Acts 24

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¹Now after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges against Paul to the governor. ✦ ²After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began accusing him, saying to the governor, “Since we have attained great peace through you, and since reforms are being carried out for this nation by your foresight, ✦ ³we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ✦ ⁴But, that I may not weary you further, I beg you to grant us a brief hearing, by your kindness. ✦ ⁵For we have found this man a public menace and one who stirs up dissensions among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ✦ ⁶And he even tried to desecrate the temple, so indeed we arrested him. ✦ ⁸By interrogating him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be able to ascertain the things of which we are accusing him.” ✦ ⁹The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. ✦ ¹⁰And when the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ✦ ¹¹since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ✦ ¹²And neither in the temple did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself. ✦ ¹³Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. ✦ ¹⁴But I confess this to you, that in accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and is written in the Prophets; ✦ ¹⁵having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ✦ ¹⁶In view of this I also do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before other people, always. ✦ ¹⁷Now after several years I came to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to present offerings, ✦ ¹⁸in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia— ✦ ¹⁹who ought to have been present before you and to have been bringing charges, if they should have anything against me. ✦ ²⁰Or else have these men themselves declare what violation they discovered when I stood before the Council, ²¹other than in regard to this one declaration which I shouted while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today!’ ” ✦ ²²But Felix, having quite accurate knowledge about the Way, adjourned them, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ✦ ²³He gave orders to the centurion for Paul to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from providing for his needs. ✦ ²⁴Now some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla his wife, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. ✦ ²⁵But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and responded, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will summon you.” ✦ ²⁶At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and talk with him. ✦ ²⁷But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul imprisoned. ✦

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Where this chapter connects

Acts 24 ·21 Acts 23 ·19 Acts 26 ·14 Acts 25 ·12 Acts 21 ·9 Acts 28 ·8 Luke 23 ·6 1 Pet 3 ·5

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Resources, by level

Lay

★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical
A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.
DocumentaryDrive Thru History: Acts to RevelationDave Stotts · Free · evangelical
Follows Paul's missionary journeys and the early church on location across the Mediterranean — free on Tubi, great for families.

Pastoral

★ Start hereSermonMLJ Trust — Martyn Lloyd-Jones sermonsMartyn Lloyd-Jones · Free · reformed
1,600+ free sermons from "the Doctor," including landmark verse-by-verse series (Romans, John, Ephesians, Acts) — a gold standard of expository preaching.
SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical
Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

Commentaries & study tools

VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
VideoWatch teaching on Acts 24YouTube · Lay · Free
Sermons and chapter teaching from across YouTube.
CommentaryEnduring Word — Acts 24David Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical
Readable, verse-by-verse exposition of the whole chapter.
CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
ReferenceBlue Letter Bible — Acts 24Blue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free
Interlinear, lexicon, and study tools across the chapter.

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