Acts 24
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 24
Paul’s Second Trial—before Felix.[a] 1 Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and an advocate named Tertullus, and they presented charges against Paul to the governor. 2 Then Paul was summoned, and Tertullus began the prosecution.
He said, “Because of you we have enjoyed an unbroken period of peace, and reforms have been made in this nation as a result of your caring concern. 3 We acknowledge this everywhere and in every way with the utmost gratitude, most noble Felix.
4 “But in order not to detain you needlessly, I beg you to be kind enough to listen to a brief statement. 5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker. He is a fomenter of dissension among Jews all over the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 When he even tried to profane the temple, we placed him under arrest. [ 7 We would have judged him according to our own Law, but the commander Lysias came and forcibly removed him out of our hands, ordering his accusers to appear before you.][b] 8 If you examine him yourself, you will be able to ascertain the validity of all the charges we bring against him.” 9 The Jews supported the charge, asserting that these things were true.
10 Then the governor motioned to Paul to speak, and he replied, “I know that you have administered justice to this nation for many years, and therefore I feel confident in presenting my defense. 11 As you can verify for yourself, no more than twelve days have elapsed since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. 12 They did not find me disputing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city. 13 Nor can they offer you any proof concerning their charges against me.
14 “But this much I will admit to you: it is as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect, that I worship the God of my ancestors, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law or is written in the Prophets. 15 I hold the same hope in God as they do that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked alike. 16 Accordingly, I strive at all times to have a clear conscience before God and man.
17 “After several years, I came to bring charitable gifts to my people and to offer sacrifices. 18 They found me in the temple after I had completed the rite of purification. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
“However, some Jews from the province of Asia were there, 19 and they are the ones who should have appeared before you to give such evidence if they had any charge against me. 20 At the very least, those who are present here should state what crime they discovered when I was brought before the Sanhedrin, 21 unless it has to do with this one declaration I made when I stood up among them, ‘I am on trial on account of the resurrection of the dead.’ ”
22 In the Procurator’s Hall.[c] Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I shall issue a ruling on this case.” 23 He also ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but allow him some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from caring for his needs.
24 Several days later, Felix came with his wife Drusilla,[d] who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as Paul discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and exclaimed, “Go away for the present. When I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” 26 At the same time, he hoped that Paul would offer him a bribe. Therefore he used to send for him quite often and converse with him.
27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,[e] and since he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul in custody.
Footnotes
- Acts 24:1 The language is that of grave accusations and fine speeches. Once again, Paul dispels the Jewish accusations and the Roman suspicions. He is given a trial, but those who are directly opposed to him, and should be there, are missing, i.e., the Jews of Asia who stirred up more than one riot against him during his missionary journeys. Accusations leveled at him are not backed up by the facts. More profoundly—and herein lies the problem—the first Christians are convinced that their faith is not a perversion of, a secession from, or an opposition to Judaism but the fulfillment of its historical hope. The resurrection is their most ineradicable certitude. But this belief also exists among some people in Israel. More and more in the course of the trial, stress is placed on the subject of the hope of the resurrection.
- Acts 24:7 This verse is lacking in the better manuscripts.
- Acts 24:22 Felix is willing to listen to Christian teaching, but not to take the risk of converting his ways. He governs with complacencies, cruelties, and briberies, and he doubtless will have contributed to stirring up discontent, the precursor of the rebellion that would lead to the destruction of the Jewish State in A.D. 70. He seems to have been sympathetic to Paul, while keeping him in detention beyond the time provided by the Law.
- Acts 24:24 Drusilla: at the age of fifteen, this daughter of Herod Agrippa I had abandoned her first husband, the king of Emesa, in order to become Felix’s third wife.
- Acts 24:27 Porcius Festus was an excellent governor and remained in office from A.D. 59 to 62. The “two years” to which reference is made here ran from A.D. 57 to 59.
