Acts 24

And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

1Five days later Ananias came down to the city of Caesarea. He was the high priest, the top leader of the priests. Some older leaders came with him. They also brought a speaker named Tertullus. He told the governor Felix their complaint against Paul.

2And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

2Paul was called in. Tertullus began to accuse him. He said, "Because of you, we have had peace for a long time. Your careful planning has made things better for our nation."

3We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

3"Always and everywhere we say thank you for this, most excellent Felix."

4Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

4"But I do not want to take up too much of your time. Please be kind and hear us say just a few words."

5For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

5"We have found that this man causes trouble wherever he goes. He starts fights among Jewish people all over the world. He is a leader of the group called the Nazarenes."

6Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

6"He even tried to do wrong things inside the temple. So we grabbed him. We wanted to judge him by our own law."

7But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

7"But Lysias, the army commander, came and pulled him away from us by force."

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

8Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

8"Lysias told the ones accusing him to come to you. If you ask questions yourself, you can learn about everything we say he did."

9And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

9The other Jewish leaders there agreed. They said all these things were true.

10Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:

10The governor waved his hand for Paul to speak. Paul said, "I know you have judged this nation for many years. So I am glad to speak up for myself."

11Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

11"You can find out for yourself that this is true. Only twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship."

12And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

12"No one found me arguing with anyone in the temple. I was not stirring up crowds in the synagogues, the places where Jews meet to worship. I was not doing that in the city either."

13Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

13"And they cannot prove any of the things they are saying about me."

14But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

14"But here is what I do admit to you. I worship the God of our fathers, following the Way. They call the Way a sect, a small group with its own ideas. I believe everything written in the Law and in the books of the prophets, the men who spoke God's words."

NoteThe KJV says "heresy" here. In 1611 that word meant a group or party with its own beliefs. It did not mean false teaching, the way it does today.

15And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

15"I have the same hope in God that these men have. I believe that dead people will be raised to life again. That will happen to good people and to bad people."

16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

16"Because of that hope, I always try hard to do what is right. I want a clear heart before God and before people."

17Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

17"After being away several years, I came back to my people. I brought money to help poor people, and I brought gifts for God."

18Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

18"That is what I was doing when some Jews from Asia found me in the temple. I had followed the rules that make a person clean for worship. I was not with a crowd, and there was no shouting."

19Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

19"Those men are the ones who should be standing here before you. They should say what they have against me, if they have anything."

20Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

20"Or let these men here tell you what wrong they found in me. They saw me when I stood in front of the council."

21Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

21"The only thing I shouted while standing there was this. I said, 'You are putting me on trial today because I believe dead people will rise.'"

22And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

22Felix knew quite a lot about the Way. So he stopped the hearing without deciding. He said, "When Lysias the commander comes down here, I will settle your case."

23And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

23He told a centurion, an officer over a hundred soldiers, to guard Paul. But Paul was to have some freedom. His friends could come and bring him what he needed.

24And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

24A few days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul. He listened to Paul talk about believing in Christ.

25And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

25Paul talked about doing right, about self-control, and about the day God will judge. Felix became afraid. He said, "You may go for now. When I have time, I will send for you."

NoteThe KJV word "temperance" means self-control, holding yourself back from doing whatever you feel like.

26He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

26Felix also hoped Paul would give him money to be let go. So he sent for Paul often and talked with him.

27But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

27Two years went by. Then Porcius Festus took Felix's place as governor. Felix wanted to please the Jewish leaders. So he left Paul in prison.

NoteThe KJV says Festus "came into Felix' room." Here "room" means his place or job, not a room in a house.