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23 Then he called a couple of his centurions and issued these orders: 'Get ready two hundred infantry to proceed to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalrymen and two hundred light-armed troops; Pde three hours after sunset. 24 Provide also mounts for Paul so that he may ride through under safe escort to Felix the Governor.' 25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 'Claudius Lysias to His Excellency the Governor Felix. Your Excellency: 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered when I intervened with the troops and removed him, because I discovered that he was a Roman citizen. 28 As I wished to ascertain the charge on which they were accusing him, I took him down to their Council. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with controversial matters in their law, but there was no charge against him meriting death or imprisonment. 30 However, I have now been informed of an attempt to be made on the man's life, so I am sending him to you at once, and have also instructed his accusers to state their case against him before you.'
31 Acting on their orders, the infantry took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 Next day they returned to their barracks, leaving the cavalry to escort him the rest of the way. 33 The cavalry entered Caesarea, delivered the letter to the Governor, and handed Paul over to him. 34 He read the letter, asked him what province he was from, and learned that he was from Cilicia. 35 'I will hear your case', he said, 'when your accusers arrive.' He then ordered him to be held in custody at his headquarters in Herod's palace.
241 FIVE DAYS LATER the High Priest Ananias came down, accompanied by some of the elders and an advocate named Tenullus, and they laid an information against Paul before the Governor. 2 When the prisoner was called, Tertullus opened the case.
'Your Excellency,' he said, 'we owe it to you that we enjoy unbroken peace. It is due to your provident care that, in all kinds of ways and in all sorts of places, improvements are being made for the good of this province. 3 We welcome this, sir, most gratefully. 4 And now, not to take up too much of your time, I crave your indulgence for a brief statement of our case. 5 We have found this man to be a perfect pest, a fomenter of discord among the Jews all over the world, a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even made an attempt to profane the temple; and then we arrested him." Some manuscripts REPLACE here: [It was our intention to try him under our law; 7 but Lysias the commandant intervened and took him by force out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.] If you will examine him yourself you can ascertain from him the truth of all the charges we bring.' 9 The Jews supported the attack, alleging that the facts were as he stated.
10 Then the Governor motioned to Paul to speak, and he began his reply: 'Knowing as I do that for many years you have administered justice in this province, 11 I make my defence with confidence. You can ascertain the facts for yourself. It is not more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. 12 They did not find me arguing with anyone, or collecting a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or up and down the city; 13 and they cannot make good the charges they bring against me. 14 But this much I will admit: I am a follower of the new way (the "sect" they speak of), and it is in that manner that I worship the God of our fathers; for I believe all that is written in the Law and the prophets, 15 and in reliance on God I hold the hope, which my accusers too accept, that there is to be a resurrection of good and wicked alike. 16 Accordingly I, no less than they, train myself to keep at all times a clear conscience before God and man.
17 'After an absence of several years I came to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to offer sacrifices. 18 They found me in the temple ritually purified and is engaged in this service. I had no crowd with me, and there was no disturbance. But some Jews from the province of Asia were there, 19 and if they had any charge against me it is they who ought to have been in court to state it. 20 Failing that, it is for these persons here present to say what crime they discovered when I was brought before the Council, 21 apart from this one open assertion which I made as I stood there: "The true issue in my trial before you today is the resurrection of the dead."'
22 Then Felix, who happened to be well informed about the Christian movement, adjourned the hearing. 'When Lysias the commanding officer comes down', he said, 'I will go into your case.' 23 He gave orders to the centurion to keep Paul under open arrest and not to prevent any of his friends from making themselves useful to him.
24 Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sending for Paul he let him talk to him about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But when the discourse turned to questions of morals, self-control, and the coming judgement, Felix became alarmed and exclaimed, 'That will do for the present; when I find it convenient I will send for you again.' 26 At the same time he had hopes of a bribe from Paul; and for this reason he sent for him very often and talked with him. 27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Wishing to curry favour with the Jews, Felix left Paul in custody.