Acts 24:10–27

¹⁰But Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered, Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge to this nation, I answer readily as to the things which concern myself. ¹¹As thou mayest know that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem, ¹²and neither in the temple did they find me discoursing to any one, or making any tumultuous gathering together of the crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city; ¹³neither can they make good the things of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴But this I avow to thee, that in the way which they call sect, so I serve my fathers’ God, believing all things which are written throughout the law, and in the prophets; ¹⁵having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust. ¹⁶For this cause I also exercise myself to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men. ¹⁷And after a lapse of many years I arrived, bringing alms to my nation, and offerings. ¹⁸Whereupon they found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult. But it was certain Jews from Asia, ¹⁹who ought to appear before thee and accuse, if they have anything against me; ²⁰or let these themselves say what wrong they found in me when I stood before the council, ²¹other than concerning this one voice which I cried standing amongst them: I am judged this day by you touching the resurrection of the dead.

²²And Felix, knowing accurately the things concerning the way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the chiliarch is come down I will determine your affair; ²³ordering the centurion to keep him, and that he should have freedom, and to hinder none of his friends to minister to him. ²⁴And after certain days, Felix having arrived with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. ²⁵And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee; ²⁶hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him. ²⁷But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.