Acts 23:23–26:32
23 And he summoned two of the centurions and* said, “Make ready from the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen,g in order that they may proceed as far as Caesarea. 24 And provide mounts so that they can put Paul on them and* bring him* safely to Felix the governor.” 25 ⌊He wrote⌋h a letter that had this form:i
To his excellency Governor Felix.
Greetings!
27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I* came upon them* with the detachment and* rescued him,* because I* learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And because I* wanted to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him* down to their Sanhedrin.j 29 I found ⌊he⌋k was accused concerning controversial questions of their law, but having no charge deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it* was made known to me there would be a plot against the man, I sent him* to you immediately, also ordering his* accusers to speak against himl before you.
31 Therefore the soldiers, in accordance with ⌊their orders⌋,m took Paul and* brought him* to Antipatris during the night. 32 And on the next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and* they returned to the barracks.n 33 ⌊The horsemen⌋,o when they* came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him. 34 So after* reading the letter* and asking what province he was from, and learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be guarded in the praetoriump of Herod.
Paul Before Felix at Caesarea Maritima
24 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. 2 And when* he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him,* saying, “We have experienced* mucha peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. 3 Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this,* most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. 4 But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. 5 For we have found* this man to be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empireb and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, 6 who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested ⌊himc⌋.d 8 When* you yourself examine him* you will be able to find out from ⌊him⌋e about all these things of which we are accusing him.” 9 And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.
10 And when* the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I* know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfully with respect to the things concerning myself. 11 You can ascertain that ⌊it has not been more than⌋f twelve days ⌊since⌋g I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And neither did they find me arguing with anyone or making a crowd develop in the temple courts* nor in the synagogues nor throughout the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things* to you concerning which they are now accusing me. 14 But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets, 15 having a hope in God which these men also themselves await: that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 ⌊For this reason⌋h also I myself ⌊always⌋i do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people. 17 So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,j 18 in which they found me purified in the temple courts,* not with a crowd or with a disturbance. 19 But there are some Jews from Asiak who ought to be present before you and bring charges against me,* if they have anything against me, 20 or these men themselves should say what crime they found when* I stood before the Sanhedrin,l 21 other than concerning this one declaration that I shouted while* standing there before them: ‘I am being judged before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead!’ ”
22 But Felix, because he* understood the facts concerning the Way more accurately, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the military tribune comes down, I will decide ⌊your case⌋.”m 23 He ordered* the centurion for him to be guarded and to have some freedom, and in no way to prevent any of his own peoplen from serving him.
24 And after some days, when* Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him concerning faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And while* he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid and* replied, “Go away for the present, and when I* have an opportunity, I will summon you.” 26 At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason also he sent for him as often as possible and* talked with him. 27 And when* two years had passed, Felix received as successor Porcius Festus. And because he* wanted to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul behind ⌊as a prisoner⌋.o
25 Now when* Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, 3 asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they* were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way. 4 Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go there* in a short time. 5 So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,* and* if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”
6 And after he* had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and* gave orders for Paul to be brought. 7 And when* he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, 8 while* Paul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!” 9 But Festus, because he* wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and* said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 If then I am doing wronga and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid* dying. But if there is nothing true of the things which these people are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, after* discussing this* with his* council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”
Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice
13 Now after* some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 And while they were staying there many days, Festus laid out the case against Paul to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left behind by Felix as a prisoner, 15 concerning whom when* I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 To ⌊them⌋b I replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met his* accusers face to face and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation. 17 Therefore, when* they had assembled here, I made* no delay; on the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and* gave orders for the man to be brought. 18 When they* stood up, his* accusers began bringing* no charge concerning ⌊him⌋c of the evil deeds that I was suspecting, 19 but they had some issues with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. 20 And because* I was at a loss with regard to the investigation concerning these things, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to be judged there concerning these things. 21 But when* Paul appealed that he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 So Agrippa said to Festus, “I want to hear the man myself also.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And when* Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he must not live any longer. 25 But I understood that he had done nothing deserving death himself, and when* this man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.* 26 I do not have anything definite to write to my* lord about ⌊him⌋.d Therefore I have brought him before you all*—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that after* this preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him.”
Paul Makes His Defense Before King Agrippa
26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his* hand and* began to defend himself:*
2 “Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself …