Paul Before Felix at Caesarea Maritima

24 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, all of whom brought charges against Paul to the governor. 2 And when[fn] he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accusehim,[fn] saying, “We have experienced[fn] much[fn] peace through you, and reforms are taking place in this nation through your foresight. 3 Both in every way and everywhere we acknowledge this,[fn] most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. 4 But so that I may not impose on you for longer, I implore you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. 5 For we have found[fn] this manto be a public menace and one who causes riots among all the Jews throughout the Roman Empire[fn] and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, 6 who even attempted to desecrate the temple, and we arrested him[fn].[fn] 8 When[fn] you yourself examinehim[fn] you will be able to find out fromhim[fn] about all thesethings of which we are accusing him.” 9 And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting these things were so.

10 And when[fn] the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I[fn] know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfullywith respect to the things concerning myself. 11 You can ascertain that it has not been more than[fn] twelve dayssince[fn] I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 And neither did they find me arguing with anyone or making a crowd develop in the temple courts[fn] nor in the synagogues nor throughout the city. 13 Nor can they prove the things[fn] to you concerning which they are now accusing me. 14 But I do confess this to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things that are in accordance with the law and that are written in the prophets, 15 having a hope in God which these men also themselves await: that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 For this reason[fn] alsoI myself always[fn] do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and people. 17 So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,[fn] 18 in which they found me purified in the temple courts,[fn] not with a crowd or with a disturbance. 19 But there are some Jews from Asia[fn] who ought to be present before you and bring charges againstme,[fn] if they have anything against me, 20 or these men themselves should say what crime they found when[fn] I stood before the Sanhedrin,[fn] 21 other than concerning this one declaration that I shouted while[fn] standing there before them: ‘I am being judged before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead!’ ”