Acts 24
1 And after five days, the high priest, Ananias, came with certain of the rulers, and an expert talker, one Tertullus; and they made a statement to Felix against Paul.
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.
2 And when he had been sent for, Tertullus, starting his statement, said, Because by you we are living in peace, and through your wisdom wrongs are put right for this nation,
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,
3 In all things and in all places we are conscious of our great debt to you, most noble Felix.
in every instance and in every place we accept them with profound gratitude.
4 But, so that I may not make you tired, I make a request to you of your mercy, to give hearing to a short statement.
But--not to detain you too long--I beg you in your forbearance to listen to a brief statement from us.
5 For this man, in our opinion, is a cause of trouble, a maker of attacks on the government among Jews through all the empire, and a chief mover in the society of the Nazarenes:
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.
6 Who, in addition, was attempting to make the Temple unclean: whom we took,
He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.
8 And from whom you will be able, by questioning him yourself, to get knowledge of all the things which we say against him.
You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to learn the truth as to all this which we allege against him."
9 And the Jews were in agreement with his statement, saying that these things were so.
The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were facts.
10 Then when the ruler had given him a sign to make his answer, Paul said, Because I have knowledge that you have been a judge over this nation for a number of years, I am glad to make my answer:
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.
11 Seeing that you are able to make certain of the fact that it is not more than twelve days from the time when I came up to Jerusalem for worship;
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;
12 And they have not seen me in argument with any man in the Temple, or working up the feelings of the people, in the Synagogues or in the town:
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.
13 And they are not able to give facts in support of the things which they say against me now.
Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.
14 But this I will say openly to you, that I do give worship to the God of our fathers after that Way, which to them is not the true religion: but I have belief in all the things which are in the law and in the books of the prophets:
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,
15 Hoping in God for that which they themselves are looking for, that there will be a coming back from the dead for upright men and wrongdoers.
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.
16 And in this, I do my best at all times to have no reason for shame before God or men.
This too is my own earnest endeavour--always to have a clear conscience in relation to God and man.
17 Now after a number of years I came to give help and offerings to my nation:
"Now after an interval of several years I came to bring alms to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.
18 And having been made clean, I was in the Temple, but not with a great number of people, and not with noise: but there were certain Jews from Asia,
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.
19 And it would have been better if they had come here to make a statement, if they have anything against me.
They ought to have been here before you, and to have been my prosecutors, if they have any charge to bring against me.
20 Or let these men here present say what wrongdoing was seen in me when I was before the Sanhedrin,
Or let these men themselves say what misdemeanour they found me guilty of when I stood before the Sanhedrin,
21 But only this one thing which I said among them in a loud voice, I am this day being judged on the question of the coming back from the dead.
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.'"
22 But Felix, who had a more detailed knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, When Lysias, the chief captain, comes down, I will give attention to your business.
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."
23 And he gave orders to the captain to keep Paul under his control, and to let him have everything he had need of; and not to keep his friends from coming to see him.
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.
24 But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was of the Jews by birth, and sent for Paul, and gave hearing to him about faith in Christ Jesus.
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.
25 And while he was talking about righteousness and self-control and the judging which was to come, Felix had great fear and said, Go away for the present, and when the right time comes I will send for you.
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."
26 For he was hoping that Paul would give him money: so he sent for him more frequently and had talk with him.
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.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus took the place of Felix, who, desiring to have the approval of the Jews, kept Paul in chains.
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.
