1 Now after afive days bAnanias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and1 prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight,
3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your1 courtesy, a few words from us.
5aFor 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.
6aHe even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him,1 and wanted bto judge him according to our law.
7aBut the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,
8acommanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”
9 And the Jews also1 assented, maintaining that these things were so.
The Defense Before Felix
10 Then 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,
11 because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem ato worship.
12aAnd they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.
13 Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess to you, that according to athe Way which they call a sect, so I worship the bGod of my fathers, believing all things which are written in cthe Law and in the Prophets.
15aI have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, bthat there will be a resurrection1 of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, etc.—In this fulsome flattery there was a semblance of truth: nothing more. Felix acted with a degree of vigor and success in suppressing lawless violence [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20.8.4; confirmed by TACITUS, Annals, 12.54].
by thy providence—a phrase applied to the administration of the emperors.
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