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Acts 24:1–4. Five days later the high priest Ananias came with the elders and with some rhetorician Tertullus, who complained to the governor about Paul. When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: always and everywhere with all gratitude we acknowledge that to you, venerable Felix, we owe much peace, and to your care the well-being of this people. But, in order not to bother you too much, I ask you to listen to us briefly, with your characteristic condescension. Again, something is missing in the words “they complained to the governor about Paul” to complete the thought, which should be this: they presented a note incriminating Paul. “To you... we owe a lot of peace.” You see how from the first time he predisposes the judge with praise in his favor and how he tries to pass off Pavel as an innovator and a troublemaker. Acts 24:5–9. Having found this man to be a plague on society, a stirrer of rebellion between the Jews living throughout the universe, and a representative of the Nazarene heresy, who even dared to desecrate the church, we took him and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the captain Lysias came, with great violence, took him from our hands and sent him to you, commanding us, his accusers, to go to you. You can look it up yourself and find out from him about everything we accuse him of. And the Jews confirmed it, saying that it was so. Belonging to the number of Nazarenes was a shameful thing; Therefore, Tertullus humiliated Paul from this side as well, since Nazareth was an insignificant city. He calls the Nazirites heretics, as if such a sect existed among the Jews. But Tertullus was a Hellenic, so it was he who spoke or accused Paul. Acts 24:10–15. Paul, when the governor gave him a sign to speak, answered: Knowing that you have been judging this people fairly for many years, I will defend my cause all the more freely. You may know that it was not more than twelve days since I came to Jerusalem to worship. And neither in the sanctuary, nor in the synagogues, nor throughout the city did they find me arguing with anyone or causing public indignation, and they cannot prove what they now accuse me of. But this I confess to you, that according to the teaching which they call heresy, I truly serve the God of my fathers, believing everything written in the law and the prophets, having hope in God that there will be a resurrection of the dead, the righteous and the unjust, which they themselves expect. So far, says Paul, am I from stirring up trouble that I have come to Jerusalem to worship. He dwells on this thought because it represented strong evidence of his innocence. “I truly serve the God of my fathers, believing.” When, after being called to be an apostle of Christ, Paul says that he serves the God of the fathers, he shows by this that the God of the Old and New Testaments is the same. Acts 24:16–21. Therefore, I myself strive to always have an immaculate conscience before God and people. After many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my people. At this they found me, having cleansed myself in the church, not with the people and not with noise. These were some Asian Jews who should have come before you and accused me if they had anything against me. Or let these same ones say what untruth they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, perhaps only the one word that I loudly uttered while standing among them, that for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead I am now being judged by you. We demonstrate perfect virtue when we do not give people any reason to be tempted, and we try to be blameless before God. “Let these same ones tell you what untruth they found in me.” They discovered a lie at the meeting when the inquiry was made. And that I am telling the truth is evidenced by those who accuse me. Do not avoid accusers, but be ready to give an answer to everyone with a sign of undoubted rightness. At first they were offended that I preached the resurrection, because after this sermon it was convenient to add what relates to Christ - that He was resurrected. Acts 24:22–23. Having heard this, Felix postponed their case, saying: I will consider your case when the captain Lysias comes, and I will learn in detail about this teaching. And he ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but not to embarrass him and not to forbid any of his loved ones to serve him or come to him. He put the matter aside with the intention of not studying it, but to remove the Jews and give relief to Paul, since he did not want to punish him for their sake. “I will consider your case when the commander Lysias comes.” Felix, instructed from the Old Testament in what pertained to Christ, knew Paul's faith well and did not release him out of philanthropy, as it is said below: “desiring to please the Jews” (v. 27). Or maybe he thought of getting money from Pavel. Felix knew about what related to Christ, as he had a Jewish wife, from whom he often heard about this. Acts 24:24–27. A few days later Felix, coming with Drusilla his wife, a Jew, called Paul and listened to him about his faith in Christ Jesus. And as he spoke about the truth, about abstinence and about the future judgment, Felix became afraid and answered: now go, and when I find time, I will call you. Moreover, he hoped that Paul would give him money to let him go: therefore he often called him and talked with him. But after two years, Porcius Festus took Felix’s place. Wanting to please the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds. Being a Jew, Drusilla, against the law, married a Greek; or, perhaps, although she was a Jew, after getting married she became a Hellenic. That is why she, wanting to convert her husband, told him her faith. "Felix became afraid". There was such power in Paul’s words that the boss was afraid too. “Therefore I often called him and talked with him.” Do you see how true what is written is? He often called on Paul, not because he was surprised at him or because he approved of his speeches, and not because he wanted to believe, but because he hoped that they would give him money. You might be interested in: