Acts 24 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul Appears before Felix

Act 24:1Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer[fn] Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.

Act 24:2

Act 24:2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor:
“You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us.

Act 24:3

Act 24:3For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you.

Act 24:4

Act 24:4But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment.

Act 24:5

Act 24:5We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.

Act 24:6

Act 24:6Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.[fn]

Act 24:7

Act 24:7 See Footnote

Act 24:8

Act 24:8You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.”

Act 24:9

Act 24:9Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.

Act 24:10

Act 24:10The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you.

Act 24:11

Act 24:11You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple.

Act 24:12

Act 24:12My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city.

Act 24:13

Act 24:13These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.

Act 24:14

Act 24:14“But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets.

Act 24:15

Act 24:15I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Act 24:16

Act 24:16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.

Act 24:17

Act 24:17“After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God.

Act 24:18

Act 24:18My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting.

Act 24:19

Act 24:19But some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me!

Act 24:20

Act 24:20Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council[fn] found me guilty of,

Act 24:21

Act 24:21except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’”

Act 24:22

Act 24:22At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.”

Act 24:23

Act 24:23He ordered an officer[fn] to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.

Act 24:24

Act 24:24A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.

Act 24:25

Act 24:25As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”

Act 24:26

Act 24:26He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.

Act 24:27

Act 24:27After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.

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NLT Footnotes

(24:1)

Greek some elders and an orator.

(24:6)

Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 6, all of verse 7, and an additional phrase in verse 8: We would have judged him by our law, 7 but Lysias, the commander of the garrison, came and violently took him away from us, 8 commanding his accusers to come before you.

(24:20)

Greek Sanhedrin.

(24:23)

Greek a centurion.

BLB Footnotes

(24:7)

Some Greek manuscripts exclude this verse. The NLT related footnote for 24:6 states:
24:6 Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 6, all of verse 7, and an additional phrase in verse 8: We would have judged him by our law, but Lysias, the commander of the garrison, came and violently took him away from us, commanding his accusers to come before you.

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