NOW AFTER FIVE DAYS ANNANIAS THE HIGH PRIEST CAME DOWN WITH THE ELDERS AND A CERTAIN ORATOR NAMED TERTULLUS. THESE GAVE EVIDENCE TO THE GOVERNOR AGAINST PAUL. 1. Notice that it took them five days to get their lies together and decide how to make what they had done sound innocent. 2. They brought... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE WAS CALLED UPON, TERTULLUS BEGAN HIS ACCUSATION, SAYING: " SEEING THAT THROUGH YOU WE ENJOY GREAT PEACE, AND PROSPERITY IS BEING BROUGHT TO THIS NATION BY YOUR FORESIGHT. 1. Tertullus begins with flowery language - that is clearly a lie. The purpose is to "butter up" Felix. 2. The Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
WE ACCEPT IT ALWAYS AND IN ALL PLACES, MOST NOBLE FELIX, WITH ALL THANKFULNESS. 1. Another lie. They were not grateful for Felix.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, NOT TO BE TEDIOUS TO YOU ANY FURTHER, I BEG YOU TO HEAR, BY YOUR COURTESY, A FEW WORDS FROM US. 5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 1. The charges are just name calling.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE EVEN TRIED TO PROFANE THE TEMPLE, AND WE SEIZED HIM, AND WANTED TO JUDGE HIM ACCORDING TO OUR LAW. " 1. Notice the language here. He "tried" to profane the temple. Of course there is no evidence that he brought any Gentile into the temple. So all they can do is say that he tried. 2. The next li... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE COMMANDER LYSIAS CAME BY AND WITH GREAT VIOLENCE TOOK HIM OUT OF OUR HANDS. 1. The truth is - They were a lynch mob ready to kill him and the commander, rescued Paul from the mob. 2. Paul was not taken with "great violence". He was protected from an angry mob. 3. The violence was the plot... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMANDING HIS ACCUSERS TO COME TO YOU. BY EXAMINING HIM YOURSELF YOU MAY ASCERTAIN ALL THESE THINGS OF WHICH WE ACCUSE HIM. 1. Now the orator says that Felix can examine him and find that the accusations are true. 2. So far there has been lies and name calling. That's all.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE JEWS ALSO ASSENTED, MAINTAINING THAT THESE WORDS WERE SO. 1. All those who came along with their orator, agreed with his statement. 2. They are, of course, a party to all the lies.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PAUL, AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAD NODDED TO HIM TO SPEAK, ANSWERED: " INASMUCH AS I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS A JUDGE TO THIS NATION, I DO THE MORE CHEERFULLY ANSWER FOR MYSELF. 1. Now it is Paul's turn. Felix gives Paul the nod and gives him a chance to speak. 2. This is more of a fa... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE YOU MAY ASCERTAIN THAT IT IS NO MORE THAN TWELVE DAYS SINCE I WENT UP TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP. 1. Paul says that until 12 days ago he was out of the county. Paul was gone on his third missionary journey for about 5 years, perhaps longer. 2. Upon his return to Jerusalem, he went to Jerusale... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY NEITHER FOUND ME IN THE TEMPLE DISPUTING WITH ANYONE NOR INCITING THE CROWD, EITHER IN THE SYNAGOGUES OR IN THE CITY. 1. None of the people making accusations saw him in the temple. 2. There is no witness to Paul disputing with anyone. 3. No one can tell about his inciting a crowd - in a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOR CAN THEY PROVE THE THINGS OF WHICH THEY NOW ACCUSE ME. 1. There is no one who can prove any of the charges. 2. They are empty phrases with no basis in fact.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THIS I CONFESS TO YOU, THAT ACCORDING TO THE WAY WHICH THEY CALL A SECT, SO I WORSHIP THE GOD OF MY FATHERS, BELIEVING ALL THINGS WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. 1. There is one point to which Paul will agree and confess. 2. Paul is a part of the Way (which they call a sect).... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE HOPE IN GOD, WHICH THEY THEMSELVES ALSO ACCEPT, THAT THERE WILL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, BOTH THE JUST AND THE UNJUST. 