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Continued
though I do not want to hinder you further I implore you to hear us
briefly in your forbearance. For,
having found this man to be a pestilence and moving sedition amongst all
the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, who
also tried to profane the temple and whom we also arrested. You will be able to see this for
yourself on having examined all these things so that you will fully know
what we accuse him about."
And so the Jews also joined in alleging that all these things were
the case. And Paul answered when
the Governor signalled him to speak.
"For many years you have been a judge over this nation, and
you understand it. I therefore cheerfully defend myself. As you are able to know, about twelve
days ago I went up to Jerusalem
to worship. And they did not find
me in the temple discoursing with anyone.
Nor was there a crowd collecting, either there nor in the
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synagogues, nor throughout the city. Nor are they able to prove to
you what they accuse me of. But I
confess this to you, as they say, that according to the way in which they
say that I worship the ancestral God in a sect, and believing all things
according to the law and all that was written in the prophets, I also have hope in God, like these
people. I believe in a resurrection both of the just and of the
unjust. By this I have always
exercised a blameless conscience towards God and men.
After years and much almsgiving to my nation I arrived with
offerings. They found me on having
been purfied in the temple, neither with a crowd nor with an uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia who it may behove you to have brought forward
and (let them) accuse me if they have anything against me. Or let them say how they found misdeeds
against me while I stood before the council. Only with one voice have I cried out
amongst them concerning a
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resurrection of a dead person.
I am being judged about this to-day before you. Then Felix postponed the session
wanting to know more exactly about the things concerning 'the way' saying
"When Lysias the chilarch comes down, I will determine things
regarding yourself." So,
commanding the centurion to keep him and to have indulgence and allow his
own people to attend him, and after some days after arriving, Felix with
Drusilla his wife who was a Jewess sent for Paul. He heard from him about his faith in
Christ Jesus. He (Paul) told him
about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment. Becoming afraid Felix answered. "Go along for the present but I
will send for you later on. At the
same time he was hoping that Paul would give him money. So he sent for him more frequently and
conversed with him. Two years went
by until Felix received a successor, that is, Porcius Festus. And, wishing to show a favour to the
Jews, Felix left with Paul still in prison.
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