1 And after five days came down the chief priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator--Tertullus, and they made manifest to the governor the things against Paul;
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And after five days came down the high priest Ananias with the elders. See how for all this they do not desist; hindered as they were by obstacles without number, nevertheless they come, only to be put to shame here also. And with an orator, one Tertullus. And what need was there of an orator? Which persons also informed the governor against Paul.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "And after five days the high priest Ananias came down," etc. After five days, the Jews came to the judge Felix against Paul, with the orator Tertullus […] Then, the parties having been presented, the orator Tertullus, overconfident in human eloquence, began maliciously to attack Paul: the latter, he said, wanted to cause disorder among peaceful Jews around the world with new p…
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 Again, something is lacking in the words "they complained to the governor about Paul" for the completeness of the thought, which should be as follows: they presented a written accusation against Paul.
2 and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, `Much peace enjoying through thee, and worthy deeds being done to this nation through thy forethought,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 See how this man also from the very outset with his praises seeks to gain the judge beforehand. And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "To you… we owe much peace." You see how from the very first he predisposes the judge in his favor with praises, and how he tries to portray Paul as an innovator and troublemaker.
3 always, also, and everywhere we receive it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness;
John Chrysostom · AD 407 See how [Tertullus] approaches the judge with praises from the start and wants to hand Paul over as a revolutionary and a rebel. Then, notice how he hastens as if he has many things to say.
4 and that I may not be further tedious to thee, I pray thee to hear us concisely in thy gentleness;
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world. As a revolutionary and seditious person he wishes to deliver him up. And yet, it might be answered, it is ye that have done this.
5 for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world--a ringleader also of the sect of the Nazarenes--
Bede · AD 735 And the author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes. At that time Christians were called Nazarenes as a reproach; later indeed among the Jews a heresy arose called that of the Nazarenes, who believe in Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, and say he who suffered under Pontius Pilate and rose again, in whom we also believe.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 To be numbered among the Nazarenes was a matter of disgrace; therefore Tertullus was demeaning Paul from this angle as well, since Nazareth was an insignificant city. He calls the Nazarenes heretics, as though such a sect also existed among the Jews. But Tertullus was a Greek, which is precisely why he was the one delivering the oration or accusing Paul.
6 who also the temple did try to profane, whom also we took, and according to our law did wish to judge,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple; whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. See how they insult even the Law; it was so like the Law, forsooth, to beat, to kill, to lie in wait! And then the accusation against Lysias: though he had no right, say they, to interfere, in the excess of his confidence he snatched him from us.
Bede · AD 735 Whom we also apprehended. From whom you will be able, by judging all these things, to know. In this place, some of our Codices have several verses which read in Greek as follows: Whom we also apprehended, and according to our law wished to judge.
7 and Lysias the chief captain having come near, with much violence, out of our hands did take away,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Then comes the accusation against Lysias. "It was not right for him," he says, "to drag him away with great violence." … "He tried," he says, "to profane the temple," but [Tertullus] does not say how. He also magnified what concerned Paul, but see how he diminished what concerned him.
8 having commanded his accusers to come to thee, from whom thou mayest be able, thyself having examined, to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him;'
John Chrysostom · AD 407 By examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, where of we accuse him. And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. See, as witnesses also of the things spoken, the accusers, the same persons themselves both witnesses and accusers.
9 and the Jews also agreed, professing these things to be so.
10 And Paul answered--the governor having beckoned to him to speak--`Knowing that for many years thou hast been a judge to this nation, the more cheerfully the things concerning myself I do answer;
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Then Paul; after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a just judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. This is not the language of flattery, his testifying to the judge's justice: no, the adulation was rather in that speech of the orator, By thee we enjoy great quietness.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "Then Paul answered (the governor making a sign to him), saying." When the orator Tertullus had made the claims he wanted, Paul, after first saying things that might win him the goodwill of the judge, responded thus: when he had come to Jerusalem following the custom of his nation to adore the Lord and bring alms to his nation, he had neither gathered a multitude nor caused any…
11 thou being able to know that it is not more than twelve days to me since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. And what is this? It means, that I could not immediately have raised a commotion. Because the accuser had nothing to show as done in Jerusalem, observe what he said: among all the Jews throughout the world.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 So far, says Paul, am I from stirring up disturbances, that I came to Jerusalem to worship. He dwells on this point because it presented a strong proof of his innocence.
12 and neither in the temple did they find me reasoning with any one, or making a dissension of the multitude, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city; which in fact was the truth. And the accusers indeed use the term ringleader, as if it were a case of fighting and insurrection; but see how mildly Paul here answers.
13 nor are they able to prove against me the things concerning which they now accuse me.
14 `And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets: and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Bede · AD 735 But I confess this to you, that according to the sect which they call a heresy, so I serve my Father God. It is better read in Greek: That according to the way which they call a heresy, so I serve the Father God. For what consistency is there for him who spoke Greek, to say: According to the sect which they call a heresy, since the same in Latin, sect, means heresy in Greek?
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "I truly serve the God of my fathers, believing." When, after being called to be Christ's apostle, Paul says that he serves the God of his fathers, he shows by this that the God of the Old and New Testaments is One and the Same.
