24 ¹ FIVE DAYS LATER the High Priest Ananias came down, accompanied by some of the elders and an advocate named Tertullus, and they laid an information against Paul before the Governor. 24 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. 24 ³ We welcome this, sir, most gratefully. 24 ⁴ And now, not to take up too much of your time, I crave your indulgence for a brief statement of our case. 24 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. 24 ⁶ He even made an attempt to profane the temple; and then we arrested him." Some manuscripts insert here: It was our intention to try him under our law; 24 ⁷ Some witnesses insert here: but Lysias the commandant intervened and took him by force out of our hands, 24 ⁸ Some witnesses insert here: 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.' 24 ⁹ The Jews supported the attack, alleging that the facts were as he stated.