保罗在腓利斯面前受审

24 五天后,大祭司亚拿尼亚带着几个长老和一位叫帖土罗的律师下到凯撒利亚,向总督控告保罗。 保罗被传来后,帖土罗指控他说:“腓利斯大人深谋远虑,在大人的领导下,国中有许多改革,我们常享太平。 我们对大人的恩德感激不尽。 我不敢耽误大人太久,只求大人容我们简单叙述。 我们发现这个人惹事生非,到处煽动犹太人闹事。他是拿撒勒教派的一个头目, 企图玷污圣殿,被我们抓住了。我们想按照犹太律法处置他, 不料吕西亚千夫长却硬把他从我们手中抢走, 并命令告他的人到大人这里来。[a]大人亲自审问他,就会知道我们告他的事了。” 在场的犹太人也随声附和,表示这些事属实。

保罗的申辩

10 总督点头示意保罗可以发言,于是保罗说:“我知道大人在犹太执法多年,我很乐意在你面前为自己辩护。 11 大人明鉴,从我上耶路撒冷礼拜至今不过十二天。 12 这些人根本没有见过我在圣殿、会堂或城里与人争辩,聚众闹事。 13 他们对我的指控毫无根据。 14 但有一点我必须承认,就是我依循他们称之为异端的道事奉我们祖先的上帝,我也相信律法书和先知书的一切记载, 15 并且我与他们在上帝面前有同样的盼望,就是义人和不义的人都要复活。 16 因此,我一直尽力在上帝和人面前都做到问心无愧。

17 “我离开耶路撒冷已有多年,这次回来是带着捐款要周济同胞,并献上祭物。 18 他们看见我的时候,我已行过洁净礼,正在圣殿里献祭,没有聚众,也没有作乱。 19 当时只有几个从亚细亚来的犹太人在那里,如果他们有事要告我,应该到你这里告我; 20 不然,请这些出庭的人指出他们在公会审问我时发现了什么罪。 21 如果有,也无非是当时我站在他们当中喊了一句,‘我今天在你们面前受审与死人复活有关。’”

22 腓利斯原本对这道颇有认识,于是下令休庭,说:“等吕西亚千夫长抵达后,我再断你们的案子。” 23 他派百夫长看守保罗,给他一定的自由,也允许亲友来供应他的需要。

24 几天后,腓利斯和他的妻子犹太人土西拉一同来了,召见保罗,听他讲信基督耶稣的事。 25 当保罗讲到公义、节制和将来的审判时,腓利斯十分恐惧,说:“你先下去吧,改天有机会,我再叫你来。” 26 腓利斯希望保罗贿赂他,所以经常召他来谈话。 27 过了两年,波求·非斯都接任总督,腓利斯为了讨好犹太人,仍然把保罗留在监里。

Footnotes

  1. 24:8 有古卷无“我们想按照犹太律法处置他,不料吕西亚千夫长却硬把他从我们手中抢走,并命令告他的人到大人这里来。”

保羅受審

24 過了五天,大祭司亞拿尼亞同幾個長老,和一個律師帖土羅來了,他們向總督控告保羅。 保羅傳來了之後,帖土羅就控訴他說:“腓力斯大人,因著你的緣故,我們大大地享受著太平;因著你的遠見,本國大事改革; 我們隨時隨地感激不盡。 現在我不想多煩擾你,只求你寬容一下,聽我們講幾句話。 我們看這個人就像瘟疫一樣,是煽動普天下猶太人生亂的人,又是拿撒勒派的首領。 他還意圖污穢聖殿,我們就把他捉住。(有些抄本在此有以下一段:“我們想按照我們的律法審問他。7可是千夫長呂西亞來了,用武力把他從我們手中搶走,8還吩咐原告到你這裡來。”) 你親自審問之後,就必清楚知道我們告他的一切事了。” 猶太人也都跟他一同控告保羅,證實事情確是這樣。

