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24:1  Five days later Ananias, the high priest [23:1], ·went to the city of Caesarea [L came down] with some of the elders and a ·lawyer [orator; C one who speaks in court] named Tertullus. They had come to make charges against Paul before the governor.
24:2  Paul was called into the meeting, and Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Most Excellent Felix! Our people enjoy ·much [or a long period of] peace because of you, and many ·wrong things in our country are being made right [or improvements/reforms have been made] through your ·wise help [or foresight].
24:3  We ·accept [acknowledge] these things always and in every place, ·and we are thankful for them [or …with much gratitude/thanksgiving].
24:4  But not wanting to ·take any more of your time [detain you; or bore you], I ·beg [encourage; urge] you ·to be kind and [or because you are kind/patient to] listen to our few words.
24:5  We have found this man to be a ·troublemaker [pest; plague], ·stirring up [or instigating riots among] ·his people [L Jews] everywhere in the world. He is a ·leader [ringleader] of the Nazarene ·group [party; faction; sect].
24:6  Also, he was trying to ·make the Temple unclean [defile/profane/desecrate the Temple], but we ·stopped [or grabbed; arrested] him. |And we wanted to judge him by our own law.
24:7  But the ·officer [tribune] Lysias came and used much force to take him from us.
24:8  And Lysias commanded ·those who wanted to accuse Paul [his accusers] to come to you.| By ·asking him questions [cross-examining him] yourself, you can ·decide [learn; come to know] ·if all these things are true [or the nature of our accusations].”
24:9  The ·others [L Jews] ·agreed [or joined in the attack] and said that all of this was true.
24:10  When the governor ·made a sign [motioned; gestured] for ·Paul [L him] to speak, Paul ·said [responded], “I know you have been a judge over this nation for ·a long time [L many years]. So I ·am happy to [gladly; confidently] defend myself before you.
24:11  You can ·learn [find out; verify] for yourself that I went to worship in Jerusalem ·only [L no more than] twelve days ago.
24:12  ·Those who are accusing me [L They] did not find me arguing with anyone in the Temple or stirring up the ·people [crowd] in the synagogues or in the city.
24:13  They cannot prove the ·things they are saying [charges; accusations] against me now.
24:14  But I will ·tell you this [admit/confess this to you]: I worship the God of our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] as a follower of ·the Way of Jesus [L the Way; 22:4], which they call a ·sect [faction; cult]. But I believe everything that is ·taught in [or in agreement with; L according to] the law of Moses and that is written in the books of the Prophets.
24:15  I have the same hope in God that they ·have [accept]—the hope that all people, ·good and bad [righteous and unrighteous], will surely be ·raised from the dead [resurrected; C the righteous to salvation, the wicked for judgment; Is. 26:19; Dan. 12:2].
24:16  This is why I always try to ·do what I believe is right [L have a clear conscience] before God and people.
24:17  “After being away from Jerusalem for ·several [L many] years, I went back to bring ·money [alms; gifts for the poor] to my ·people [nation; Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 13] and to ·offer sacrifices [present offerings].
24:18  I was doing this when they found me in the Temple. I ·had finished the cleansing ceremony [or I was ritually pure; 21:20–29] ·and had not made any trouble; no people were gathering around me [L with neither crowd nor trouble].
24:19  But there were some ·people [L Jews] from Asia who should be here, standing before you. If ·I have really done anything wrong [L they have anything against me], they are the ones who should accuse me.
24:20  Or ·ask these people here [L let these people themselves state] if they found any ·wrong [crime; unrighteousness] in me when I stood before the ·council in Jerusalem [Sanhedrin].
24:21  But I did shout one thing when I stood before them: ‘·You are judging me [or I am on trial before you] today ·because I believe that people will rise from [or with respect to the issue of the resurrection of] the dead!’”
24:22  Felix already ·understood much about [L knew accurately the facts about] the ·Way of Jesus [L Way; 22:4]. He ·stopped the trial [adjourned the hearing] and said, “When ·commander [tribune] Lysias comes ·here [L down], I will decide your case.”
24:23  Felix ·told [L ordered] the ·officer [centurion] to keep ·Paul [L him] guarded but to give him some freedom and to let his ·friends [L own people] ·bring what he needed [meet his needs; L serve him].
24:24  After some days Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, and asked for Paul to be brought to him. He listened to Paul talk about ·believing [faith] in Christ Jesus.
24:25  But Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about ·living right [righteousness; justice], self-control, and the ·time when God will judge the world [L coming judgment]. He said, “·Go away [or That’s enough for] now. When I have ·more time [another opportunity], I will call for you.”
24:26  At the same time Felix hoped that ·Paul [L he] would give him ·some money [or a bribe], so he often sent for Paul and talked with him.
24:27  But after two years, Felix was ·replaced [succeeded] by Porcius Festus as governor [C from ad 59–62]. But Felix had left Paul in prison to please the Jews.