Acts 24:10-23

International Standard Version

¹⁰ When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he replied:

“Since I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I am pleased to present my defense. ¹¹ You can verify for yourself that I went up to worship in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago. ¹² They never found me debating with anyone in the Temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or throughout the city, ¹³ and they cannot prove to you the charges they are now bringing against me. ¹⁴ However, I admit to you that in accordance with the Way, which they call a heresy,^[a] I worship the God of our ancestors and believe in everything written in the Law and the Prophets. ¹⁵ I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish—that there is to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ Therefore, I always do my best to have a clear conscience before God and people. ¹⁷ After many years, I have come back to my people to bring gifts for the poor and to offer sacrifices. ¹⁸ They found me in the Temple doing these things just as I had completed the purification ceremony. No crowd or noisy mob was present. ¹⁹ But some Jews from Asia were there, and they should be here before you to accuse me if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Otherwise, these men themselves should tell what wrong they found when I stood before the Council^[b]— ²¹ unless it is for the one thing I shouted as I stood among them: ‘It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

²² Felix was rather well informed about the Way, and so he adjourned the trial with the comment, “When Tribune Lysias arrives, I’ll decide your case.” ²³ He ordered the centurion to guard Paul^[c] but to let him have some freedom and not to keep any of his friends from caring for his needs.