Chapter 24

¹And after five days came down the high priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator called Tertullus, and laid their informations against Paul before the governor. ²And he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse, saying, Seeing we enjoy great peace through thee, and that excellent measures are executed for this nation by thy forethought, ³we receive [it] always and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴But that I may not too much intrude on thy time, I beseech thee to hear us briefly in thy kindness. ⁵For finding this man a pest, and moving sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a leader of the sect of the Nazaraeans; ⁶who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we also had seized, [and would have judged according to our law; ⁷but Lysias, the chiliarch, coming up, took [him] away with great force out of our hands, ⁸having commanded his accusers to come to thee;] of whom thou canst thyself, in examining [him], know the certainty of all these things of which we accuse him. ⁹And the Jews also joined in pressing the matter against [Paul], saying that these things were so. ¹⁰But Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered, Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge to this nation, I answer readily as to the things which concern myself. ¹¹As thou mayest know that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem, ¹²and neither in the temple did they find me discoursing to any one, or making any tumultuous gathering together of the crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city; ¹³neither can they make good the things of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴But this I avow to thee, that in the way which they call sect, so I serve my fathers` God, believing all things which are written throughout the law, and in the prophets; ¹⁵having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust. ¹⁶For this cause I also exercise [myself] to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men. ¹⁷And after a lapse of many years I arrived, bringing alms to my nation, and offerings. ¹⁸Whereupon they found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult. But it was certain Jews from Asia, ¹⁹who ought to appear before thee and accuse, if they have anything against me; ²⁰or let these themselves say what wrong they found in me when I stood before the council, ²¹[other] than concerning this one voice which I cried standing amongst them: I am judged this day by you touching [the] resurrection of [the] dead. ²²And Felix, knowing accurately the things concerning the way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the chiliarch is come down I will determine your affair; ²³ordering the centurion to keep him, and that he should have freedom, and to hinder none of his friends to minister to him. ²⁴And after certain days, Felix having arrived with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. ²⁵And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee; ²⁶hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him. ²⁷But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.