ActsChapter 24

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¹Five days later the high priest Ananias came down. Some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus came with him. Tertullus brought their charges against Paul to the governor. ²Paul was called in. Then Tertullus began to accuse him. He said to Felix, "Because of you, we have had peace for a long time. Your wise planning has made things better for this nation. ³Most excellent Felix, we gladly accept this in every way and in every place. We are very thankful. ⁴But I don't want to take up any more of your time. So please be kind and hear us for a short while. ⁵We have found that this man is a troublemaker, like a plague. He stirs up fights among the Jews all over the world. He is a leader of the group called the Nazarenes. ⁶He even tried to make the temple unclean. So we arrested him. ⁷—a ⁸Ask him questions yourself. Then you can learn the truth about all the charges we are bringing against him." ⁹The Jews joined in. They said that these charges were true. ¹⁰The governor waved for Paul to speak. Paul answered, "I know you have been a judge over this nation for many years. So I am glad to defend myself before you. ¹¹You can check this for yourself. No more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹²The men accusing me did not find me arguing with anyone in the temple. They did not find me stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. ¹³And they cannot prove to you any of the things they say against me. ¹⁴But I do admit this to you. I worship the God of our fathers by following the Way. They call it a sect. I believe everything the Law says. I believe everything written in the Prophets. ¹⁵I have the same hope in God that these men have. I believe that the dead will rise, both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶Because of this hope, I always try to keep a clear conscience before God and people. ¹⁷After being away for several years, I came back to Jerusalem. I brought gifts for the poor among my people and came to give offerings. ¹⁸When they found me in the temple, I had been made clean by our religious rules. I was not stirring up a crowd or causing a riot. But some Jews from the province of Asia were there. ¹⁹They are the ones who should be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. ²⁰If not, let these men here tell what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin. ²¹Maybe it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in front of them: 'I am on trial before you today because I believe the dead will rise.'" ²²Felix knew a lot about the Way. So he put off the hearing. He said, "When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case." ²³He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard. But he told him to give Paul some freedom. He was to let Paul's friends take care of his needs. ²⁴Several days later Felix came back with his wife Drusilla. She was Jewish. Felix sent for Paul. He listened to Paul talk about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵Paul talked about doing what is right, about self-control, and about the judgment that is coming. Felix became afraid. He said, "You may go for now. When I have time, I will send for you." ²⁶At the same time, he hoped Paul would give him money as a bribe. So he sent for Paul often and talked with him. ²⁷Two years went by. Then Porcius Festus took Felix's place. Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he left Paul in prison.