FIVE DAYS LATER THE HIGH PRIEST ANANIAS WENT DOWN TO CAESAREA WITH SOME OF THE ELDERS AND A LAWYER NAMED TERTULLUS, AND THEY BROUGHT THEIR CHARGES AGAINST PAUL BEFORE THE GOVERNOR.
ACTS 24:2
WHEN PAUL WAS CALLED IN, TERTULLUS PRESENTED HIS CASE BEFORE FELIX: 'WE HAVE ENJOYED A LONG PERIOD OF PEACE UNDER YOU, AND YOUR FORESIGHT HAS BROUGHT ABOUT REFORMS IN THIS NATION.
ACTS 24:3
EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERY WAY, MOST EXCELLENT FELIX, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS WITH PROFOUND GRATITUDE.
ACTS 24:4
BUT IN ORDER NOT TO WEARY YOU FURTHER, I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO HEAR US BRIEFLY.
ACTS 24:5
WE HAVE FOUND THIS MAN TO BE A TROUBLEMAKER, STIRRING UP RIOTS AMONG THE JEWS ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE IS A RINGLEADER OF THE NAZARENE SECT
ACTS 24:6
AND EVEN TRIED TO DESECRATE THE TEMPLE; SO WE SEIZED HIM.
Acts 24:7
ACTS 24:8
BY EXAMINING HIM YOURSELF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT ALL THESE CHARGES WE ARE BRINGING AGAINST HIM.'
ACTS 24:9
THE OTHER JEWS JOINED IN THE ACCUSATION, ASSERTING THAT THESE THINGS WERE TRUE.
ACTS 24:10
WHEN THE GOVERNOR MOTIONED FOR HIM TO SPEAK, PAUL REPLIED: 'I KNOW THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN A JUDGE OVER THIS NATION; SO I GLADLY MAKE MY DEFENSE.
ACTS 24:11
YOU CAN EASILY VERIFY THAT NO MORE THAN TWELVE DAYS AGO I WENT UP TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP.
ACTS 24:12
MY ACCUSERS DID NOT FIND ME ARGUING WITH ANYONE AT THE TEMPLE, OR STIRRING UP A CROWD IN THE SYNAGOGUES OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY.
ACTS 24:13
AND THEY CANNOT PROVE TO YOU THE CHARGES THEY ARE NOW MAKING AGAINST ME.
ACTS 24:14
HOWEVER, I ADMIT THAT I WORSHIP THE GOD OF OUR ANCESTORS AS A FOLLOWER OF THE WAY, WHICH THEY CALL A SECT. I BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW AND THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS,
ACTS 24:15
AND I HAVE THE SAME HOPE IN GOD AS THESE MEN THEMSELVES HAVE, THAT THERE WILL BE A RESURRECTION OF BOTH THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED.
ACTS 24:16
SO I STRIVE ALWAYS TO KEEP MY CONSCIENCE CLEAR BEFORE GOD AND MAN.
ACTS 24:17
AFTER AN ABSENCE OF SEVERAL YEARS, I CAME TO JERUSALEM TO BRING MY PEOPLE GIFTS FOR THE POOR AND TO PRESENT OFFERINGS.
ACTS 24:18
I WAS CEREMONIALLY CLEAN WHEN THEY FOUND ME IN THE TEMPLE COURTS DOING THIS. THERE WAS NO CROWD WITH ME, NOR WAS I INVOLVED IN ANY DISTURBANCE.
ACTS 24:19
BUT THERE ARE SOME JEWS FROM THE PROVINCE OF ASIA, WHO OUGHT TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU AND BRING CHARGES IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ME.
ACTS 24:20
OR THESE WHO ARE HERE SHOULD STATE WHAT CRIME THEY FOUND IN ME WHEN I STOOD BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN--
ACTS 24:21
UNLESS IT WAS THIS ONE THING I SHOUTED AS I STOOD IN THEIR PRESENCE: 'IT IS CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD THAT I AM ON TRIAL BEFORE YOU TODAY.''
ACTS 24:22
THEN FELIX, WHO WAS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE WAY, ADJOURNED THE PROCEEDINGS. 'WHEN LYSIAS THE COMMANDER COMES,' HE SAID, 'I WILL DECIDE YOUR CASE.'
ACTS 24:23
HE ORDERED THE CENTURION TO KEEP PAUL UNDER GUARD BUT TO GIVE HIM SOME FREEDOM AND PERMIT HIS FRIENDS TO TAKE CARE OF HIS NEEDS.
ACTS 24:24
SEVERAL DAYS LATER FELIX CAME WITH HIS WIFE DRUSILLA, WHO WAS JEWISH. HE SENT FOR PAUL AND LISTENED TO HIM AS HE SPOKE ABOUT FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.
ACTS 24:25
AS PAUL TALKED ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, SELF-CONTROL AND THE JUDGMENT TO COME, FELIX WAS AFRAID AND SAID, 'THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW! YOU MAY LEAVE. WHEN I FIND IT CONVENIENT, I WILL SEND FOR YOU.'
ACTS 24:26
AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS HOPING THAT PAUL WOULD OFFER HIM A BRIBE, SO HE SENT FOR HIM FREQUENTLY AND TALKED WITH HIM.
ACTS 24:27
When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.