¹Then after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and a certain orator Tertullus, who made a representation to the governor against Paul.

²When he was invited, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: Great peace we are attaining through you, and excellent reforms are being done to this nation through your foresight.

³In every way and everywhere we gladly accept it, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

⁴But in order that I may not be a hindrance to you any longer, I implore you to hear us briefly in your kindness.

⁵For we have found this man a pest and stirring insurrections among all the Jews in the world, a leader then of the sect of the Nazarenes;

⁶who even attempted to profane the temple, whom also we seized and wanted to judge according to our own law.

⁷But Lysias the commander, having come up with great violence, carried him away from our hands,

⁸having commanded his accusers to come upon you; from him you yourself, having examined him, will be able to know concerning all these things of which we ourselves accuse him.

⁹Then the Jews also agreed, declaring these things to be so.

¹⁰Then Paul answered, when the governor signalled to him to speak: For many years you being a judge to this nation, knowing these things, I encouragingly present a defense concerning myself;

¹¹you being able to know that there are not more than twelve days to me from which I went up to worship in Jerusalem;

¹²and neither in the temple did they find me reasoning with anyone, or making obstruction of a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;

¹³nor are they able to prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.

¹⁴However I confess this to you, that according to the Way which they name a sect, so I serve the ancestral God, trusting in all things written throughout the law and in the Prophets,

¹⁵having a hope in God which they themselves also await, that a resurrection of the dead is to ensue, both of the just and of the unjust;

¹⁶in this also I myself strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men through all times.

¹⁷Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings,

¹⁸during which they found me purified in the temple, not with a crowd nor in tumult,

¹⁹but some Jews from Asia, who it was necessary to appear before you and to make accusation, if they would have anything against me.

²⁰Otherwise let them themselves say it, if they found any unrighteousness in me when I was standing before the Council,

²¹other than concerning this one voice which I cried out standing among them, that Concerning the resurrection of the dead I myself am judged this day by you.

²²Then Felix, having heard these things, deferred them, knowing more precisely the things concerning the Way, having said: When Lysias the commander may have come down, I will examine the things as to you.

²³He commanded also the centurion to keep him, then to let him have ease and not to forbid his private friends to minister or to come near to him.

²⁴Then after some days Felix arrived with his own wife Drusilla, being a Jewess, and he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the trust in the Anointed One Jesus.

²⁵Then when he reasoned concerning righteousness and self-control and the judgment which is coming to be in the future, Felix, having become frightened, answered: For the present, go away; then when I had found opportunity, I will call for you;

²⁶now at the same time he is also hoping that riches will be given to him by Paul, so that he may release him; therefore also, often sending for him, he was talking with him.

²⁷But when two years had been completed, Felix received Porcius Festus as successor, then wishing to acquire favor for himself with the Jews, Felix left Paul imprisoned.