Paul speaks to governor Felix
1After 5 days the high-priest Ananias came to governor Felix. There were some elders with Ananias and a lawyer. His name was Tertullus. They came to tell the governor what Paul had done wrong. 2The governor called Paul and then Tertullus started to accuse Paul. He said: ‘Dear governor Felix, from the time that you came here, there has been peace for our people. You also think about what will happen in the future and you make very good plans to help our people. 3It is good to see what you do for our people. We want to thank you. 4But I don't want to waste your time. I will not speak long. I know that you are always friendly to people, and I ask that you listen to what we are asking.
5This man, Paul, makes lots of problems everywhere. He makes Jews angry all over the world. He wants them to rebel_against the government. He is the leader of the group of people who believe things that are wrong. They believe in Jesus of Nazareth. 6-7Paul tried to make the temple in Jerusalem impure. That is why we arrested him. 8We accuse him of all these things. You can ask him and listen to what he says.’
9The other Jews who were there said that Tertullus was telling the truth.
Paul tells Felix that he is innocent
10The governor showed Paul that he could speak. Paul said to him: ‘I know that you have been a judge for our people for many years. That is why I want to tell you that I am innocent.
11You can find out for yourself that about 12 days ago I went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. 12When the Jews saw me in the temple, I was not talking to anyone. I was not arguing. I was not making problems in the synagogues or in any place in Jerusalem. 13They say things against me, but they can not prove that what they are saying is true.
14But one thing is true. I worship the God of our fathers in a different way than these Jews do. They say I am wrong. I believe everything that is written in the laws of Moses and the books of all the prophets, but I am a believer of The Way_of_the_Lord. 15I believe that God will make all dead people stand up and live again, both the people who were good and the people who were bad. The Jews also believe this. 16That is why I always try very hard to do everything right as God wants me to do and also as people want me to do.
17I have come back here after many years to bring money to the poor of my people. I also came to bring offerings to God. 18I was doing this in the temple when these men saw me. Before that, I had purified myself. There was not a crowd of people with me and no one was arguing or fighting.
19But some of the Jews from the province of Asia came there and were angry with me. Those Jews must come and say if I did anything wrong. 20Or ask the Jews who are here now. They heard me when I was in front of the Jewish_Council. Ask them. They did not find anything that I had done wrong. 21The only thing that they can say I have done wrong was when I shouted and said: “I am here today and you want to judge me because I believe that God will raise the dead and they will live again.” ’
22Felix knew a lot about The Way_of_the_Lord and he stopped the meeting then and said that the Jews must go away, and they must come back later. Then he said to Paul: ‘I will wait for Lysias, the commander of the soldiers, to come and then I will decide who is right and who is wrong.’
23Felix then told the captain of the soldiers that Paul must stay in jail, but he said they must let his friends go and visit him and help him.
Paul preaches to Felix and his wife Drusilla
24A few days later Felix came to visit Paul. His wife was with him. Her name was Drusilla, and she was a Jew. Felix told the soldiers to go and get Paul, and they listened to Paul. He talked to them about believing in Christ Jesus. 25Paul said that everyone must do right and that no one can do what he wants to do. He also said the time would come when God would judge everyone. Then Felix became afraid and he said to Paul: ‘You must go back to jail now. When I have time, I will come and talk to you again.’
26After this, Felix came to talk to Paul many times, because he hoped that Paul would give him money to free him.
27After 2 years there was a new governor in the place of Felix. His name was Porcius Festus. But Felix wanted to do a good thing for the Jewish_leaders, and that was why he kept Paul in jail.
