10 When athe governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,

11 since you can take note of the fact that no more than atwelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

12 “aNeither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or bcausing 1a riot.

13 “aNor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.

14 “But this I admit to you, that according to athe Way which they call a bsect I do serve 1cthe God of our fathers, dbelieving everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;

15 having a hope in God, which athese men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

16 “In view of this, aI also 1do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

17 “Now aafter several years I bcame to bring 1alms to my nation and to present offerings;

18 in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been apurified, without any bcrowd or uproar. But there were some cJews from 1Asia—

19 who ought to have been present before you and to amake accusation, if they should have anything against me.

20 “Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before athe 1Council,

21 other than for this one statement which aI shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’ ”

22 But Felix, 1having a more exact knowledge about athe Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the 2commander comes down, I will decide your case.”

23 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be akept in custody and yet bhave some freedom, and not to prevent any of chis friends from ministering to him.

24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his 1wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about afaith in Christ Jesus.

25 But as he was discussing arighteousness, bself-control and cthe judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.”

26 At the same time too, he was hoping that amoney would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.