Montgomery - Acts - 24

24:1  Five days later, Ananias the high priest came down to Caesarea with some of the elders, and with an orator, named Tertullus. They laid information before the governor against Paul.

24:2  So Paul was sent for, and then Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. "As it is owing to your excellency that we enjoy profound peace, and that the state of this nation,

24:3  "owing to your wise care, has been improved in every respect and in every place, we accept it with profound thankfulness.

24:4  "But not to weary you too much, I beg of your Excellency to listen to a few words from us.

24:5  "For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

24:6  "He even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.

24:7  "Then the chief captain, Lysias came and violently took him from us.

24:8  From him you will be able, by examining Paul yourself, to learn the truth of all these charges we are bringing against him."

24:9  The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were the facts.

24:10  Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense.

24:11  "For you have it in your power to know that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship;

24:12  "and that neither in the Temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city, did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd.

24:13  "Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.

24:14  "But this I confess to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors, according to the Way which they call a heresy, believing everything that is according to the Law, or is written in the Prophets,

24:15  "and having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.

24:16  "Hence I too endeavor to have a conscience void of offense toward God and men alway.

24:17  "Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.

24:18  "While I was thus engaged, they found me in the temple, purified, with no crowd and no uproar. But there were certain Asiatic Jews

24:19  "who ought to have been here before you, and to have made accusations if they had anything against me.

24:20  "Or let these men themselves say what fault they found, when I appeared before the Sanhedrin!

24:21  "Unless it was for this one sentence which I uttered when I stood and cried, ‘It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial today before you.’"

24:22  At this point Felix, who had a pretty accurate knowledge of the Way, adjourned the case, saying to the Jews, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will go carefully into the matter."

24:23  And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, but treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be forbidden to minister to him.

24:24  Some days later Felix came, with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess; he sent for Paul, and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

24:25  And as he reasoned about morality, self-control, and the future judgment, Felix was terrified, and said, "For the present go on your way, and when I find a convenient season, I will send for you."

24:26  He was hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he used to send for him often to converse with him.

24:27  But after two full years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and because he wished to curry favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.