保羅在腓力斯面前申辯

10 總督向保羅示意,叫他說話,他就說:“我知道你在本國審案多年,所以樂意為自己申辯。 11 你清楚知道,自從我上耶路撒冷去禮拜,到現在還沒有十二天; 12 無論在殿裡、會堂中或城裡,他們都沒有看見我跟人辯論,或煽動群眾作亂, 13 也不能向你證明他們現在控告我的事。 14 但有一件事我要向你承認,他們所稱為異端的這道,我正是根據這道來敬拜我祖先的 神的。一切律法和先知所記的,我都相信。 15 我靠著 神所存的盼望,也是他們自己所期待的,就是義人和不義的人都要復活; 16 因此,我常常勉勵自己,對 神對人要常存無虧的良心。 17 過了幾年我帶著捐款回來賙濟本國,同時也帶了祭物, 18 他們看見我在殿裡的時候,我已經行完了潔淨禮,並沒有和一大群人在一起,也沒有生亂, 19 只有幾個從亞西亞來的猶太人而已。他們若有事要控告我,就應該到你面前來控告。 20 要不然,當我站在公議會中受審的時候,這些人若發現我有甚麼罪行,早就親自說出來了。 21 如果有的話,就是我站在他們中間所喊的:‘我今天在你們面前受審,是為了死人復活的事’那一句話。”

22 腓力斯本來就詳細曉得這道,卻故意拖延他們,說:“等千夫長呂西亞來了,再斷定你們的事。” 23 於是吩咐百夫長看守保羅,但要寬待他,不可阻止親友來照料他。

腓力斯聽道後害怕起來

24 過了幾天,腓力斯和他的猶太妻子土西拉一同來到,他又傳見保羅,聽他談論在耶穌基督裡的信仰。 25 保羅講到公義、自制和將來的審判的時候,腓力斯就害怕起來,說:“你先走吧,等我有空的時候再叫你來。” 26 同時他也希望保羅送錢給他,所以又多次傳見他,和他談話。

27 過了兩年,波求.非斯都接了腓力斯的任;腓力斯為要討好猶太人,就把保羅留在監裡。

Paul’s Trial Before Felix

24 Five days later the high priest Ananias(A) went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges(B) against Paul before the governor.(C) When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. Everywhere and in every way, most excellent(D) Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots(E) among the Jews(F) all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene(G) sect(H) and even tried to desecrate the temple;(I) so we seized him. [7] [a] By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

The other Jews joined in the accusation,(J) asserting that these things were true.

10 When the governor(K) motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days(L) ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple,(M) or stirring up a crowd(N) in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.(O) 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors(P) as a follower of the Way,(Q) which they call a sect.(R) I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,(S) 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection(T) of both the righteous and the wicked.(U) 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear(V) before God and man.

17 “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor(W) and to present offerings. 18 I was ceremonially clean(X) when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.(Y) 19 But there are some Jews from the province of Asia,(Z) who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.(AA) 20 Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— 21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”(AB)

22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way,(AC) adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard(AD) but to give him some freedom(AE) and permit his friends to take care of his needs.(AF)

24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.(AG) 25 As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control(AH) and the judgment(AI) to come, Felix was afraid(AJ) and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,(AK) but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews,(AL) he left Paul in prison.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 24:7 Some manuscripts include here him, and we would have judged him in accordance with our law. But the commander Lysias came and took him from us with much violence, ordering his accusers to come before you.

Accused of Sedition

24 Now after (A)five days (B)Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.

And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and [a]prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your [b]courtesy, a few words from us. (C)For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. (D)He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, [c]and wanted (E)to judge him according to our law. (F)But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, (G)commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” And the Jews also [d]assented, maintaining that these things were so.

The Defense Before Felix

10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem (H)to worship. 12 (I)And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to (J)the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the (K)God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in (L)the Law and in the Prophets. 15 (M)I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, (N)that there will be a resurrection [e]of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 (O)This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

17 “Now after many years (P)I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, 18 (Q)in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me (R)purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 (S)They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those who are here themselves say [f]if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, (T)‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ”

Felix Procrastinates

22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the (U)Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When (V)Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” 23 So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and (W)told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.

24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the (X)faith in Christ. 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that (Y)money would be given him by Paul, [g]that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, (Z)wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 24:2 Or reforms are
  2. Acts 24:4 graciousness
  3. Acts 24:6 NU ends the sentence here and omits the rest of v. 6, all of v. 7, and the first clause of v. 8.
  4. Acts 24:9 NU, M joined the attack
  5. Acts 24:15 NU omits of the dead
  6. Acts 24:20 NU, M what wrongdoing they found
  7. Acts 24:26 NU omits that he might release him