Paul before Felix

24 Now after ^(A)five days the high priest ^(B)Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they ^[a]brought charges against Paul to ^(C)the governor. ² After ^[b]Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began accusing him, saying to the governor,

“Since we have attained great peace through you, and since reforms are being carried out for this nation by your foresight, ³ we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, ^(D)most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴ But, that I may not ^[c]weary you further, I beg you ^[d]to grant us a brief hearing, by your kindness. ⁵ For we have found this man a public menace and one who stirs up dissensions among all the Jews throughout ^[e]the world, and a ringleader of the ^(E)sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ And he even tried to ^(F)desecrate the temple, so indeed we arrested him.^{[f] 8} By interrogating him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be able to ascertain the things of which we are accusing him.” ^9 (G)The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

¹⁰ And when ^(H)the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ¹¹ since you can take note of the fact that no more than ^(I)twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ^12 (J)And neither in the temple did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or ^(K)causing ^[g]a riot, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself. ^13 (L)Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴ But I confess this to you, that in accordance with ^[h](M)the Way, which they call a ^(N)sect, I do serve ^(O)the God of our fathers, ^(P)believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and is written in the Prophets; ¹⁵ having a hope in God, which ^(Q)these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ In view of this ^(R)I also do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before other people, always. ¹⁷ Now ^(S)after several years I ^(T)came to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to present offerings, ¹⁸ in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been ^(U)purified, without any ^(V)crowd or uproar. But there were some ^(W)Jews from ^[i]Asia— ¹⁹ who ought to have been present before you and to have been ^(X)bringing charges, if they should have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else have these men themselves declare what violation they discovered when I stood before ^(Y)the ^[j]Council, ²¹ other than in regard to this one declaration which ^(Z)I shouted while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today!’”

²² But Felix, ^[k]having quite accurate knowledge about ^[l](AA)the Way, adjourned them, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ He gave orders to the centurion for ^[m]Paul to be ^(AB)kept in custody and yet ^(AC)have some freedom, and not to prevent any of ^(AD)his friends from providing for his needs.

²⁴ Now some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla his ^[n]wife, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^(AE)faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ But as he was discussing ^(AF)righteousness, ^(AG)self-control, and ^(AH)the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and responded, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will summon you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was also hoping that ^(AI)money would be given to him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and talk with him. ²⁷ But after two years had passed, Felix ^[o]was succeeded by Porcius ^(AJ)Festus; and Felix, ^(AK)wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul ^(AL)imprisoned.

Paul before Festus

25 Festus, then, after arriving in ^(AM)the province, went up to Jerusalem from ^(AN)Caesarea three days later. ² And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews ^(AO)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with ^[p]Festus, ³ requesting a ^[q]concession against ^[r]Paul, that he might ^[s]have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, ^(AP)setting an ambush to kill him on the way). ⁴ Festus then ^(AQ)answered that Paul ^(AR)was being kept in custody in ^(AS)Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. ⁵ “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you ^[t]go there with me, and if there is anything wrong ^[u]about the man, have them bring charges against him.”

⁶ After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to ^(AT)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on ^(AU)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. ⁷ After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing ^(AV)many, and serious, charges against him ^(AW)which they could not prove, ⁸ while Paul said in his own defense, “^(AX)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” ⁹ But Festus, ^(AY)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “^(AZ)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and ^[v]stand trial before me on these charges?” ¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^(BA)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. ¹¹ If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^(BB)appeal to Caesar.” ¹² Then when Festus had conferred with ^[w]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

¹³ Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in ^(BC)Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was ^(BD)left as a prisoner by Felix; ¹⁵ and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ^(BE)brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. ¹⁶ I ^(BF)replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before ^(BG)the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. ¹⁷ So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^(BH)the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges ^[x]against him of crimes that I suspected, ¹⁹ but they simply had some ^(BI)points of disagreement with him about their own ^[y](BJ)religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰ And ^(BK)being at a loss how to investigate ^[z]such matters, I ^[aa]asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. ²¹ But when Paul ^(BL)appealed to be held in custody for ^[ab]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” ²² Then ^(BM)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So, on the next day when ^(BN)Agrippa and ^(BO)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, ^[ac]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. ²⁴ And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom ^(BP)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that ^(BQ)he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had committed ^(BR)nothing deserving death; and since he himself ^(BS)appealed to ^[ad]the Emperor, I decided to send him. ^26 [ae]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”

Paul’s Defense before Agrippa

26 ^(BT)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

² “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, ^3 [af]especially because you are an expert in all ^(BU)customs and ^[ag]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “So then, all Jews know ^(BV)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, ⁵ since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a ^(BW)Pharisee ^(BX)according to the strictest ^(BY)sect of our religion. ⁶ And now I am standing trial ^(BZ)for the hope of ^(CA)the promise made by God to our fathers; ⁷ the promise ^(CB)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this ^(CC)hope, O king, I am being ^(CD)accused by Jews. ⁸ Why is it considered incredible among you people ^(CE)if God raises the dead?

⁹ “So ^(CF)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to ^(CG)the name of Jesus ^[ah]of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is ^[ai]just what I ^(CH)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the ^[aj]saints in prisons, after ^(CI)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also ^(CJ)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. ¹¹ And ^(CK)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was ^(CL)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them ^(CM)even to ^[ak]foreign cities.

¹² “^[al]While so engaged, ^(CN)as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, ¹³ at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, ^[am]brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. ¹⁴ And when we had ^(CO)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the ^[an](CP)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ^[ao]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up and ^(CQ)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to ^(CR)appoint you as a ^(CS)servant and ^(CT)a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, ^17 (CU)rescuing you ^(CV)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, ¹⁸ to ^(CW)open their eyes so that they may turn from ^(CX)darkness to light, and from the ^[ap]power of ^(CY)Satan to God, that they may receive ^(CZ)forgiveness of sins and an ^(DA)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by ^(DB)faith in Me.’

¹⁹ “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but continually proclaimed ^(DC)to those in Damascus first, and ^(DD)in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even ^(DE)to the Gentiles, that they are to ^(DF)repent and turn to God, performing deeds ^(DG)consistent with repentance. ²¹ For these reasons some Jews ^(DH)seized me in the temple and tried ^(DI)to murder me. ²² So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day ^(DJ)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what ^(DK)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, ²³ as to ^(DL)whether the ^[aq]Christ was ^[ar]to suffer, and whether, as ^(DM)first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim ^(DN)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

²⁴ While ^[as]Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! ^[at]Your great ^(DO)learning is ^[au]driving you insane.” ²⁵ But Paul *said, “I am not insane, ^(DP)most excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with ^[av]truthful and rational words. ²⁶ For the king ^[aw](DQ)knows about these matters, and I also speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a ^[ax]corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ Agrippa replied to Paul, “^[ay]In a short time you are going to persuade me to ^[az]make a ^(DR)Christian of myself.” ²⁹ And Paul said, “I would ^[ba]wish to God that even ^[bb]in a short or long time not only you, but also all who hear me this day would become such as I myself am, except for these ^(DS)chains.”

^30 (DT)The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, ³¹ and when they had gone out, they began talking to one another, saying, “^(DU)This man is not doing anything deserving death or ^[bc]imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been ^(DV)set free if he had not ^(DW)appealed to Caesar.”