Acts 24:1-13 Now after five days, Ananias the chief (or: ruling) priest came down (or: descended; or: walked down) with a group of older men (or: elders) and Tertullus, a certain forensic orator (or: lawyer; barrister; advocate), who as a group brought things to light (or: gave information; = gave evidence and presented their case) against Paul to the governor.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Now after five days, Ananias the chief (or: ruling) priest came down (or: descended; or: walked down) with a group of older men (or: elders) and Tertullus, a certain forensic orator (or: lawyer; barrister; advocate), who as a group brought things to light (or: gave information; = gave evidence and presented their case) against Paul to the governor. ² So, at his [i.e., Paul's] being called, Tertullus began to proceed in making accusation, by saying, "Happening upon and continuing to experience (or: enjoy) much peace and tranquility through you, as well as [the] effects of reforms (the results of the setting-right of situations and conditions) continually taking place in and for this nation through your forethought – both in every [way] (or: at all [times]) and in all places – ³ "we continue receiving from [this] and welcomingly accept [it] with all thankfulness and the goodness of favor, O most strong and mighty Felix! ⁴ "Now, so that I should not cut-in on or interrupt you any further (or: detain you any longer), I am now entreating you, in your abundant reasonableness, to listen to us briefly. ⁵ "You see, [we have been] finding this man [to be] a plague and a pest – also repeatedly putting insurrections in motion among the Jews down through the inhabited land (= the Empire), besides [being] a spearhead (or: ringleader; one standing in the first rank) of the sect (or: party; or: heresy) of the Nazarenes, ⁶ "who also tried to profane (ritually defile; desecrate) the Temple, whom also we seized. ⁷ [note: 6b through 8a not found in early MSS and omitted by most texts; found in TR; bracketed by Griesbach; represented only by E and later MSS which add: "and intended to judge according to our Law. But Lysias, the commander, upon arriving with a great force, led {him} away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come and appear before you] ⁸ "from whose [i.e., Paul's] presence at your side, you yourself, by examining and again judging, will be able to fully come to know in person about all of these things of which we ourselves continue accusing him." ⁹ With that, the Jews also joined together in the attack (or: the charge; the indictment), continuing in alleging these things to continue holding thus (= to be true). ¹⁰ Following this, with the governor nodding to him to be now speaking, Paul gave a discerning response: "Being fully versed in the knowledge of you being a judge of this nation for many years, in a good spirit and with passion I readily proceed making a defense about the things concerning myself. ¹¹ "With your being able to fully recognize and verify for yourself that for me there have not been more than twelve days since I walked up into Jerusalem, intending to be worshiping, ¹² "and that they found me – neither within the Temple complex, nor within the synagogues, nor down through the city – neither dialoging or arguing with anyone, nor in the act of creating a tumult by collecting folks to be taking a stand on some issue, and thus making a mob of the crowd. ¹³ "Nor even are they now able to substantiate to you (or: set beside you [evidence]) concerning that for which at this time they continue accusing me.