Acts 24

1FiveG4002 daysG2250 laterG3326 theG3588 high priestG749 AnaniasG367 came downG2597 withG3326 someG5100 eldersG4245 andG2532 aG5100 lawyerG44891 named TertullusG5061, whoG3748 presentedG1718 to theG3588 governorG2232 their case againstG2596 PaulG3972.

2When Paul had been called inG2564, TertullusG5061 openedG756 the prosecutionG2723: “Because ofG1223 youG4771, we have enjoyedG5177 a lastingG4183 peaceG1515, andG2532 yourG4674 foresightG4307 has broughtG1096 improvementsG1357 to thisG3778 nationG1484. 3In every wayG3839 andG2532 everywhereG3837, most excellentG2903 FelixG5344, we acknowledgeG588 this withG3326 allG3956 gratitudeG2169. 4ButG1161 in orderG2443 notG3361 to delayG1465 youG4771 any furtherG4119, I begG3870 yourG4674 indulgenceG1932 to hearG191 usG1473 brieflyG4935.

5

We have foundG2147 thisG3778 manG435 to be a pestilenceG3061, stirring upG2795 dissensionG4714 amongG3956 theG3588 JewsG2453 all overG2596 theG3588 worldG3625. He is a ringleaderG4414 of theG3588 sectG139 of theG3588 NazarenesG3480, 6and he evenG2532 triedG3985 to desecrateG953 theG3588 templeG2411; so we seizedG2902 him.2 8By examiningG350 himG3739 yourselfG846, you will be ableG1410 to learnG1921 the truth aboutG4012 allG3956G3778 ourG1473 chargesG2723 against himG846.”

9

TheG3588 JewsG2453 concurredG2532G4934, asserting thatG5335 theseG3778 charges wereG2192 trueG3779.

Paul’s Defense to Felix

10When theG3588 governorG2232 motionedG3506 forG846 Paul to speakG3004, he began his responseG611: “Knowing thatG1987 youG4771 have beenG1510 a judgeG2923 overG3588 thisG3778 nationG1484 forG1537 manyG4183 yearsG2094, I gladly make my defenseG626G2115G3588G4012G1683. 11YouG4771 canG1410 verify for yourselfG1921 thatG3754 noG3756 more thanG4119 twelveG1427 daysG2250 agoG575G3739 I went upG305 toG1519 JerusalemG2419 to worshipG4352. 12YetG2532 my accusers did not findG2147 meG1473 debatingG1256 withG4314 anyoneG5100 inG1722 theG3588 templeG2411 orG2228 riling upG4160G1999 a crowdG3793 inG1722 theG3588 synagoguesG4864 or inG2596 theG3588 cityG4172. 13NorG3761 can theyG1410 proveG3936 to youG4771 any of their charges againstG3739G3570G2723 meG1473.

14I do confessG3670 to youG4771, howeverG1161, thatG3754 I worshipG3000 theG3588 GodG2316 of our fathersG3971 according toG2596 theG3588 WayG3598, whichG3739 they callG3004 a sectG139. I believeG4100 everythingG3956 thatG3588 is laid downG2596 by theG3588 LawG3551 andG2532 writtenG1125 inG1722 theG3588 ProphetsG4396, 15and I haveG2192 the same hopeG1680 inG1519 GodG2316 thatG3739 theyG846 themselvesG3778 cherishG4327, that there willG3195 beG1510 a resurrectionG386 of bothG5037 the righteousG1342 andG2532 the wickedG94. 16InG1722 thisG3778 hope, IG2532G846 striveG778 alwaysG1223G3956 to maintainG2192 a clearG677 conscienceG4893 beforeG4314 GodG2316 andG2532 manG444.

17AfterG1223 severalG4119 yearsG2094, thenG1161, I returnedG3854 to Jerusalem to bringG4160 almsG1654 toG1519 myG1473 peopleG1484 andG2532 to present offeringsG4376. 18AtG1722 the timeG3739 they foundG2147 meG1473 inG1722 theG3588 templeG2411, I was ceremonially cleanG48 and was not incitingG3756G3326 a crowdG3793 or an uproarG3326G2351. ButG1161 there are someG5101 JewsG2453 fromG575 the province of AsiaG7733 19whoG3739 oughtG1163 to appearG3918 beforeG1909 youG4771 andG2532 bring chargesG2723, ifG1487 they haveG2192 anythingG5100 againstG4314 meG1473. 20OtherwiseG2228G3778, let these men stateG2036 for themselvesG846 anyG5101 crimeG92 they foundG2147 in meG1473 when I stoodG2476 beforeG1909 theG3588 SanhedrinG4892,4 21unlessG2228G4012 it was thisG3778 oneG1520 thingG3739 I called outG2896 as I stoodG2476 inG1722 theirG846 presence: ‘It is concerningG4012 the resurrectionG386 of the deadG3498 that IG1473 am on trialG2919 beforeG1909 youG4771 todayG4594.’”

The Verdict Postponed

22ThenG1161 FelixG5344, who was well informedG199G1492 aboutG4012 theG3588 WayG3598, adjourned the hearingG306G846 and saidG2036, “WhenG3752 LysiasG3079 theG3588 commanderG5506 comesG2597, I will decideG1231 your caseG3588G2596G4771.” 23He orderedG1299 theG3588 centurionG1543 to keep Paul under guardG5083G846, but to allow himG2192 some freedomG425 andG2532 permitG3367G2967 hisG846 friends to ministerG5256 to hisG846 needs.

24AfterG3326 severalG1161G5100 daysG2250, FelixG5344 returnedG3854 withG4862 his wifeG1135 DrusillaG1409, who wasG1510 a JewessG2453. He sent forG3343 PaulG3972 andG2532 listened toG191 himG846 speak aboutG4012 faithG4102 inG1519 ChristG5547 JesusG2424. 25As Paul expoundedG1256 onG4012 righteousnessG1343, self-controlG1466, andG2532 theG3588 comingG3195 judgmentG2917, FelixG5344 becameG1096 frightenedG1719 and saidG611, “You may goG4198G2192 forG3588 nowG3568. When I findG3335 the timeG2540, I will call forG3333 youG4771.” 26At the same timeG260G2532, he was hopingG1679 thatG3754 PaulG3972 would offerG1325 himG846 a bribeG5536. SoG1352 he sent forG3343 Paul frequentlyG4437 and talkedG3656 with himG846.

27After two yearsG1333 had passedG4137, FelixG5344 was succeeded byG2983G1240 PorciusG4201 FestusG5347. AndG5037 wishingG2309 to do the Jews a favorG2698G5485G3588G2453, FelixG5344 leftG2641 PaulG3972 in prisonG1210.