Paul’s Defense to Felix

10 [When] the governor motioned for [Paul] to speak, [he] began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense 11 You can verify {for yourself} that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 Yet [my accusers] did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues [or] in the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you [any of] their charges against me.

14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 [and] I have [the same] hope in God that they themselves cherish, [that] there will be a resurrection of both [the] righteous and [the] wicked. 16 In this [hope], I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

17 After several years, then, I returned [ to Jerusalem ] to bring alms to my people and to present offerings. 18 At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean [and] was not {inciting} [a] crowd [or] an uproar. But [there are] some Jews from [the province of] Asia[fn] 19 who ought to appear before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. 20 Otherwise let [these men] state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin,[fn] 21 unless [it was] this one thing I called out as I stood in their [presence] ‘[It is] concerning [the] resurrection of [the] dead [that] I am on trial before you today.’ ”