Acts 24:10–23

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!’ ”

Paul Held Awaiting Trial

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.