Act 24 | NASB1995 | STEP | After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders , with an attorney named Tertullus , and they brought charges to the governor against Paul .

Acts 24

Paul before Felix

1 After ^afive days the high priest ^bAnanias came down with some elders, ^{▼▼ Lit and}with an ^{▼▼ Lit orator}attorney named Tertullus, and they ^{▼▼ Or presented their evidence or case}brought charges to ^fthe governor against Paul. 2 After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,

“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, 3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, ^gmost excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 “But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you ^{▼▼ Lit to hear...briefly}to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. 5 “For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout ^{▼▼ Lit the inhabited earth}the world, and a ringleader of the ^jsect of the Nazarenes. 6 “And he even tried to ^kdesecrate the temple; and ^{▼▼ Lit also}then we arrested him. [ ^{▼▼ The early mss do not contain the remainder of v 6, v 7, nor the first part of v 8}We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7 “But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” 9 ⁿThe Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

10 When ^othe 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 ^ptwelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 ^q“Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or ^rcausing ^{▼▼ Lit an attack of a mob}a riot. 13 ^t“Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. 14 “But this I admit to you, that according to ^uthe Way which they call a ^vsect I do serve ^{▼▼ Lit the ancestral God
,} ^xthe God of our fathers, ^ybelieving everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15 having a hope in God, which ^zthese men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 “In view of this, ^aaI also ^{▼▼ Lit practice myself}do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17 “Now ^acafter several years I ^adcame to bring ^{▼▼ Or gifts to charity}alms to my nation and to present offerings; 18 in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been ^afpurified, without any ^agcrowd or uproar. But there were some ^ahJews from ^{▼▼ I.e. west coast province of Asia Minor}Asia— 19 who ought to have been present before you and to ^ajmake accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20 “Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before ^akthe ^{▼▼ Or Sanhedrin}Council, 21 other than for this one statement which ^amI shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’”

22 But Felix, ^{▼▼ Lit knowing more accurately}having a more exact knowledge about ^aothe Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the ^{▼▼ I.e. chiliarch, in command of one thousand troops}commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be ^aqkept in custody and yet ^arhave some freedom, and not to prevent any of ^ashis friends from ministering to him.

24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his ^{▼▼ Lit own wife}wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^aufaith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as he was discussing ^avrighteousness, ^awself-control and ^axthe 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 ^aymoney would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. 27 But after two years had passed, Felix ^{▼▼ Lit received a successor, Porcius Festus}was succeeded by Porcius ^baFestus, and ^bbwishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul ^bcimprisoned.