Acts 24:1-25:12 - Jon B

Acts 24:1–25:12 (ESV)

Acts 24:1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul.

Acts 24:2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation,

Acts 24:3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.

Acts 24:4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly.

Acts 24:5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

Acts 24:6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.

Acts 24:8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

Acts 24:9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

Acts 24:10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.

Acts 24:11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,

Acts 24:12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city.

Acts 24:13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me.

Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

Acts 24:15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Acts 24:16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Acts 24:17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings.

Acts 24:18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—

Acts 24:19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.

Acts 24:20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council,

Acts 24:21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’ ”

Acts 24:22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”

Acts 24:23 Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.

Acts 24:24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

Acts 24:26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.

Acts 24:27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Acts 25:1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

Acts 25:2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him,

Acts 25:3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

Acts 25:4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly.

Acts 25:5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

Acts 25:6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.

Acts 25:8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”

Acts 25:9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”

Acts 25:10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well.

Acts 25:11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Acts 25:12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”