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Acts 24-26
Common English Bible
Acts 24-26
Common English Bible
Paul’s trial before Felix
24 Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They pressed charges against Paul before the governor. 2 After the governor summoned Paul, Tertullus began to make his case against him. He declared, “Under your leadership, we have experienced substantial peace, and your administration has brought reforms to our nation. 3 Always and everywhere, most honorable Felix, we acknowledge this with deep gratitude. 4 I don’t want to take too much of your time, so I ask that you listen with your usual courtesy to our brief statement of the facts. 5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the empire. He’s a ringleader of the Nazarene faction 6 and even tried to defile the temple. That’s when we arrested him.[a] 8 By examining him yourself, you will be able to verify the allegations we are bringing against him.” 9 The Jews reinforced the action against Paul, affirming the truth of these accusations.
10 The governor nodded at Paul, giving him permission to speak.
He responded, “I know that you have been judge over this nation for many years, so I gladly offer my own defense. 11 You can verify that I went up to worship in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago. 12 They didn’t find me arguing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd, whether in the synagogue or anywhere else in the city. 13 Nor can they prove to you the allegations they are now bringing against me. 14 I do admit this to you, that I am a follower of the Way, which they call a faction. Accordingly, I worship the God of our ancestors and believe everything set out in the Law and written in the Prophets. 15 The hope I have in God I also share with my accusers, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 On account of this, I have committed myself to maintaining a clear conscience before God and with all people. 17 After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring gifts for the poor of my nation and to offer sacrifices. 18 When they found me in the temple, I was ritually pure. There was no crowd and no disturbance. 19 But there were some Jews from the province of Asia. They should be here making their accusations, if indeed they have something against me. 20 In their absence, have these people who are here declare what crime they found when I stood before the Jerusalem Council. 21 Perhaps it concerns this one statement that I blurted out when I was with them: ‘I am on trial before you today because of the resurrection of the dead.’”
22 Felix, who had an accurate understanding of the Way, adjourned the meeting. He said, “When Lysias the commander arrives from Jerusalem, I will decide this case.” 23 He arranged for a centurion to guard Paul. He was to give Paul some freedom, and his friends were not to be hindered in their efforts to provide for him.
Paul in custody
24 After several days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and summoned Paul. He listened to him talk about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 When he spoke about upright behavior, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became fearful and said, “Go away for now! When I have time, I’ll send for you.” 26 At the same time, he was hoping that Paul would offer him some money, so he often sent for him and talked with him.
27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Since Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
Paul appeals to Caesar
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 The chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. Appealing to him, 3 they asked as a favor from Festus that he summon Paul to Jerusalem. They were planning to ambush and kill him along the way. 4 But Festus responded by keeping Paul in Caesarea, since he was to return there very soon himself. 5 “Some of your leaders can come down with me,” he said. “If he’s done anything wrong, they can bring charges against him.”
6 He stayed with them for no more than eight or ten days, then went down to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat in the court and ordered that Paul be brought in. 7 When he arrived, many Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him. They brought serious charges against him, but they couldn’t prove them. 8 In his own defense, Paul said, “I’ve done nothing wrong against the Jewish Law, against the temple, or against Caesar.”
9 Festus, wanting to put the Jews in his debt, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me concerning these things?”
10 Paul replied, “I’m standing before Caesar’s court. I ought to be tried here. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you well know. 11 If I’m guilty and have done something that deserves death, then I won’t try to avoid death. But if there is nothing to their accusations against me, no one has the authority to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 After Festus conferred with his advisors, he responded, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go.”
King Agrippa informed about Paul
13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 Since they were staying there for many days, Festus discussed the case against Paul with the king. He said, “There is a man whom Felix left in prison. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and elders brought charges against him and requested a guilty verdict in his case. 16 I told them it is contrary to Roman practice to hand someone over before they have faced their accusers and had opportunity to offer a defense against the charges. 17 When they came here, I didn’t put them off. The very next day I took my seat in the court and ordered that the man be brought before me. 18 When the accusers took the floor, they didn’t charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they quibbled with him about their own religion and about some dead man named Jesus, who Paul claimed was alive. 20 Since I had no idea how to investigate these matters, I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there on these issues. 21 However, Paul appealed that he be held in custody pending a decision from His Majesty the emperor, so I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I want to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” Festus replied, “you will hear him.”