15 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, that there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius · AD 325 Not all men, however, shall then be judged by God, but those only who have been exercised in the religion of God. For they who have not known God, since sentence cannot be passed upon them for their acquittal, are already judged and condemned, since the Holy Scriptures testify that the wicked shall not arise to judgment.
16 and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And in this, do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. This is the perfection of virtue, when even to men we give no handle against us, and are careful to be void of offence with God. Having, he says, a conscience void of offence both toward God, and toward men.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 We show perfect virtue when we both give people no occasion for stumbling and strive to be blameless before God.
17 `And after many years I came, about to do kind acts to my nation, and offerings,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. In which they found me purified in the temple, not with multitude, neither with tumult. Why then camest thou up? What brought thee hither? To worship, says he; to do alms. This was not the act of a factious person. And for the cause of his going up, I came, he says, to bring alms to my nation and offerings.
Bede · AD 735 However, after many years, I came to my nation to give alms and make offerings and vows. Alms pertain to those things which he had brought for the use of the saints, of which he makes frequent mention in his Epistles; offerings and vows, however, to those things which, at the urging of James and the elders, he offered to God in the temple.
18 in which certain Jews from Asia did find me purified in the temple, not with multitude, nor with tumult,
19 whom it behoveth to be present before thee, and to accuse, if they had anything against me,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Then also he casts out their person: but, says he, they that found me, were certain Jews from Asia, who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me. He also does well to challenge his accusers who were from Asia, Who ought to accuse before thee, etc., but he does well also not to reject this either.
Bede · AD 735 But some Jews from Asia. Join this to the preceding, that is, these are the ones who found me in the temple.
20 or let these same say if they found any unrighteousness in me in my standing before the sanhedrim,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me while I stood before the council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried, standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day. For this is justification in superabundance, not to flee from his accusers, but to be ready to give account to all.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "Let these same men say what wrong they found in me." They found wrong at the assembly, when an inquiry was made. And that I speak the truth, my very accusers themselves testify to this. Not to avoid one's accusers, but to be ready to give an answer to everyone, is a sign of undoubted righteousness.
21 except concerning this one voice, in which I cried, standing among them--Concerning a rising again of the dead I am judged to-day by you.'
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "And after some days, Drusilla, Felix's wife, who was a Jew." After some days, Felix, at the request of his wife Drusilla, had Paul brought before her.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 At first they were even offended that I preached the resurrection, because after this preaching it was easy to add also what pertains to Christ — that He rose from the dead.
22 And having heard these things, Felix delayed them--having known more exactly of the things concerning the way--saying, `When Lysias the chief captain may come down, I will know fully the things concerning you;'
John Chrysostom · AD 407 See how much close investigation is made by the many in a long course of time, that it should not be said that the trial was hurried over. For, as the orator had made mention of Lysias, that he took him away with violence, Felix, he says, deferred them.
Oecumenius · AD 550 "Felix postponed them, knowing more precisely." It should be noted that Felix knew of the faith, having been thoroughly instructed from the Old Testament concerning Christ, and he did not release Paul out of favor for the Jews, or perhaps because of bribery, as the following account showed.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 He intentionally postponed the case – not in order to investigate it, but to get rid of the Jews and give relief to Paul, since he did not want to punish him for their sake.
23 having given also a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let him also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.
24 And after certain days, Felix having come with Drusilla his wife, being a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith toward Christ,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And his wife also hears, together with the governor. This seems to me to show great honor. For he would not have brought his wife to be present with him at the hearing, but that he thought great things of him. It seems to me that she also longed for this.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 Being a Jewess, Drusilla, contrary to the law, married a Greek; or, perhaps, although she was a Jewess, upon marrying she became a Greek. Therefore, wishing to convert her husband, she communicated her faith to him.
25 and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, `For the present be going, and having got time, I will call for thee;'
John Chrysostom · AD 407 And observe Paul, how, though reasoning with a ruler, he says nothing of the sort that was likely to amuse and entertain, but ("he reasoned," it says,) "of righteousness, and of the coming judgment," and of the resurrection. And such was the force of his words, that they even terrified the governor.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "Felix became afraid." Such was the power contained in Paul's words that even the governor was frightened.
26 and at the same time also hoping that money shall be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him the oftener, he was conversing with him;
Tertullian · AD 220 When did Onesimus, or Aquila, or Stephen, give them aid of this kind when they were persecuted? Paul indeed, when Felix the governor hoped that he should receive money for him from the disciples, about which matter he also dealt with the apostle in private, certainly neither paid it himself, nor did the disciples for him.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "Go thy way," he says, "for this time: when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Observe his hardness of heart: hearing such things, "he hoped that he should receive money from him!" And not only so, but even after conversing with him - for it was towards the end of his government - he left him bound, "willing to show the Jews a pleasure": so that he not only cove…
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "Therefore he sent for him often and conversed with him." Do you see what truthfulness breathes in what is written? He sent for Paul often not because he admired him or because he approved of his words, and not because he wished to believe, but because he hoped that he would be given money.
27 and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound.
Bede · AD 735 After two years were completed, Felix receives his successor Porcius Festus. He refers to the two years of Paul's stay in Caesarea, not Felix's procuratorship. For it is said above that he was a judge for that nation for many years.