Patri, et Deo meo, credens omnibus, quae in Lege, et Prophetis scripta sunt:
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.
spem habens in Deum, quam et hi ipsi expectant, resurrectionem futuram iustorum, et iniquorum.
16 This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and man.
In hoc et ipse studeo sine offendiculo conscientiam habere ad Deum, et ad homines semper.
17 After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
Post annos autem plures eleemosynas facturus in gentem meam, veni, et oblationes, et vota,
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.
in quibus invenerunt me purificatum in templo: non cum turba, neque cum tumultu et apprehenderunt me clamantes, et dicentes: Tolle inimicum nostrum.
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 —
Quidam autem ex Asia Iudaei, quos oportebat apud te praesto esse, et accusare siquid haberent adversum me:
20 Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,
aut hi ipsi dicant siquid invenerunt in me iniquitatis cum stem in concilio,
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 to-day’.”
nisi de una hac solummodo voce, qua clamavi inter eos stans: Quoniam de resurrectione mortuorum ego iudicor hodie a vobis.
22 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.”
Distulit autem illos Felix, certissime sciens de via hac, dicens: Cum Tribunus Lysias descenderit, audiam vos.
23 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.
Iussitque Centurioni custodire eum, et habere requiem, nec quemquam de suis prohibere ministrare ei.
24 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.
Post aliquot autem dies veniens Felix cum Drusilla uxore sua, quae erat Iudaea, vocavit Paulum, et audivit ab eo fidem, quae est in Christum Iesum.
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.”
Disputante autem illo de iustitia, et castitate, et de iudicio futuro, tremefactus Felix respondit: Quod nunc attinet, vade: tempore autem opportuno accersiam te:
26 He was hoping, too, for a bribe from Paul, and so he used to send for him frequently and talk with him.
simul et sperans, quod pecunia ei daretur a Paulo, propter quod et frequenter accersiens eum, loquebatur cum eo.
27 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.
Biennio autem expleto, accepit successorem Felix Portium Festum. Volens autem gratiam praestare Iudaeis Felix, reliquit Paulum vinctum.
