Acts 24
1 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea with a number of Elders and a pleader called Tertullus. They stated to the Governor the case against Paul.
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;
2 So Paul was sent for, and Tertullus began to impeach him as follows: "Indebted as we are," he said, "to you, most noble Felix, for the perfect peace which we enjoy, and for reforms which your wisdom has introduced to this nation,
and, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution.
3 in every instance and in every place we accept them with profound gratitude.
“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 But--not to detain you too long--I beg you in your forbearance to listen to a brief statement from us.
But – not to be tedious – I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case.
5 For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and a disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the Empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.
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.
6 He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.
He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him;
8 You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to learn the truth as to all this which we allege against 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 The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were facts.
The Jewish crowd also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.
10 Then, at a sign from the Governor, Paul answered, "Knowing, Sir, that for many years you have administered justice to this nation, I cheerfully make my defence.
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.
11 For you have it in your power to ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship in Jerusalem;
For you can easily verify that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,
12 and that neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues, nor anywhere in the city, did they find me disputing with any opponent or collecting a crowd about me.
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;
13 Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.
and they cannot establish the charges which they are now making against me.
14 But this I confess to you--that in the way which they style a heresy, I worship the God of our forefathers, believing everything that is taught in the Law or is written in the Prophets,
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;
15 and having a hope directed towards God, which my accusers themselves also entertain, that before long there will be a resurrection both of the righteous and the 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 This too is my own earnest endeavour--always to have a clear conscience in relation to God and man.
This being so, I strive at all times to keep my conscience clear before both God and people.
17 "Now after an interval of several years I came to bring alms to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.
After some years’ absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;
18 While I was busy about these, they found me in the Temple purified, with no crowd around me and no uproar; but there were certain Jews from the province of Asia.
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 They ought to have been here before you, and to have been my prosecutors, if they have any charge to bring 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 men themselves say what misdemeanour they found me guilty of when I stood before the Sanhedrin,
Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,
21 unless it was in that one expression which I made use of when I shouted out as I stood among them, "'The resurrection of the dead is the thing about which I am on my trial before you to-day.'"
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’.”
22 At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the new faith, adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When the Tribune Lysias comes down, I will enter carefully into the matter."
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.”
23 And he gave orders to the Captain that Paul was to be kept in custody, but be treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be prevented from showing him kindness.
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.
24 Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.
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.
25 But when he dealt with the subjects of justice, self-control, and the judgement which was soon to come, Felix became alarmed and said, "For the present leave me, and when I can find a convenient opportunity I will send 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 At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him money; and for this reason he sent for him the oftener to converse 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 But after the lapse of fully two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and being desirous of gratifying the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.
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.