1. Paul now affirms his hope. He states that those who accuse him believe the same. This means that most, if not all of those who came, were Pharisees. 2. Paul believ... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS BEING SO, I MYSELF ALWAYS STRIVE TO HAVE A CONSCIENCE WITHOUT OFFENSE TOWARD GOD AND MEN. 1. Believing that God will raise the dead (and judge them) is a motivating factor that has driven Paul to live without violating his conscience. 2. Paul does not want to offend God. He does not want to o... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AFTER MANY YEARS I CAME TO BRING ALMS AND OFFERINGS TO MY NATION. 1. After an absence of several years (on his third missionary journey) Paul has some "catching up" to do. 2. He came to bring offerings and alms to the Jewish people. 3. He did not go to Jerusalem to cause problems. He came to... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MIDST OF WHICH SOME JEWS FROM ASIA FOUND ME PURIFIED IN THE TEMPLE, NEITHER WITH A MOB NOR WITH TUMULT. 1. The problem did not arise until some Jews from Asia arrived. They are the troublemakers. 2. They found Paul purified in the temple. No riot. No mob. No tumult. No dissension. No Gentil... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE YOU TO OBJECT IF THEY HAD ANYTHING AGAINST ME. 1. Now Paul makes a legal point. All the charges stem from these Jews from Asia. Where are they? 2. Paul has a right to face his accusers. If they think he has done something wrong, let them come forward.... [ Continue Reading ]
OR ELSE LET THOSE WHO ARE HERE THEMSELVES SAY IF THEY FOUND ANY WRONGDOING IN MY WHILE I STOOD BEFORE THE COUNCIL, 1. In the absence of these Jews from Asia, Paul welcomes any who are present to stand and state what wrong they witnessed from Paul. 2. Paul also says that he stood before the council... [ Continue Reading ]
UNLESS IT IS FOR THIS ONE STATEMENT WHICH I CRIED OUT, STANDING AMONG THEM, 'CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD I AM BEING JUDGED BY YOU THIS DAY.' " 1. The only charge that could be made is the one about his faith in the resurrection. 2. The Pharisees agree with him on this point. 3. What i... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN FELIX HEARD THESE THINGS, HAVING MORE ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WAY, HE ADJOURNED THE PROCEEDINGS AND SAID, " WHEN LYSIAS COMES DOWN I WILL MAKE A DECISION ON YOUR CASE. " 1. Felix knows that what the Jews have said are in contradiction to what the letter from the commander stated. 2. Fel... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE COMMANDED THE CENTURION TO KEEP PAUL AND TO LET HIM HAVE LIBERTY, AND TOLD HIM NOT TO FORBID ANY OF HIS FRIENDS TO PROVIDE FOR OR VISIT HIM. 1. Paul was kept but given some freedom. 2. He could have friends and receive support. 3. Our "freedom" is often restricted or limited.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER SOME DAYS, WHEN FELIX CAME WITH HIS WIFE DRUSILLA, WHO WAS JEWISH, HE SENT FOR PAUL AND HEAR HIM CONCERNING THE FAITH IN CHRIST. 1. Drusilla now comes into the picture. She is: 1. The wife of Felix the governor. 2. The daughter of Herod Agrippa, who was eaten by worms in Acts 12:23. 3.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AS HE REASONED ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, SELF-CONTROL, AND THE JUDGMENT TO COME, FELIX WAS AFRAID AND ANSWERED, " GO AWAY FOR NOW; WHEN I HAVE A MORE CONVENIENT TIME I WILL CALL FOR YOU. " 1. Now Paul gets down to business. We only have the outline of what Paul was teaching Felix. We know that he ta... [ Continue Reading ]
MEANWHILE HE ALSO HOPED THAT MONEY WOULD BE GIVEN HIM BY PAUL THAT HE MIGHT RELEASE HIM. THEREFORE HE SENT FOR HIM OFTEN AND CONVERSED WITH HIM. 1. Felix also had another motive for his decision to wait. 2. He wanted to get some bribe money. If Paul could give him a little cash under the table, he... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AFTER TWO YEARS PORCTUS FESTUS SUCCEEDED FELIX; AND FELIX WANTING TO DO THE JEWS A FAVOR, LEFT PAUL BOUND. 1. We now skip forward two years. 1. Paul is still held in prison. 2. Felix is ready to retire and turn his office over to Festus. 3. He seems to have given up on getting any bribe from... [ Continue Reading ]