1: And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders
and with a certain orator named Tertullus who informed the governor against
Paul 2: And when he was called forth Tertullus began to accuse him
saying Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness and that very worthy deeds
are done to this nation by your providence 3: We accept it always and in
all places most noble Felix with all thankfulness 4: Notwithstanding
that I be not further tedious to you I ask you that you would hear us of your
clemency a few words 5: For we have found this man a pestilent fellow
and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a
ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes[1] 6:
Who also has gone about to profane the temple whom we took and would have
judged according to our law 7: But the chief captain Lysias came upon us
and with great violence took him away out of our hands 8: Commanding his
accusers to come to you by examining of whom yourself may take knowledge of all
these things whereof we accuse him 9: And the Jews also assented saying
that these things were so 10: Then Paul after that the governor had
beckoned to him to speak answered Forasmuch as I know that you have been of
many years a judge to this nation I do the more cheerfully answer for myself 11:
Because that you may understand that there are yet but twelve days since I went
up to Jerusalem for to worship 12: And they neither found me in the
temple disputing with any one neither inciting the people neither in the
synagogues nor in the city 13: Neither can they prove the things whereof
they now accuse me 14: But this I confess to you that after the Way which
they call heresy so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things which
are written in the law and in the prophets 15: And have hope toward God
which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead
both of the just and unjust 16: And herein do I exercise myself to have
always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men 17: Now
after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings 18:
Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple neither with
multitude nor with tumult 19: Who ought to have been here before you and
object if they had ought against me 20: Or else let these same here say
if they have found any evil doing in me while I stood before the council 21:
Except it be for this one voice that I cried standing among them Touching the
resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day 22: And
when Felix heard these things having more perfect knowledge of that Way he
deferred them and said When Lysias the chief captain shall come down I will
know the uttermost of your matter 23: And he commanded a centurion to
keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance
to minister or come to him 24: And after certain days when Felix came
with his wife Drusilla who was a Jewess he sent for Paul and heard him
concerning the faith in Christ 25: And as he reasoned of righteousness
temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled and answered Go your way for
this time when I have a convenient season I will call for you 26: He
hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul that he might release
him wherefore he sent for him the oftener and communed with him 27: But
after two years Porcius Festus replaced Felix and Felix willing to please the
Jews left Paul bound
[1] True followers of Christ have been
viewed as the scourge of society and targeted for persecution somewhere on the
globe at virtually every point in history. The time we are living in now is no
exception. It is notable, that in the year 2017, in the United States of
America, a country founded on the precepts of free speech and religious
liberty, President Donald John Trump found it necessary to issue an Executive
Order restoring the Constitutional rights of Americans to freedom of religion
and verbal expression—the gag order on the pulpit being removed by giving
Pastors freedom to express any opinion they choose during church and public
meetings.
Additional commentary pending for this
chapter. Questions and comments are welcome
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