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And after five days the chief priest Ananias came down, with the elders, and a certain orator—Tertullus, and they disclosed to the governor [the things] against Paul;
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and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, “Enjoying much peace through you, and worthy deeds being done to this nation through your forethought,
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always, also, and everywhere we receive it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness;
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and that I may not be further tedious to you, I exhort you to hear us concisely in your gentleness;
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for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world—also a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes—
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who also tried to profane the temple, whom we also took, [[ and wished to judge according to our law,
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and Lysias the chief captain having come near, took away out of our hands with much violence,
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having commanded his accusers to come to you,]] from whom you may be able, yourself having examined, to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him”;
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and the Jews also agreed, professing these things to be so.
Paul’s Defense to Felix
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And Paul—the governor having beckoned to him to speak—answered, “Knowing [that] for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I answer more cheerfully the things concerning myself;
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you being able to know that it is not more than twelve days to me since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,
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and neither did they find me reasoning with anyone in the temple, or making a dissension of the multitude, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;
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nor are they able to prove against me the things concerning which they now accuse me.
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And I confess this to you, that, according to The Way that they call a sect, so I serve the God of the fathers, believing all things that have been written in the Law and the Prophets,
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having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be a resurrection of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;
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and in this I exercise myself, to always have a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
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And after many years I came, about to do kind acts to my nation, and offerings,
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in which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with multitude, nor with tumult,
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whom it is necessary to be present before you, and to accuse, if they had anything against me,
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or let these same say if they found any unrighteousness in me in my standing before the Sanhedrin,
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except concerning this one voice, in which I cried, standing among them—Concerning a resurrection of the dead I am judged by you today.”
The Verdict Postponed
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And having heard these things, Felix delayed them—having known more exactly of the things concerning The Way—saying, “When Lysias the chief captain may come down, I will know fully the things concerning you”;
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having also given a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.
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And after certain days, Felix having come with his wife Drusilla, being a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning faith toward Christ,
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and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, “For the present be going, and having time, I will call for you”;
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and at the same time also hoping that money will be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him often, he was conversing with him;
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and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favor on the Jews, left Paul bound.
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