24 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, 24 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. 24 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; 24 ¹³ and they cannot make good the charges they bring against me. 24 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, 24 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. 24 ¹⁶ Accordingly I, no less than they, train myself to keep at all times a clear conscience before God and man.
24 ¹⁷ 'After an absence of several years I came to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to offer sacrifices. 24 ¹⁸ They found me in the temple ritually purified and 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, 24 ¹⁹ and if they had any charge against me it is they who ought to have been in court to state it. 24 ²⁰ Failing that, it is for these persons here present to say what crime they discovered when I was brought before the Council, 24 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."'

24 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.' 24 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.