Acts 24:4 - Prayer Tents

Paul Appears before Felix

24Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.G1161G3326G4002G2250G367G749G2597G3326G4245G2532G5100G4489G5061G3748G1718G2232G2596G3972

2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: "Your Excellency, you have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us.G1161G846G2564G5061G756G2723G3004G1223G4675G5177G4183G1515G2532G2735G1096G5129G1484G1223G4674G4307

3For all of this we are very grateful to you.G5037G588G3839G2532G3837G2903G5344G3326G3956G2169

4But I don't want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment.G1161G3363G4119G3363G1909G4119G1465G4571G3870G4571G191G2257G4674G1932G4935

5We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.G1063G2147G5126G435G3061G2532G2795G4714G3956G2453G2596G3625G5037G4414G139G3480

6Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.G3739G2532G3985G953G2411G2532G3739G2902G2532G2309G2919G2596G2251G3551

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8You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself."G2753G846G2725G2064G1909G4571G350G3844G3739G846G1410G1921G4012G3956G5130G3739G2249G2723G846

9Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.G1161G2453G2532G4934G5335G5023G2192G3779

10The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, "I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you.G1161G3972G2232G3506G846G3004G611G1987G4571G5607G1537G4183G2094G2923G5129G1484G626G2115G626G4012G1683

11You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple.G4675G1410G1097G3754G1526G2228G3756G1177G2250G4119G575G3739G3427G305G1722G2419G4352

12My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city.G2532G3777G2147G3165G1722G2411G1256G4314G5100G2228G1999G4160G3793G1999G3777G1722G4864G3777G2596G4172

13These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.G3777G1410G3936G3165G4012G3739G2723G3568G2723G3450

14"But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets.G1161G5124G3670G4671G3754G2596G3598G3739G3004G139G3779G3000G2316G3971G4100G3956G3588G1125G2596G3551G2532G1722G4396

15I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous.G2192G1680G1519G2316G3739G3778G846G2532G4327G3195G1510G386G3498G5037G1342G2532G94

16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.G1161G1722G5129G778G846G2192G1275G4893G677G4314G2316G2532G444

17"After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God.G1161G1223G4119G2094G3854G4160G1654G1519G3450G1484G2532G4376

18My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting.G1161G1722G3739G5100G2453G575G773G2147G3165G48G1722G2411G3756G3326G3793G3761G3326G2351

19But some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me!G3739G1163G1163G3918G1909G4675G2532G2723G1536G2192G1536G4314G3165

20Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of,G2228G2036G846G3778G2036G1536G2147G1536G92G1722G1698G3450G2476G1909G4892

21except for the one time I shouted out, 'I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!'"G2228G4012G5026G3391G5456G3739G2896G2476G1722G846G3754G4012G386G3498G1473G2919G5259G5216G4594

22At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, "Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case."G1161G5344G191G5023G197G1492G4012G3598G306G846G2036G3752G3079G5506G2597G1231G5209G2596

23He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.G5037G1299G1543G5083G3972G5037G2192G425G2532G2967G3367G846G2398G5256G2228G4334G846

24A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.G1161G3326G5100G2250G5344G3854G4862G846G1135G1409G5607G2453G3343G3972G2532G191G846G4012G4102G1519G5547

25As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. "Go away for now," he replied. "When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again."G1161G846G1256G4012G1343G2532G1466G2532G2917G3195G1510G5344G1096G1719G611G4198G3568G1161G2192G3335G2540G3333G4571

26He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.G1679G260G1161G2532G3754G5536G1325G846G5259G3972G3704G3089G846G1352G3343G846G4437G2532G3656G846

27After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.G1161G4137G1333G4201G5347G2983G5344G1240G5037G5344G2309G2698G2453G5485G2641G3972G1210