| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. | 1Five 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. |
| 2And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, | 2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: “You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. |
| 3we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. | 3For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. |
| 4Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. | 4But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. |
| 5For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. | 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. |
| 6He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. | 6Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. |
| 7But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, | 7 |
| 8commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” | 8You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” |
| 9And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so. | 9Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true. |
| 10Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: “Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, | 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. |
| 11because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. | 11You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. |
| 12And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. | 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. |
| 13Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. | 13These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. |
| 14But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. | 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. |
| 15I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. | 15I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. |
| 16This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. | 16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. |
| 17“Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, | 17“After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. |
| 18in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. | 18My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. |
| 19They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. | 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! |
| 20Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, | 20Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, |
| 21unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ ” | 21except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’” |
| 22But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” | 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.” |
| 23So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. | 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. |
| 24And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. | 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. |
| 25Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” | 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.” |
| 26Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. | 26He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. |
| 27But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound. | 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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