Acts 24 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And after five days, the high priest, Ananias, came with certain of the rulers, and an expert talker, one Tertullus; and they made a statement to Felix against Paul.
1 After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.
2 And when he had been sent for, Tertullus, starting his statement, said, Because by you we are living in peace, and through your wisdom wrongs are put right for this nation,
2 When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that prosperity is coming to this nation by your foresight,
3 In all things and in all places we are conscious of our great debt to you, most noble Felix.
3 we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 But, so that I may not make you tired, I make a request to you of your mercy, to give hearing to a short statement.
4 But that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.
5 For this man, in our opinion, is a cause of trouble, a maker of attacks on the government among Jews through all the empire, and a chief mover in the society of the Nazarenes:
5 For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
6 Who, in addition, was attempting to make the Temple unclean: whom we took,
6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.
7 []
7 Not in this translation
8 And from whom you will be able, by questioning him yourself, to get knowledge of all the things which we say against him.
8 By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”
9 And the Jews were in agreement with his statement, saying that these things were so.
9 The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.
10 Then when the ruler had given him a sign to make his answer, Paul said, Because I have knowledge that you have been a judge over this nation for a number of years, I am glad to make my answer:
10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,
11 Seeing that you are able to make certain of the fact that it is not more than twelve days from the time when I came up to Jerusalem for worship;
11 seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.
12 And they have not seen me in argument with any man in the Temple, or working up the feelings of the people, in the Synagogues or in the town:
12 In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.
13 And they are not able to give facts in support of the things which they say against me now.
13 Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.
14 But this I will say openly to you, that I do give worship to the God of our fathers after that Way, which to them is not the true religion: but I have belief in all the things which are in the law and in the books of the prophets:
14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;
15 Hoping in God for that which they themselves are looking for, that there will be a coming back from the dead for upright men and wrongdoers.
15 having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16 And in this, I do my best at all times to have no reason for shame before God or men.
16 In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
17 Now after a number of years I came to give help and offerings to my nation:
17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;
18 And having been made clean, I was in the Temple, but not with a great number of people, and not with noise: but there were certain Jews from Asia,
18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.
19 And it would have been better if they had come here to make a statement, if they have anything against me.
19 They ought to have been here before you and to make accusation if they had anything against me.
20 Or let these men here present say what wrongdoing was seen in me when I was before the Sanhedrin,
20 Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,
21 But only this one thing which I said among them in a loud voice, I am this day being judged on the question of the coming back from the dead.
21 unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’”
22 But Felix, who had a more detailed knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, When Lysias, the chief captain, comes down, I will give attention to your business.
22 But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.”
23 And he gave orders to the captain to keep Paul under his control, and to let him have everything he had need of; and not to keep his friends from coming to see him.
23 He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.
24 But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was of the Jews by birth, and sent for Paul, and gave hearing to him about faith in Christ Jesus.
24 After some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
25 And while he was talking about righteousness and self-control and the judging which was to come, Felix had great fear and said, Go away for the present, and when the right time comes I will send for you.
25 As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
26 For he was hoping that Paul would give him money: so he sent for him more frequently and had talk with him.
26 Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often and talked with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus took the place of Felix, who, desiring to have the approval of the Jews, kept Paul in chains.
27 But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ananias
The high priest who ordered Paul to be struck on the mouth at his hearing and later went down to Caesarea to accuse him before Felix.
Cited in the guide: Acts 23:2; Acts 24:1
Drusilla
The Jewish wife of the governor Felix who listened with him to Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
Cited in the guide: Acts 24:24
Felix
The governor at Caesarea who heard Paul's case, trembled at his talk of judgment, and kept him in custody hoping for a bribe.
Cited in the guide: Acts 23:24; Acts 24:3; Acts 24:25
Festus
Succeeded Felix as governor, heard Paul's case, and sent him to Caesar after Paul appealed; he was told Paul was beside himself.
Cited in the guide: Acts 24:27; Acts 25:1; Acts 25:12
Tertullus
The spokesman who presented the case against Paul before the governor Felix.
Cited in the guide: Acts 24:1; Acts 24:2
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 24:11; Acts 23:2; Acts 23:24; Acts 23:30; Acts 21:27
- 2 Proverbs 29:5; Acts 24:26–27; Proverbs 26:28; Jude 16; Psalm 12:2–3
- 3 Acts 26:25; Acts 23:26; Luke 1:3
- 4 Hebrews 11:32
- 5 Acts 28:22; Acts 24:14; Acts 26:5; Acts 21:28; Acts 15:5
- 6 Acts 24:12; John 18:31; Acts 19:37; John 19:7–8; Acts 23:10–15
- 8 Acts 25:15–16; Acts 25:5; Acts 23:30; Acts 23:35
- 9 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Micah 7:2–3; Matthew 26:59–60; Psalm 4:2; Isaiah 59:4–7
- 10 1 Peter 3:15; 1 Samuel 2:25; Acts 18:15; Luke 18:2; Acts 12:17
- 11 Acts 24:1; Acts 21:18; Acts 23:23; Acts 21:26–27; Acts 22:30
- 12 Acts 25:8; Acts 24:18; Acts 28:17; Acts 24:5
- 13 Acts 25:7; 1 Peter 3:16
- 14 Acts 9:2; Romans 3:21; Acts 3:13; Acts 28:23; Acts 24:5
- 15 Daniel 12:2; John 5:28–29; 1 Thessalonians 4:14–16; Revelation 20:12–13; Job 19:25–26
- 16 1 Timothy 1:5; Acts 23:1; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Hebrews 10:22; Romans 2:15
- 17 Galatians 2:10; Romans 15:25–28; 1 Corinthians 16:1–4; 2 Corinthians 8:1–4; Acts 11:29–30
- 18 Acts 26:21; Acts 21:26–30; Acts 24:12
- 19 Acts 23:30; Acts 25:16
- 21 Acts 23:6; Acts 26:6–8; Acts 4:2; Acts 28:20
- 22 Acts 24:6; Acts 18:20; Deuteronomy 19:18; Acts 26:3; Acts 24:24
- 23 Acts 27:3; Acts 28:16; Proverbs 16:7; Acts 24:26; Acts 21:8–14
- 24 Acts 20:21; Galatians 2:16; Acts 16:31; Luke 19:3; 1 John 5:1
- 25 John 16:8; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Peter 1:6; Acts 10:42; Galatians 5:23
- 26 1 Timothy 6:9–10; Proverbs 17:23; Amos 2:6–7; 1 Samuel 12:3; 2 Peter 2:14–15
- 27 Acts 25:9; Acts 25:14; Acts 12:3; Mark 15:15; Acts 25:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
See how much close investigation is made by the many in a long course of time, that it should not be said that the trial was hurried over. For, as the orator had made mention of Lysias, that he took "him away with violence, Felix," he says, "deferred them.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)