Paul’s Defense to Felix
When Felix signals him to speak, Paul says he is glad to make his defense before a governor long acquainted with the nation. He points out that only twelve days have passed since he went up to worship in Jerusalem, and that no one found him disputing, gathering a crowd, or stirring unrest anywhere.
W10hen the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense. 11You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. 13Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.
Paul openly confesses that he worships the God of his fathers according to the Way, believing everything written in the Law and the Prophets. He adds that he shares the same hope of resurrection his accusers profess, and so strives to keep a clear conscience before God and man.
14I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
After several years away, Paul says he returned to Jerusalem to bring alms and offerings, and was found in the temple ceremonially clean, without crowd or uproar. He notes that the Jews from Asia who first saw him are absent, and reduces the issue before Felix to the single matter he cried out before the council: the resurrection of the dead.
17After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings. 18At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia 19who ought to appear before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. 20Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, 21unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”