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23 He ordered the centurion[a] to guard Paul,[b] but to let him have some freedom,[c] and not to prevent any of his friends[d] from meeting his needs.[e]

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24 Some days later, when Felix[f] arrived with his wife Drusilla,[g] who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak[h] about faith in Christ Jesus.[i] 25 While Paul[j] was discussing[k] righteousness, self-control,[l] and the coming judgment, Felix[m] became[n] frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity,[o] I will send for you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 24:23 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
  2. Acts 24:23 tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, tēreisthai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Acts 24:23 tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, . ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”
  4. Acts 24:23 tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).
  5. Acts 24:23 tn Grk “from serving him.”
  6. Acts 24:24 sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.
  7. Acts 24:24 sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.
  8. Acts 24:24 tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆςπίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”
  9. Acts 24:24 tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
  10. Acts 24:25 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. Acts 24:25 tn Or “speaking about.”
  12. Acts 24:25 tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.sn The topic of self-control was appropriate in view of the personal history of both Felix and Drusilla (see the note on “Drusilla” in the previous verse), and might well account for Felix’s anxiety.
  13. Acts 24:25 sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.
  14. Acts 24:25 tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  15. Acts 24:25 tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find timeAc 24:25.”