1 And after five days came down the high priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator called Tertullus, and laid their informations against Paul before the governor. 2 And he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse, saying, Seeing we enjoy great peace through thee, and that excellent measures are executed for this nation by thy forethought, 3 we receive [it] always and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 But that I may not too much intrude on thy time, I beseech thee to hear us briefly in thy kindness. 5 For finding this man a pest, and moving sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a leader of the sect of the Nazaraeans; 6 who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we also had seized, [and would have judged according to our law; 7 but Lysias, the chiliarch, coming up, took [him] away with great force out of our hands, 8 having commanded his accusers to come to thee;] of whom thou canst thyself, in examining [him], know the certainty of all these things of which we accuse him. 9 And the Jews also joined in pressing the matter against [Paul], saying that these things were so. 10 But Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered, Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge to this nation, I answer readily as to the things which concern myself. 11 As thou mayest know that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem, 12 and neither in the temple did they find me discoursing to any one, or making any tumultuous gathering together of the crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city; 13 neither can they make good the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I avow to thee, that in the way which they call sect, so I serve my fathers' God, believing all things which are written throughout the law, and in the prophets; 15 having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust. 16 For this cause I also exercise [myself] to have in everything a conscience without offence towards God and men. 17 And after a lapse of many years I arrived, bringing alms to my nation, and offerings. 18 Whereupon they found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult. But it was certain Jews from Asia, 19 who ought to appear before thee and accuse, if they have anything against me; 20 or let these themselves say what wrong they found in me when I stood before the council, 21 [other] than concerning this one voice which I cried standing amongst them: I am judged this day by you touching [the] resurrection of [the] dead. 22 And Felix, knowing accurately the things concerning the way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the chiliarch is come down I will determine your affair; 23 ordering the centurion to keep him, and that he should have freedom, and to hinder none of his friends to minister to him. 24 And after certain days, Felix having arrived with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee; 26 hoping at the same time that money would be given him by Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener and communed with him. 27 But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.
Acts 24 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)