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