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Acts 24

Paul before Felix

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After  afive days the high priest  bAnanias came down with some elders,  1with an  2attorney named Tertullus, and they  3brought charges to  cthe governor against Paul.

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After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,

"Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation,

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we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere,  amost excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

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"But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you  1to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.

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"For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout  1the world, and a ringleader of the  asect of the Nazarenes.

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"And he even tried to  adesecrate the temple; and  1then we arrested him. [ 2We wanted to judge him according to our own Law.

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"But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,

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ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him."

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 aThe Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

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When  athe governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

"Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,

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since you can take note of the fact that no more than  atwelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

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aNeither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or  bcausing  1a riot.

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aNor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.

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"But this I admit to you, that according to  athe Way which they call a  bsect I do serve  1 cthe God of our fathers,  dbelieving everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;

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having a hope in God, which  athese men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

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"In view of this,  aI also  1do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.

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"Now  aafter several years I  bcame to bring  1alms to my nation and to present offerings;

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in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been  apurified, without any  bcrowd or uproar. But there were some  cJews from  1Asia--

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who ought to have been present before you and to  amake accusation, if they should have anything against me.

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"Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before  athe  1Council,

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other than for this one statement which  aI shouted out while standing among them, `For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.' "

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But Felix,  1having a more exact knowledge about  athe Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the  2commander comes down, I will decide your case."

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Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be  akept in custody and yet  bhave some freedom, and not to prevent any of  chis friends from ministering to him.

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But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his  1wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about  afaith in Christ Jesus.

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But as he was discussing  arighteousness,  bself-control and  cthe judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."

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At the same time too, he was hoping that  amoney would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.

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But after two years had passed, Felix  1was succeeded by Porcius  aFestus, and  bwishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul  cimprisoned.



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:24:20 2007)

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