Read Bible Book Of Acts Chapter 24 In Online
1 - Five Days Later The High Priest Ananias Went Down To Caesarea With Some Of The Elders And A Lawyer Named Tertullus, And They Brought Their Charges Against Paul Before The Governor.
2 - When Paul Was Called In, Tertullus Presented His Case Before Felix: "We Have Enjoyed A Long Period Of Peace Under You, And Your Foresight Has Brought About Reforms In This Nation.
3 - Everywhere And In Every Way, Most Excellent Felix, We Acknowledge This With Profound Gratitude.
4 - But In Order Not To Weary You Further, I Would Request That You Be Kind Enough To Hear Us Briefly.
5 - "We Have Found This Man To Be A Troublemaker, Stirring Up Riots Among The Jews All Over The World. He Is A Ringleader Of The Nazarene Sect
6 - And Even Tried To Desecrate The Temple; So We Seized Him.
7 - Hand We Would Have Judged Him In Accordance With Our Law. 7 But The Commander Lysias Came And Took Him From Us With Much Violence, 8 Ordering His Accusers To Come Before You
8 - By Examining Him Yourself You Will Be Able To Learn The Truth About All These Charges We Are Bringing Against Him."
9 - The Jews Joined In The Accusation, Asserting That These Things Were True.
10 - When The Governor Motioned For Him To Speak, Paul Replied: "I Know That For A Number Of Years You Have Been A Judge Over This Nation; So I Gladly Make My Defense.
11 - You Can Easily Verify That No More Than Twelve Days Ago I Went Up To Jerusalem To Worship.
12 - My Accusers Did Not Find Me Arguing With Anyone At The Temple, Or Stirring Up A Crowd In The Synagogues Or Anywhere Else In The City.
13 - And They Cannot Prove To You The Charges They Are Now Making Against Me.
14 - However, I Admit That I Worship The God Of Our Fathers As A Follower Of The Way, Which They Call A Sect. I Believe Everything That Agrees With The Law And That Is Written In The Prophets,
15 - And I Have The Same Hope In God As These Men, That There Will Be A Resurrection Of Both The Righteous And The Wicked.
16 - So I Strive Always To Keep My Conscience Clear Before God And Man.
17 - "After An Absence Of Several Years, I Came To Jerusalem To Bring My People Gifts For The Poor And To Present Offerings.
18 - I Was Ceremonially Clean When They Found Me In The Temple Courts Doing This. There Was No Crowd With Me, Nor Was I Involved In Any Disturbance.
19 - But There Are Some Jews From The Province Of Asia, Who Ought To Be Here Before You And Bring Charges If They Have Anything Against Me.
20 - Or These Who Are Here Should State What Crime They Found In Me When I Stood Before The Sanhedrin--
21 - Unless It Was This One Thing I Shouted As I Stood In Their Presence: 'It Is Concerning The Resurrection Of The Dead That I Am On Trial Before You Today.' "
22 - Then Felix, Who Was Well Acquainted With The Way, Adjourned The Proceedings. "When Lysias The Commander Comes," He Said, "I Will Decide Your Case."
23 - He Ordered The Centurion To Keep Paul Under Guard But To Give Him Some Freedom And Permit His Friends To Take Care Of His Needs.
24 - Several Days Later Felix Came With His Wife Drusilla, Who Was A Jewess. He Sent For Paul And Listened To Him As He Spoke About Faith In Christ Jesus.
25 - As Paul Discoursed On Righteousness, Self-control And The Judgment To Come, Felix Was Afraid And Said, "That's Enough For Now! You May Leave. When I Find It Convenient, I Will Send For You."
26 - At The Same Time He Was Hoping That Paul Would Offer Him A Bribe, So He Sent For Him Frequently And Talked With Him.
27 - When Two Years Had Passed, Felix Was Succeeded By Porcius Festus, But Because Felix Wanted To Grant A Favor To The Jews, He Left Paul In Prison.
