Acts 24:1-21 - Paul Before Felix At Caesarea Maritima

1 And after five days Ananias the high priest with certain elders, and a certain orator Tertyllus, came down, who appeared before the governor against Paul. 2 And he having been called, Tertyllus began to accuse him, saying, 3 Receiving great peace through thee, and prosperity accruing to this nation through thy wisdom, we receive with all gratitude, both always, and everywhere, O most noble Felix. 4 But in order that I may not weary you excessively, I exhort you to hear us patiently according to your clemency. 5 For having found this man pestilential, and stirring up seditions to all the Jews who are throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 6 who also endeavored to pollute the temple: whom we indeed arrested, 7 OMITTED TEXT 8 with whom you yourself, having made inquiry, are able to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him. 9 And the Jews were consenting, saying, Truly these things are so.

10 And Paul responded, the governor beckoning to him to speak; Knowing you to be a judge to this nation from many years, I cheerfully apologize as to the things concerning myself: 11 you being able to know, that there are not more than twelve days to me since I came up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 Neither did they find me in the temple disputing with any one, or causing an excitement of the multitude, neither in the synagogues, nor throughout the city: 13 neither are they able to prove before you the things which they are now accusing me. 14 But I confess this to you, that according to the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of our fathers, believing all things which have been written in the law and in the prophets: 15 having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust. 16 In this I also exercise, to always have a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 17 And after many years I came to do alms and offerings to my race; 18 in which they found me having been purified in the temple, not with rabble, nor with an uproar; and were certain Jews from Asia, 19 whom it behooves to be present before me, and accuse me, if they should have anything against me. 20 Or let them tell what injustice they found, while I was standing before the sanhedrim, 21 except concerning this one voice, which I cried out standing in their midst, that concerning the resurrection of the dead I am judged before you this day.