Acts 24

Acts 24:5

This Paul we Jews know to be a dangerous person, and every where where he comes, he disquiets the people’s minds, and prepares them to commotions and seditions against the present government, that of the Romans, (see ver. 18. and ch. xxv. 8,) and he is a great promoter of the religion of those that are ordinarily called Nazarenes, from Jesus that dwelt in Nazareth, (that is, of Christians).

Acts 24:6

And he hath done such things in the temple of the Jews among us at Jerusalem as are absolutely contrary to the laws of our God, (see ch. xxi. 21,) and we apprehended him, and would have had him punished so as our law appoints those to be punished that bring strangers beyond that court of the temple that was assigned them, and separated from the other. (See Ephes. ii. 14.) 7, 8. But as we were proceeding against him, Lysias, the captain of the temple, or commander of the guard of soldiers that guards the temple, would not permit us to proceed against him in our court, but carried him away with a guard of soldiers, ch. xxiii. 10, and cited some of the sanhedrim to come hither to thee and accuse him; whom therefore thou mayest please to examine, and hear what they can say.

Acts 24:9

And the Jews of the sanhedrim that came down, ver. 1, confirmed the truth of all that Tertullus had pleaded. b given him leave, permitted him to speak,— a ruler, or procurator of Judæa, I do—

Acts 24:11

And first, thou mayest please to understand, that about twelve days since I came up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pentecost, a solemn feast of the Jews there, when by law it is appointed to be kept. 12, 13. And there I behaved myself very quietly, made no disturbance, raised no sedition; and they that say I am a seditious person, and raise disturbances wher-

Acts 24:14

But as for the other part of the accusation, ver. 5, that I am a great promoter of the sect of the Nazarenes, I acknowledge this, that that way of worshipping the God of Abraham which Christ hath taught, and the Christians practise, which I suppose

they mean by the word sect, or peculiar way of profession or religion, (see Acts xxvi. 5,) is the way that

I do use; and in doing so, do agreeably to all that is

written in the Mosaical law and the writings of authority among the Jews, by which they think themselves obliged:

Acts 24:15

And the main part of this is, that there shall be a life after this, and that all that ever lived here shall then be judged and rewarded, whether they be good or evil. And this is no more than these men themselves, all but the Sadducees, profess to believe and depend on.

Acts 24:16

In this religion and practice I am as careful as I can to live blamelessly, and to do my duty in all things towards God and man.

Acts 24:17

As for that which they mention of my profaning the temple, thus it was: Many years after my

conversion to this way that they speak of, I was sent by the pious Jews, &c., of other parts to Jerusalem and Judæa, with their charity and free-will oblations, brought in for the service of God, ch. xi. 30;

Acts 24:18

And whilst I was doing thus, some Jews of Asia saw me in the temple, where I was far from profaning of it, as was suggested, ver. 6. and ch. xxi. 23, but was there in such a manner as the law of the

Jews required of me; and they senselessly mistaking, affirmed that I carried Trophimus, a Gentile of

Ephesus, into the temple, and so affirmed me to have profaned the temple. But this was a downright falsity, for which there was no other ground of affirming but only this, that he was seen with me in the city, (see ch. xxi. 29). And as I was in the temple without any such company there which might be said to profane it, so it is certain that I was not attended with any number of men that might bring me under suspicion of raising any sedition, ver. 5.

Acts 24:19

Or if any man living would affirm I had, he ought to come now in open court and testify against me here.

Acts 24:20

Nay for all these things I shall make mine appeal to these that are here present of their own sanhedrim, ver. 1, and desire they will testify, whether, when I was brought before their sanhedrim at Jerusalem, ch. xxiii., I was not dismissed with a good testimony from themselves, ver. 9, viz. that there was nothing of moment charged and proved against me; and let them speak, if it were not so.

Acts 24:21

There is, I am sure, but one thing that can by any be testified against me from the proceedings there, and that none but Sadducees will lay to my charge, who are engaged in the maintenance of their own tenets, and that chargeable upon all the Pharisees as well as me, viz. my acknowledging another life after this, ch. xxiii. 8.

Acts 24:22

When Felix had had this cognizance of the matter, and discerned how things stood, he deferred passing any sentence, saying, Concerning Christian religion, whether it were derogatory to the law of the Jews, I will determine when I have advised with learned men that know your pretensions, and that concerning the tumult said to be raised by Paul, when Lysias comes, whose testimony will decide it.

Acts 24:23

And he commanded the captain of the guard to keep Paul safe, but not as a close prisoner, and that any that would bring him any relief, or discourse with him, might freely do it.

Acts 24:24

And Felix’ wife being a Jew, when she came, he thought fit to have her present, and sent for Paul, and bid him say what he had to say concerning the doctrine or gospel of Christ.

Acts 24:25

And Paul, in a discourse of that subject, insisted particularly on the great obligation that by the law of Christ lay on all men to observe justice between man and man, and to live chastely, either in conjugal or single life, (two virtues contrary to two special vices that Felix was particularly guilty of,) and withal of the severe judgment that all men one