Acts 24

The Accusation against Paul

24After five days Ananias ^xthe high priest came down with some elders and a lawyer ^ynamed Tertullus. These men presented their case against Paul to the governor. ^z2When he was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him and said: “Since we enjoy great peace because of you, and reforms are taking place for the benefit of this nation by your foresight, ³we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent ^aFelix, with utmost gratitude. ⁴However, so that I will not burden you any further, I beg you in your graciousness to give us a brief hearing. ⁵For we have found this man to be a plague, ^ban agitator ^camong all the Jews throughout the Roman world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes! ^d6He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we apprehended him [and wanted to judge him according to our law. ⁷But Lysias the commander came and took him from our hands with great force, ⁸commanding his accusers to come to you.] ^eBy examining him yourself you will be able to discern all these things we are accusing him of.” ⁹The Jews also joined in the attack, alleging that these things were so.

Paul’s Defense before Felix

¹⁰When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: “Because I know you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defense in what concerns me. ^f11You are able to determine that it is no more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. ^g12They didn’t find me disputing with anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple complex or in the synagogues or anywhere in the city. ^h13Neither can they provide evidence to you of what they now bring against me. ¹⁴But I confess this to you: I worship my fathers’ God according to the Way, ⁱwhich they call a sect, believing all the things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets. ^j15And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, ^klboth of the righteous and the unrighteous. ^m16I always do my best to have a clear conscience ⁿtoward God and men. ¹⁷After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation, ^o18and while I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar. ^p19It is they who ought to be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. ²⁰Either let these men here state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, ²¹or about this one statement I cried out while standing among them, ‘Today I am being judged before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.’ ”

The Verdict Postponed

²²Since Felix was accurately informed about the Way, ^qhe adjourned the hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³He ordered that the centurion keep Paul ^runder guard, though he could have some freedom, and that he should not prevent any of his friends from serving ^shim. ^t

²⁴After some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵Now as he spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, ^uFelix became afraid and replied, “Leave for now, but when I find time I’ll call for you.” ²⁶At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. ^vFor this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.

²⁷After two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, ^wand because he wished to do a favor for the Jews, ^xFelix left Paul in prison. ^y