24:1 And after five days the high priest Ananias went down with some elders and a prosecuting attorney, one Tertullus; and they laid before the governor their case against · Paul.
24:2 And when he was summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, · saying: “Since we have enjoyed a long period of peace through your rule, and since reforms are being made in the nation by · your foresight,
24:3 in every way and everywhere we accept them, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude.
24:4 But, that I may not detain you any longer, I beg you to hear us briefly in your kindness.
24:5 For we found · this man to be a troublemaker, · one who stirs up riots among all the Jews · throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
24:6 He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we laid hold of him.
24:8 When you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn from him about all these things of which we are accusing him.”
24:9 And the Jews also joined the attack, saying that it was so.
24:10 And Paul responded, · when the governor motioned to him to speak: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, gladly do I make my own defense concerning these things.
24:11 As you are able to verify for yourself, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,
24:12 and they did not find me arguing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city.
24:13 Neither can they provide proof to you regarding the things of which they are now accusing me.
24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, thus I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are according to the Law and · written in the Prophets,
24:15 having a hope in · God, which · these men themselves accept, that there is to be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust.
24:16 In view of this · I do my best to have a clear conscience toward · God and · men at all times.
24:17 “Now, after several years, I came to my people bringing gifts for the poor · and presenting offerings,
24:18 which I was doing when they found me, ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without a commotion.
24:19 But there are some Jews from · Asia who ought to be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me.
24:20 Or let these men themselves tell what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council,
24:21 other than this one utterance that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is regarding a resurrection for the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”
24:22 But · Felix, knowing more exactly the facts concerning the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide · your case.”
24:23 Then he commanded the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some freedom and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.
24:24 After · some days Felix arrived · with his wife Drusilla, · who was Jewish. He sent for · Paul and heard him speak about · faith in Christ Jesus.
24:25 And as he reasoned with him about righteousness and self-control and the judgment · to come, Felix became frightened · and said, “For the present go away, but when I find time I will send for you.”
24:26 At the same time · he hoped that money would be given to him by · Paul. So · he sent for him frequently and conversed with him.
24:27 When two years · had passed, Felix was replaced · by Porcius Festus, and wanting to curry favor with the Jews, · Felix left · Paul in prison.
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