Acts 24 And after five days the chief priest, Ananias, came down with the elders and one Tertullus, an orator, and laid before the general an accusation against Paul.

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ And after five days the chief priest, Ananias, came down with the elders and one Tertullus, an orator, and laid before the general an accusation against Paul. ² And he being called up, Tertullus began the accusation, saying, As we enjoy great peace by thy means, and from thy prudent administration great benefits result to this nation, ³ we on all occasions and every where acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. ⁴ But that I may not further trouble thee, I beseech thee to hear us in brief with thy usual indulgence. ⁵ For having found this man to be a pest and a mover of sedition, among all the Jews, through the whole empire, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, ⁶ and who attempted to profane even the temple, we apprehended him, and would have judged him according to our law; ⁷ but Lysias the commander coming with a strong force, took him out of our hands ⁸ and ordered his accusers to come to thee. By examining the man himself thou canst gain a full knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him. ⁹ And the Jews gave assent, affirming that these things were so. ¹⁰ In answer to this, when the general beckoned to him to speak, Paul replied. Knowing that thou hast been for many years a judge to this nation, I enter upon my defence with the more cheerfulness, ¹¹ as thou canst know that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. ¹² And they neither found me disputing with any man in the temple; nor raising sedition among the people, either in the synagogues or in the city: ¹³ nor can they prove any of the things which they now lay to my charge. ¹⁴ But this I confess to thee, that after the way which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing all the institutes of the law and the writings of the prophets; ¹⁵ having a confidence in God, which they themselves also entertain, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust; ¹⁶ and with this I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence before God and men continually. ¹⁷ Now after many years I went to bring contributions for my nation and religious offerings; ¹⁸ in which [services] some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, without crowd or tumult. ¹⁹ Those ought to have been present before thee, and to bring their accusation, if they had, any against me. ²⁰ Or let these men themselves say whether, when I stood before the Sanhedrim, they found any crime in me; ²¹ unless it be for this single expression which I uttered while standing among them, "That for the resurrection of the dead I am this day to be judged by you." ²² When Felix heard these things he put them off, saying, Having gained a more accurate knowledge of the things respecting this way when Lysias the commander comes down, I will inquire fully into your business. ²³ And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul be kept in custody, not closely confined; and that none of his friends be hindered from assisting him or coming to him. ²⁴ And after some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. ²⁵ And while Paul was discoursing concerning justice and temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix, being terrified, said, Go thy way for the present, and when I find a convenient time I will send for thee: ²⁶ hoping withal that money would be given him by Paul that he might discharge him, and for this cause he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him. ²⁷ After two years however Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus, and being desirous to ingratiate himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul bound.