Accused of Sedition

24 Now after afive days bAnanias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.

2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and 1prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your 2courtesy, a few words from us. 5 cFor we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 dHe even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, 3and wanted eto judge him according to our law. 7 fBut the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 gcommanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 9 And the Jews also 4assented, maintaining that these things were so.

The Defense Before Felix

10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem hto worship. 12 iAnd they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to jthe Way which they call a sect, so I worship the kGod of my fathers, believing all things which are written in lthe Law and in the Prophets. 15 mI have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, nthat there will be a resurrection 5of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 oThis being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

17 “Now after many years pI came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 qin the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me rpurified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 sThey ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those who are here themselves say 6if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, t‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ”

Felix Procrastinates

22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the uWay, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When vLysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and wtold him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the xfaith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that ymoney would be given him by Paul, 7that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, zwanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from aCaesarea to Jerusalem. 2 bThen the 1high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—cwhile they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. 4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see dif there is any fault in him.”

6 And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. 7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about eand laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, 8 while he answered for himself, f“Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

9 But Festus, gwanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, h“Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”

10 So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 iFor if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. jI appeal to Caesar.”

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”

Paul Before Agrippa

13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: k“There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 labout whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 mTo them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man 2to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ 17 Therefore when they had come together, nwithout any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I 3supposed, 19 obut had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul pappealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then qAgrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”

“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great 4pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command rPaul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom sthe whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was tnot fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that uhe had committed nothing deserving of death, vand that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”

Paul’s Early Life

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”

So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2 “I think myself ahappy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer bfor myself before you concerning all the things of which I am caccused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

4 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to dthe strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 eAnd now I stand and am judged for the hope of fthe promise made by God to our fathers. 7 To this promise gour twelve tribes, earnestly serving God hnight and day, ihope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

9 j“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things 1contrary to the name of kJesus of Nazareth. 10 lThis I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority mfrom the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 nAnd I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Recounts His Conversion

12 o“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, pto make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will 2deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, qto whom I 3now send you, 18 rto open their eyes, in order sto turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God