Acts 24

Acts 24:1

Good News for Everyone An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book of Acts www.easyenglish.info Marion Adams This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 24 The *Jewish leaders accuse Paul, 24:1-9 v1 Five days later, Ananias the *high priest went to Caesarea. Some leaders and Tertullus, a lawyer, also went. They went to the *governor. They told him why they were accusing Paul. v2 Then they sent for Paul. Tertullus accused him in front of Felix.

‘Most excellent Felix, you have given to us a long period of peace. You are a wise ruler and you have done many good things for our nation. v3 We are all grateful for what you have done, always! v4 I do not want to bother you. However, please be patient with us. Please listen to us for only a few minutes.

v5 We discovered that this man makes trouble. He starts *riots among the *Jews all over the world. He is the leader of a group called Nazarenes (see note below). v6 He also tried to make the *Temple *unclean. So, we arrested him. We wanted to deal with him by our law. v7 But Lysias, the commander, came. He used much force and he took Paul away from us. v8 He ordered the people who accused Paul to come to you. Ask Paul questions yourself. Then you will discover whether Paul has done these things. You will discover whether we are right to accuse him.’ v9 The *Jewish crowd spoke too. They agreed with what Tertullus had said.

Verse 1 Ananias and the other leaders went to Caesarea quickly. When they arrived, they met Felix in the court. Now Paul’s *trial could begin.

First, the leaders told Felix why they were accusing Paul.

Verses 2-4 Then Paul came into the court. Tertullus was a professional lawyer. He began the *trial in the usual way. The usual custom was to praise the *governor. Cicero, a *Roman writer who lived from 106-43 *BC, tells us that. That is what Tertullus did. But most of the things that Tertullus said here were not true. Felix was a wicked and cruel man. During the time when Felix ruled, there were many *riots. To stop those *riots, Felix killed many *Jews. That was how Felix brought peace! Not many *Jews were grateful for that!

Verses 5-7 Then, Tertullus accused Paul. Tertullus said that Paul had done these three crimes:

1. Paul started *riots among the *Jews wherever he went.

2. Paul was the leader of a group that caused trouble. (That group was the *Christians. Tertullus called them ‘Nazarenes’, because Jesus was from *Nazareth.)

3. Paul had tried to bring a *Gentile into the inner part of the *Temple.

The *Romans punished people who caused trouble. Felix had killed many *Jews who had opposed the *Roman government. Tertullus was trying to show that Paul caused trouble everywhere. He wanted Felix to kill Paul, too.

Verses 8-9 Tertullus told Felix to ask Paul questions. The people in the crowd were opposing Paul, too. They agreed with Tertullus. Paul speaks to Felix, 24:10-23 v10 The *governor nodded to Paul. So Paul replied. This is what he said:

‘You have been the *governor of this nation for many years. I know that. Therefore, I am glad to speak in your court. v11 I went to *worship in *Jerusalem no more than 12 days ago. You can discover easily whether this is true. v12 The *Jews never saw me argue with anyone in the *Temple. I did not cause trouble in the *synagogues, or in the city. v13 They cannot prove those things that they have said against me. v14 Their leaders say that the Way is false. I agree that I follow the Way.

But I *worship the God of our *ancestors. I also believe in everything that is in the *Law. And I believe in what the *Prophets wrote. v15 I am as sure about the *resurrection as these people are. I am sure that God will raise everyone from death. He will raise both good people and evil people. v16 I try to have a good conscience about what I do either for God or for people.’

Verse 10 Felix did not ask Paul questions. Instead, he let Paul speak for himself. Paul followed the usual custom. He spoke first about Felix. Paul said good things about Felix. But Paul was not like Tertullus. The things that Paul said were true. Felix knew *Judea very well. He had lived and worked there for many years. He knew all about the *Jewish religion. Felix understood what the *Jews believed. So, Paul was glad to speak to him about it.

Verses 11-13 Then Paul spoke about himself. Again, he told the truth. He had not come to *Jerusalem to cause trouble. He was not there for long enough to start *riots! He had not come to *Jerusalem for political reasons. He had come for *spiritual reasons. He wanted to *worship God. He had not argued with anyone either. The *Jews could not prove anything that they said.

Paul used a *Greek word for ‘prove’ that lawyers used. It meant that there had to be evidence. But there was no evidence against Paul.

Verse 14 Next, Paul argued that he was a true *Jew. He *worshipped the same God that the *Jews *worshipped. He agreed with everything that was in the *Jewish *scriptures. But he was also a *Christian. The *Christian *faith did not oppose the *Jewish *faith. *Christians followed Jesus, the *Messiah. Jesus made the *Jewish *faith complete.