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great fanfare. They entered the auditorium with the military commanders and the city’s most prominent men. Festus then ordered that Paul be brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa and everyone present with us: You see this man! The entire Jewish community, both here and in Jerusalem, has appealed to me concerning him. They’ve been calling for his immediate death. 25 I’ve found that he has done nothing deserving death. When he appealed to His Majesty, I decided to send him to Rome. 26 I have nothing definite to write to our lord emperor. Therefore, I’ve brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this investigation, I might have something to write. 27 After all, it would be foolish to send a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
Paul’s defense before Agrippa
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.”
So Paul gestured with his hand and began his defense. 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself especially fortunate that I stand before you today as I offer my defense concerning all the accusations the Jews have brought against me. 3 This is because you understand well all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I ask you to listen to me patiently. 4 Every Jew knows the way of life I have followed since my youth because, from the beginning, I was among my people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time. If they wanted to, they could testify that I followed the way of life set out by the most exacting group of our religion. I am a Pharisee. 6 Today I am standing trial because of the hope in the promise God gave our ancestors. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes hope to receive as they earnestly worship night and day. The Jews are accusing me, King Agrippa, because of this hope! 8 Why is it inconceivable to you that God raises the dead?
9 “I really thought that I ought to oppose the name of Jesus the Nazarene in every way possible. 10 And that’s exactly what I did in Jerusalem. I locked up many of God’s holy people in prison under the authority of the chief priests. When they were condemned to death, I voted against them. 11 In one synagogue after another—indeed, in all the synagogues—I would often torture them, compelling them to slander God. My rage bordered on the hysterical as I pursued them, even to foreign cities.
12 “On one such journey, I was going to Damascus with the full authority of the chief priests. 13 While on the road at midday, King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven shining around me and my traveling companions. That light was brighter than the sun. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice that said to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me? It’s hard for you to kick against a spear.’[b] 15 Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are harassing. 16 Get up! Stand on your feet! I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you as my servant and witness of what you have seen and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you 18 to open their eyes. Then they can turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made holy by faith in me.’
19 “So, King Agrippa, I wasn’t disobedient to that heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I proclaimed first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to the whole region of Judea and to the Gentiles. My message was that they should change their hearts and lives and turn to God, and that they should demonstrate this change in their behavior. 21 Because of this, some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to murder me. 22 God has helped me up to this very day. Therefore, I stand here and bear witness to the lowly and the great. I’m saying nothing more than what the Prophets and Moses declared would happen: 23 that the Christ would suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to my people and to the Gentiles.”
24 At this point in Paul’s defense, Festus declared with a loud voice, “You’ve lost your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you mad!”
25 But Paul replied, “I’m not mad, most honorable Festus! I’m speaking what is sound and true. 26 King Agrippa knows about these things, and I have been speaking openly to him. I’m certain that none of these things have escaped his attention. This didn’t happen secretly or in some out-of-the-way place. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you trying to convince me that, in such a short time, you’ve made me a Christian?”
29 Paul responded, “Whether it is a short or a long time, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today will become like me, except for these chains.”
30 The king stood up, as did the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them. 31 As they left, they were saying to each other, “This man is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment.”
32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
Footnotes
- Acts 24:6 Critical editions of the Gk New Testament do not include We wanted to put him on trial according to our Law, 7 but Lysias the commander arrived and took him from our hands with great force. 8 Then he ordered his accusers to appear before you.
- Acts 26:14 Or goads
Acts 24-26
New International Version
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)
Footnotes
- Acts 24:7 Some manuscripts include here him, and 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.
- Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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