Acts · Chapter 24

[ edit] Forſoþ aftir fyue dayes, Ananye, prince of preſtis, cam doun wiþ ſum eldre men, and Terculle, ſum oratour, or fair ſpeker, or auocat, whiche wenten to þe preſedent aȝeyns Poul. And, Poul ſomenyd, Terculle bigan for to accuſe, ſeyinge, Whanne in moche pees we don bi þee, and manye þingis ben amendid bi þi prouydence, or wyſdom, euermore and euerywhere, þou beſt Felix, we han receyued wiþ al doynge of þankingis. Forſoþ leſt I tarie þee lengere, I preie þee, ſchortly heere vs for þi mekeneſſe.

We han foundun þis man beringe venym, or peſtilence, and ſtiringe ſedicioun, or diſſencioun, to alle Jewis in al þe world, and auctour of ſeducioun of þe ſecte of Nazarens; þe which alſo enforſide for to defoule þe temple; whom and takun to, we wolden deme, aftir oure lawe. Soþli Liſias, þe tribune, aboue comynge wiþ greet ſtrengþe, delyuerede him fro oure hondis; comaundinge his accuſeris for to come to þee, of whom þou demynge, maiſt knowe of alle þes þingis, of whiche we accuſen him. Forſoþ and Jewis caſtiden to, ſeyinge þes þingis for to haue hem ſo.

Forſoþ Poul anſweride, grauntinge þe preſedent to him for to ſeie, Of manye ȝeeris I knowinge þee for to be domeſman to þis folk, ſchal do ynow for me wiþ good ynwitt, or reſoun. Soþli þou maiſt knowe, for to me ben not more þan twelue dayes, ſiþen I ſtiȝede vp for to worſchipe in Jeruſalem; and neþir in þe temple þei founden me diſputinge wiþ ony man, or makinge concurs, or rennyng to gidere, of þe cumpany of peple, neþer in ſynagogis, neþer in citee; neþer þei mown proue to þee, of þe whiche þingis þei now accuſen me.

Soþeli I knowleche to þee þis þing, þat vp þe ſecte which þei ſeyn ereſie, ſo I ſerue to God þe fadir, bileuynge to alle þingis þat ben writun in þe lawe and prophetis; hauynge hope in to God, þe whiche and þei hem ſilf abyden, þe aȝen ryſing to comynge of iuſt men and wickid. In þis þing and I ſtudie wiþouten hirtyng, for to haue conſcience to God, and to men euermore. Forſoþ aftir mo ȝeeris, I cam to doynge almeſdedis into my folk, and offringis, and vowis; in whiche þei founden me purified in þe temple, not wiþ cumpanye, neþir wiþ noyſe. And þei cauȝten me, þei cryinge, and ſeiynge, Take awei oure enemy.

Soþli ſumme Jewis of Aſie, whom it bihofte for to be now preſent, or redy, at þee, and accuſe, if þei hadden ony þing aȝens me, or þeſe hem ſilf ſeye, if þei founden in me ony þing of wickidneſſe, ſiþen I ſtonde in þe counceil, no but oonli of þis o vois, by which I cryede ſtondinge a mong hem, For of þe aȝen ryſing of deede men I am demyd þis day of ȝou. Soþli Felix deferride hem, mooſt certeynli he witinge of þe weye, ſeiynge, Whanne Liſias, þe tribune, ſchal come, I ſchal heere ȝou. And he comaundide to centurioun for to kepe him, and for to haue reſte, neþir for to forbede ony man for to mynyſtre of his owne þingis to him.

Soþeli aftir ſumme dayes, Felix comynge wiþ Druſille, his wyf, þat was a Jeweſſe, clepide Poul, and herde of him þe feiþ þat is into Jheſu Criſt. Soþli him diſputinge of riȝtwyſneſſe, and chaſtite, and of dom to comynge, Felix maad tremblinge, anſweride, Þat perteyneþ now, go; ſoþli in tyme couenable I ſchal clepe þee to. Alſo and hopinge, þat money ſchulde be ȝouun to him of Poul; for whiche þing and ofte he clepinge him to, ſpak wiþ him. Soþli twey ȝeeris fulfillid, Felix took a ſucceſſour, Feſtus of Ponte; forſoþ Felix willinge for to ȝyue grace to Jewis, lefte Poul boundun.