MA’ASĔH 24

1 And after five days the kohĕn ha’gadol Ḥananyah came down, with the elders, and a certain speaker – Tertullus. And they brought charges against Sha’ul before the governor.

2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Having obtained great peace through you, and reforms being brought to this nation by your forethought,

3 we accept it always and in all places, most excellent Phĕlix, with all thanks.

4 “But in order not to hinder you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly in your gentleness.

5 “For having found this man a plague, who stirs up dissension among all the Yahuḏim throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Natsarenes,

6 who also tried to profane the Miqdash, and whom we seized, and wanted to judge him according to our law,

7 but the commander Lusias came along and with much violence took him out of our hands,

8 commanding his accusers to come to you. And by examining him yourself you shall be able to know all these of which we accuse him.”

9 And the Yahuḏim also agreed, maintaining that these were so.

10 And when the governor had motioned him to speak, Sha’ul answered, “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge of this nation, I gladly defend myself,

11 seeing you are able to know that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to Yerushalayim to worship.

12 “And they neither found me in the Miqdash disputing with anyone nor stirring up the crowd, either in the congregations or in the city.

13 “Nor are they able to prove the charges of which they now accuse me.

14 “And this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the Elohim of my fathers, believing all that has been written in the Torah and in the Neḇi’im,

15 having an expectation in Elohim, which they themselves also wait for, that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.

16 “And in this I exercise myself to have a clear conscience toward Elohim and men always.

17 “And after many years I came to bring kind deeds to my nation and offerings,

18 at which time certain Yahuḏim from Asia found me cleansed in the Miqdash, neither with a crowd nor with disturbance,

19 who ought to be present before you to bring charges if they have any against me.

20 “Or else let these themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,

21 other than for this one declaration which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you today.’ ”

22 And having heard this, having known more exactly about the Way, Phĕlix put them off, saying, “When Lusias the commander comes down, I shall decide your case.”

23 And he ordered the captain to keep Sha’ul and to have ease, and not to forbid any of his friends to attend to him.

24 And after some days, when Phĕlix came with his wife Drousilla, who was a female Yahuḏi, he sent for Sha’ul and heard him concerning the belief in Mashiaḥ.

25 And as he reasoned righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Phĕlix became frightened and said, “For the present, go. And when I find time I shall send for you.”

26 At the same time too he was anticipating that money would be given him by Sha’ul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.

27 But after two years had passed Porkios Phĕstos succeeded Phĕlix. And wanting to do the Yahuḏim a favour, Phĕlix left Sha’ul bound.