Acts 24-26

New International Version

Paul’s Trial Before Felix

24 Five days later the high priest Ananias^(A) went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges^(B) against Paul before the governor.^{(C) 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^(D) 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^(E) among the Jews^(F) all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene^(G) sect^{(H) 6} and even tried to desecrate the temple;^(I) so we seized him. ^{[7] [a] 8} By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

⁹ The other Jews joined in the accusation,^(J) asserting that these things were true.

¹⁰ When the governor^(K) 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^(L) ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple,^(M) or stirring up a crowd^(N) in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.^{(O) 14} However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors^(P) as a follower of the Way,^(Q) which they call a sect.^(R) I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,^{(S) 15} and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection^(T) of both the righteous and the wicked.^{(U) 16} So I strive always to keep my conscience clear^(V) before God and man.

¹⁷ “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor^(W) and to present offerings. ¹⁸ I was ceremonially clean^(X) when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.^{(Y) 19} But there are some Jews from the province of Asia,^(Z) who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.^{(AA) 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.’”^(AB)

²² Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way,^(AC) 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^(AD) but to give him some freedom^(AE) and permit his friends to take care of his needs.^(AF)

²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.^{(AG) 25} As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control^(AH) and the judgment^(AI) to come, Felix was afraid^(AJ) 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,^(AK) but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews,^(AL) he left Paul in prison.^(AM)

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus^(AN) went up from Caesarea^(AO) to Jerusalem, ² where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.^{(AP) 3} They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.^{(AQ) 4} Festus answered, “Paul is being held^(AR) at Caesarea,^(AS) and I myself am going there soon. ⁵ Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

⁶ After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court^(AT) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.^{(AU) 7} When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,^(AV) but they could not prove them.^(AW)

⁸ Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple^(AX) or against Caesar.”

⁹ Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,^(AY) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”^(AZ)

¹⁰ Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,^(BA) as you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”^(BB)

¹² After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Festus Consults King Agrippa

¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea^(BC) to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.^{(BD) 15} When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him^(BE) and asked that he be condemned.

¹⁶ “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.^{(BF) 17} When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.^{(BG) 18} When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had some points of dispute^(BH) with him about their own religion^(BI) and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.^{(BJ) 21} But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”^(BK)

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”^(BL)

Paul Before Agrippa^(BM)

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice^(BN) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community^(BO) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.^{(BP) 25} I found he had done nothing deserving of death,^(BQ) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor^(BR) I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”^(BS)

So Paul motioned with his hand^(BT) and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(BU) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^{(BV) 3} and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(BW) and controversies.^(BX) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(BY) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time^(BZ) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(CA) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^{(CB) 6} And now it is because of my hope^(CC) in what God has promised our ancestors^(CD) that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes^(CE) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(CF) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^{(CG) 8} Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(CH)

⁹ “I too was convinced^(CI) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(CJ) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(CK) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(CL) in prison,^(CM) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(CN) 11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(CO) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹² “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(CP) saying to me in Aramaic,^[b](CQ) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(CR) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(CS) 17} I will rescue you^(CT) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(CU) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(CV) and turn them from darkness to light,^(CW) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(CX) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(CY)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(CZ) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(DA) then to those in Jerusalem^(DB) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(DC) I preached that they should repent^(DD) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^{(DE) 21} That is why some Jews seized me^(DF) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^{(DG) 22} But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(DH)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(DI) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(DJ) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(DK)

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(DL) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(DM) is driving you insane.”

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent^(DN) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things,^(DO) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(DP)

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(DQ)

³⁰ The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice^(DR) and those sitting with them. ³¹ After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”^(DS)

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free^(DT) if he had not appealed to Caesar.”^(DU)