Paul’s Defense before Felix

¹⁰ When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: “Because I know you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defense in what concerns me.^{(A) 11} You are able to determine that it is no more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.^{(B) 12} They didn’t find me disputing with anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple complex or in the synagogues or anywhere in the city.^{(C) 13} Neither can they provide evidence to you of what they now bring against me. ¹⁴ But I confess this to you: I worship my fathers’ God according to the Way,^(D) which they call a sect, believing all the things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets.^{(E) 15} And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection,^[a](F) both of the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(G) 16} I always do my best to have a clear conscience^(H) toward God and men. ¹⁷ After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation,^{(I) 18} and while I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar.^{(J) 19} It is they who ought to be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Either let these men here state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, ²¹ or about this one statement I cried out while standing among them, ‘Today I am being judged before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.’”

The Verdict Postponed

²² Since Felix was accurately informed about the Way,^(K) he adjourned the hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ He ordered that the centurion keep Paul^[b] under guard, though he could have some freedom, and that he should not prevent any of his friends from serving^[c] him.^(L)

²⁴ After some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ Now as he spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come,^(M) Felix became afraid and replied, “Leave for now, but when I find time I’ll call for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.^[d] For this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.

²⁷ After two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus,^(N) and because he wished to do a favor for the Jews,^(O) Felix left Paul in prison.^(P)

Appeal to Caesar

25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.^{(A) 2} Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,^{(B) 3} asking him to do them a favor against Paul,^[a] that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. ⁴ However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.^{(C) 5} “Therefore,” he said, “let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man.”

⁶ When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge’s bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in.^{(D) 7} When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove,^{(E) 8} while Paul made the defense that, “Neither against the Jewish law,^(F) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all.”

⁹ Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews,^(G) replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?”

¹⁰ But Paul said: “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. ¹¹ If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”^(H)

¹² After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice^(A) came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Then Festus said: “King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.^{(B) 25} Now I realized that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.^{(C) 26} I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him.”