Acts 24:1-9

Expanded Bible

Paul Is Accused

24 Five days later Ananias, the high priest [23:1], ·went to the city of Caesarea [^Lcame down] with some of the elders and a ·lawyer [orator; ^Cone who speaks in court] named Tertullus. They had come to make charges against Paul before the governor. ² Paul was called into the meeting, and Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Most Excellent Felix! Our people enjoy ·much [or a long period of] peace because of you, and many ·wrong things in our country are being made right [or improvements/reforms have been made] through your ·wise help [or foresight]. ³ We ·accept [acknowledge] these things always and in every place, ·and we are thankful for them [or …with much gratitude/thanksgiving]. ⁴ But not wanting to ·take any more of your time [detain you; or bore you], I ·beg [encourage; urge] you ·to be kind and [or because you are kind/patient to] listen to our few words. ⁵ We have found this man to be a ·troublemaker [pest; plague], ·stirring up [or instigating riots among] ·his people [^LJews] everywhere in the world. He is a ·leader [ringleader] of the Nazarene ·group [party; faction; sect]. ⁶ Also, he was trying to ·make the Temple unclean [defile/profane/desecrate the Temple], but we ·stopped [or grabbed; arrested] him. |And we wanted to judge him by our own law. ⁷ But the ·officer [tribune] Lysias came and used much force to take him from us. ⁸ And Lysias commanded ·those who wanted to accuse Paul [his accusers] to come to you.|^[a] By ·asking him questions [cross-examining him] yourself, you can ·decide [learn; come to know] ·if all these things are true [or the nature of our accusations].” ⁹ The ·others [^LJews] ·agreed [or joined in the attack] and said that all of this was true.