7. but the commander Lysias came along and with much violence took him out of our hands,
8. commanding his accusers to come to you. And by examining him yourself you shall be able to know all these matters of which we accuse him.”
9. And the Yehuḏim also agreed, maintaining that these matters were so.
10. And when the governor had motioned him to speak, Sha’ul answered, “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge of this nation, I gladly defend myself,
11. seeing you are able to know that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to Yerushalayim to worship.
12. “And they neither found me in the Set-apart Place disputing with anyone nor stirring up the crowd, either in the congregations or in the city.
13. “Nor are they able to prove the charges of which they now accuse me.
14. “And this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the Elohim of my fathers, believing all that has been written in the Torah and in the Prophets,
15. having an expectation in Elohim, which they themselves also wait for, that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.
16. “And in this I exercise myself to have a clear conscience toward Elohim and men always.
17. “And after many years I came to bring kind deeds to my nation and offerings,
18. at which time certain Yehuḏim from Asia found me cleansed in the Set-apart Place, neither with a crowd nor with disturbance,
19. who ought to be present before you to bring charges if they have any matter against me.
20. “Or else let these themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,
21. other than for this one declaration which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you today.’ ”
22. And having heard this, having known more exactly about the Way, Felix put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I shall decide your case.”
23. And he ordered the captain to keep Sha’ul and to have ease, and not to forbid any of his friends to attend to him.
24. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a female Yehuḏite, he sent for Sha’ul and heard him concerning the belief in Messiah.
25. And as he reasoned about righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “For the present, go. And when I find time I shall send for you.”
26. At the same time too he was anticipating that silver would be given him by Sha’ul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.