Acts 24:1‑26:32• 1And after five days came down the high priest Ananias with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus; and they laid an information before the governor against Paul.
2And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great peace, and by thy providence reforms are made for this nation,
3we accept [it] every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4But that I be not further tedious to thee, I entreat thee to hear us briefly in thy clemency.
5For we found this man a pest, and moving insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
6who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we also seized [and would have judged according to our law.
7But Lysias the commander came and with great violence took [him] away from our hands,
8commanding his accusers to come unto thee]; from whom thou wilt be able, by examining, thyself to take knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him.
9And the Jews joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.
10And when the governor beckoned him to speak, Paul answered, Knowing that since many years thou art judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defence,
11as thou canst ascertain that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem;
12and neither in the temple did they find me discoursing with anyone, or making a tumult of a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor throughout the city.
13Neither can they prove to thee the things of which they now accuse me.
14But this I confess to thee, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I serve the God of the fathers, believing all things that are according to the law and that are written in the prophets;
15having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that a resurrection is to be of both just and unjust.
16Herein also do I exercise myself to have a conscience without offence toward God and men continually.
17Now after several years I arrived to bring alms unto my nation and offerings;
18in which they found me purified in the temple, not with crowd nor yet with tumult; but certain Jews from Asia,
19who ought to have been present before thee, and to have accused, if they had aught against me.
20Or let these themselves say what wrong they found in me when I stood before the council,
21[other] than for this one voice that I cried out standing among them, touching the resurrection of [the] dead, I am judged this day before you.
22But Felix, having more accurate knowledge concerning the Way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the commander is come down, I will determine your matter.
23And he ordered the centurion that he should be kept in charge and should have indulgence; and not to hinder any of his friends from ministering to him.
24And after certain days Felix, having arrived with Drusilla his wife being a Jewess, sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
25And as he reasoned concerning righteousness and temperance and the judgment to come, Felix became terrified and answered, For the present go, and when I get a convenient season, I will send for thee,
26hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul, wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him.
27But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, willing to gain favour with the Jews, left Paul in bonds.
1Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him
3asking a favour that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait to kill him on the way.
4Howbeit Festus answered that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself was about to depart [there] shortly.
5Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.
6And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7And when he was come, the Jews that had come from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous charges which they could not prove;
8while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all.
9But Festus, desirous to gain favour with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.
11If then I am a wrong doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if none of these things is [true] whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go.
13Now when certain days passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.
14And as they were spending several days there, Festus set Paul's case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix;
15about whom when I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews filed information, asking for condemnation against him.
16Unto whom I answered, that it is no custom for Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had an opportunity of defence concerning the complaint.
17When therefore they came together here, I made no delay but next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought;
18concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they were bringing no charge of such evil things as I supposed,
19but had certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus dead as he is, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20And I, being perplexed in the enquiry concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things.
21But when Paul appealed to be kept for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him unto Caesar.
22And Agrippa [said] unto Festus, I also should wish to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.
23Therefore on the morrow when Agrippa came, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they entered into the audience chamber with the commanders and the distinguished men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought.
24And saith Festus, King Agrippa, and all men that are here present with us, ye behold this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.
25But as I found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him,
26about whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, King Agrippa, so that, after examination had, I may have what I shall write.
27For it seemeth to me unreasonable in sending a prisoner not also to signify the charges against him.
1And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched out his hand and entered on his defence.
2Touching all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I count myself happy that I am to make my defence before thee today;
3especially as thou art skilled in all customs and questions that are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
4My manner of life then from my youth which was from the beginning among my nation and at Jerusalem know all Jews,
5knowing me before from the outset, if they be willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6And now I stand to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
7unto which our twelve tribes earnestly serving night and day hope to arrive. And concerning this hope I am accused by Jews, O King.
8Why is it judged incredible with you, if God raiseth dead [men]?
9I therefore thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene;
10which things I also did in Jerusalem; and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received the authority from the chief priests, and I railed against [them] when they were put to death;
11and throughout all the synagogues, often punishing I was compelling them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them I was pursuing them even as far as to the outside cities.
12On which [business] when proceeding unto Damascus with authority and commission of the chief priests,
13at mid-day on the road I saw, O King, a light above the brightness of the sun shining round me and those that were proceeding with me.
14And when we all fell to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [It is] hard for thee to kick against goads.
15And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16But rise up and stand on thy feet, for to this end I appeared to thee, to appoint thee a servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen and of those things wherein I shall appear to thee,
17taking thee out from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom I send thee,
18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness unto light and the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among those that are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19Whence, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20but reported both to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21On account of these things the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to slay me.
22Having, therefore obtained help that is from God I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said should come,
23whether Christ should suffer, whether he first by resurrection of [the] dead should announce light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
24And as he thus defended himself, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad: much learning doth turn thee to madness.
25But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but speak forth words of truth and soberness.
26For the king is cognizant of these things, unto whom also I speak with openness; for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this hath not been done in a corner.
27Believest thou, King Agrippa, the prophets? I know that thou believest.
28And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With little [pains] thou art persuading a to make me a Christian.
29And Paul [said], I would to God that both with little and with great [pains] b not thou only but also all that hear me this day should become, as I too am, except these bonds.
30And c the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them;
31and when they had retired, they spoke one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or bonds.
32And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar. (Acts 24:1‑26:32)