Verses 15-16 Then, Paul said that he believed in the *resurrection. He believed that everybody will rise from death. Paul knew that he, like everybody, must meet God. So, he tried to have a good conscience. He tried to serve God well and he tried to serve people well.

v17 ‘I had not been in *Jerusalem for several years. Then I went there to take some money. The money was to help the poor people in my nation. And I went there to offer *sacrifices. v18 I was offering *sacrifices when they found me in the *Temple. I had finished my time of *purification. I was not with a crowd and there was no *riot.

v19 Some *Jews from Asia were there. If they want to speak against me, they should come here. They should accuse me in front of you. v20 Or ask the men who are here. They can tell you. They did not prove that I was guilty in front of the *Sanhedrin. v21 They can say only one thing against me. It is what I shouted in the court. I shouted, “I am on *trial today because I believe in the *resurrection of dead people.” ’

v22 Felix stopped the *trial, because he knew a lot about the Way. He said, ‘I will make my decision when Lysias, the commander, arrives.’ v23 Then he ordered the captain to guard Paul. But he told the captain not to lock Paul’s door. He told the captain to let Paul’s friends look after him.

Verses 17-18 Paul had come to *Jerusalem for two reasons only:

1. to bring money that he had collected for his nation’s poor people;

2. to *worship God in the *Temple.

Paul did not do anything bad in the *Temple. When the *Jews found him there, he was following *Jewish customs.

Verses 19-21 Some *Jews from Asia had accused Paul first. They were the original witnesses. They saw what Paul did in *Jerusalem. But they were not in the court. The *Sanhedrin had not been able to prove that Paul was guilty. He was guilty only of believing in the *resurrection of dead people. But that was not a crime against *Roman law.

Verse 22 ‘Felix stopped the *trial, because he knew a lot about the Way.’ Probably, Felix knew about *Christian beliefs because he had a *Jewish wife (Acts 24:24). What Paul said was right. And Felix knew that it was right. Paul was not guilty, because he had not done any crime. But Felix did not want to offend the *Jews. So, he made an excuse. He said that he must wait for Lysias. But he did not need to do this. He had a letter from Lysias (Acts 23:26-30). Felix wanted more time to make his decision.

Verse 23 Paul was still a prisoner. But because he was a *Roman citizen, Felix allowed his friends to visit him. Paul speaks to Felix and Drusilla, 24:24-27 v24 Several days later, Felix came to the place where Paul was staying. Felix’s wife, Drusilla, came with Felix. She was *Jewish. Felix sent for Paul. He listened to Paul as Paul spoke. Paul spoke about *faith in *Christ Jesus. v25 Paul talked to Felix and Drusilla about doing the right things. He spoke about self-control (when we stop ourselves from doing wrong things). He spoke about the day when God’s judgement would come. Felix was afraid. He said, ‘You have said enough for now. You may leave. I will send for you again, when I have time to listen.’ v26 After this, Felix often sent for Paul. And he talked with him. Also, Felix hoped that Paul would give some money to him.

v27 Two years later, Porcius Festus became the new *governor. But Felix wanted to support the *Jews. So, he left Paul in prison.

Verses 24-27 Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1-23). Felix had persuaded her to leave her husband, Azizus, the king of Emesia. A *magician helped Felix to do this. Drusilla was Felix’s third wife.

Paul told Felix and Drusilla the good news about Jesus. But he also told them about God’s judgement. He spoke about doing right things. Both Felix and Drusilla had done wicked things. So, Felix became afraid and he sent Paul away. But Felix still spoke with Paul after this.

Luke says that Felix wanted money. If Felix received money, he would let Paul out of prison. That arrangement was not legal. But people often paid to get their freedom. Felix was greedy for money. But perhaps Felix also wanted to hear more about Jesus. Perhaps he wanted God to forgive him.

However, Felix did not stop doing cruel things. In about *AD 58, there was a fight in Caesarea. It was a fight between the *Jews and the *Greeks there. Felix became angry. He ordered soldiers to kill many *Jews. He also let the soldiers rob the rich *Jews. The *Jewish writer Josephus wrote about this. (He lived from about *AD 37 to AD 100.)

The *Jews asked the *Roman government to remove Felix. The *Jews had a right to ask it under *Roman law. Felix tried to be friends with them again. He left Paul in prison to please them. But the *Roman government removed Felix anyway. They appointed a new *governor for *Judea. His name was Porcius Festus.

© 1997-2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

April 2005

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