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Paul’s Trial Before Felix the Governor

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

“As we have attained much peace through you—and because by your provision reforms are being carried out for this nation— we welcome this in every way and everywhere, (D)most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But, that I may not weary you any further, I plead with you by your forbearance to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout [d]the world, and a ringleader of the (E)sect of the Nazarenes. And he even tried to (F)desecrate the temple; and [e]then we arrested him. [f][We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” (G)And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 24:1 Lit and
  2. Acts 24:1 Lit orator
  3. Acts 24:1 Or presented their evidence
  4. Acts 24:5 Lit the inhabited earth
  5. Acts 24:6 Lit also
  6. Acts 24:6 The early mss omit rest of v 6, v 7, and first part of v 8

Paul Presents His Case to Felix

24 Five days later, the high priest Ananias arrived with certain elders and Tertullus, an attorney, and they summarized their case against Paul before the governor. When Paul[a] had been summoned, Tertullus opened the prosecution by saying:

“Your Excellency Felix, since we are enjoying lasting peace because of you, and since reforms for this nation are being brought about through your foresight, we always and everywhere acknowledge it with profound gratitude. But so as not to detain you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. For we have found this man a perfect pest and an agitator among all Jews throughout the world. He is a ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes[b] and even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.[c] By examining him for yourself, you will be able to find out from him everything of which we accuse him.”

The Jewish leaders[d] supported his accusations by asserting that these things were true.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 24:2 Lit. he
  2. Acts 24:5 The Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.
  3. Acts 24:6 Other mss. read arrested him, and we wanted to try him under our law. But Tribune Lysias came along and took him out of our hands with much force, ordering his accusers to come before you.
  4. Acts 24:9 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. The Jews