القراءة بلغتين

وبَعدَ خَمسَةِ أَيَّام نَزَلَ حَنَنْيا عَظيمُ الكَهَنَةِ ومعَه بَعضُ الشُّيوخِ ومُحامٍ اسمُه طَرطُلُّس، فَرَفَعوا لِلحاكِمِ دَعْواهم على بولُس

فلَمَّا دُعِيَ اِستَهَلَّ طَرطُلُّسُ ٱتِّهامَه بِقَولِه: «إِنَّ ما نَنعَمُ بِه مِنَ السَّلامِ الشَّامِلِ بِفَضلِكَ، ومِنَ الإِصلاحِ الَّذي حَصَلَت علَيه هٰذِه الأُمَّةُ بِعِنايَتِكَ

نَتَلَقَّاهُ، يا فيلِكسُ المُكَرَّم، بِخالِصِ الشُّكْرِ مِن جَميعِ الوُجوهِ وفي كُلِّ مَكان

ولٰكِن لا أَريدُ أَن أُزعجَكَ بِكَثيرِ الكَلام، فأَرْجو أَن تُصغِيَ إِلَينا قَليلًا بِما أَنتَ علَيه مِنَ اللُّطف

وَجَدْنا هٰذا الرَّجُلَ آفةً مِنَ الآفات، يُثيرُ الفِتَنَ بَينَ اليَهودِ كافَّةً في العالَمِ أَجمَع، وأَحَدَ أَئِمَّةِ شِيعَةِ النَّصارى

وقَد حاوَلَ أَن يُدَنِّسَ الهَيكَلَ فَقَبَضْنا علَيه [٧ ]

فتَستَطيعُ، إِذا ٱستَجوَبتَه عن هٰذهِ الأُمورِ كُلِّها، أَن تَتَبَيَّنَ ما نَتَّهِمُه بِه»

فسانَدَه اليَهودُ زاعِمينَ أَنَّ الأُمورَ على ذٰلك

فأَشارَ الحاكِمُ إِلى بُولُسَ يَأذَنُ لهُ بِالكَلام، فأَجاب: «أَعلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقْضي في أُمورِ هٰذه الأُمَّةِ مِن عِدَّةِ سَنَوات. فأَراني مُطمَئِنًّا في الدِّفاعِ عن قَضِيَّتي

يُمكِنُكَ أَن تَتَبَيَّنَ أَنَّه لم يَمْضِ على صُعودي إِلى أُورَشَليمَ لِلعِبادَةِ أَكثَرُ مِنِ ٱثْنَيْ عَشَرَ يَومًا

فما وَجَدوني مَرَّةً أُجادِلُ أَحَدًا أَو أُثيرُ جَمْعًا، لا في الهَيكَلِ ولا في المَجامِعِ ولا في المَدينة

ولا يُمكِنُهم أَن يُثبِتوا لَكَ ما يَتَّهِموني بِه الآن

على أَنِّي أُقِرُّ بِأَنِّي أَعبُدُ إِلٰهَ آبائي على الطَّريقَةِ الَّتي يَزعُمونَ أَنَّها شيعَة، وأُومِنُ بِكُلِّ ما جاءَ في الشَّريعَةِ وكُتُبِ الأَنبِياء

راجِيًا مِنَ اللهِ ما يَرجونَه هُم أَيضًا وهو أَنَّ الأَبرارَ والفُجَّارَ سيَقومون

فأَنا أَيضًا أُجاهِدُ النَّفْسَ لِيَكونَ ضَميري لا لَومَ علَيه عِندَ اللهِ وعِندَ النَّاس

وجِئتُ بَعدَ عِدَّةِ سَنَوات، أَحمِلُ الصَّدَقاتِ إِلى أُمَّتي، وأُقَرِّبُ القَرابين

فعلى هٰذهِ الحالِ وَجَدوني في الهَيكَل وكُنتُ قدِ ٱطَّهَرتُ، ولم يَكُنْ هُناكَ جَمْعٌ أَو ضَجيج

غَيرَ أَنَّ بَعضَ اليَهودِ الأَسيَوِيِّين… لو كانَ لِأُولٰئِكَ ما يَشكونَني بِه، لَوَجَبَ علَيهِم أَن يَمثُلوا أَمامَكَ ويَتَّهِموني

بل لِيَقُلْ هٰؤُلاءِ الحاضِرونَ أَنفُسُهم أَيَّ ذَنْبٍ وَجَدوا لي، حينَ مَثَلتُ أَمامَ المَجلِس

إِلَّا أَن تَكونَ هٰذه الكَلِمَةُ الَّتي نادَيتُ بِها وأَنا قائمٌ بَينَهم: مِن أَجْلِ قِيامَةِ الأَمواتِ أُحاكَمُ اليَومَ عِندكم»

وكانَ فيلِكس مُطَّلِعًا على أَمْرِ الطَّريقَةِ ٱطِّلاعًا دَقيقًا، فأَخَّرَهم إِلى أَجَلٍ قال: «متى نَزَلَ لِيسياس قائِدُ الأَلْف، أَحكُمُ في قَضِيَّتِكم»

وأَمَرَ قائدَ المائَةِ بِأَن يُحفَظَ بولُسُ في السِّجْن، على أَن يَترُكَ له بَعضَ الحُرِّيَّة، ولا يَمنَعَ أَحَدًا مِن أَصحابِه القِيامَ بِخِدمَتِه

وبَعدَ بِضعَةِ أَيَّام، جاءَ فيلِكس مع ٱمرَأَتِه دُرْسُلَّة وهِيَ يَهودِيَّة، فاستَدْعى بولُس واستَمَعَ إِلى كَلامِه على الإِيمانِ بِالمَسيحِ يسوع

ولَمَّا تَكَلَّمَ بولُسُ على البِرِّ والعَفافِ والدَّينونَةِ الآتِيَة، خافَ فيلِكس فقالَ لَه: «إِذهَبِ الآن، فسأَنتَهِزُ الفُرصَةَ السَّانِحَةَ لأَدعُوَك»

وكانَ يَرْجو في الوَقْتِ نَفسِه أَن يُعطِيَه بولُسُ شَيئًا مِنَ المال، فأَخَذَ يُكثِرُ مِنِ ٱستِدْعائِه ومُحادَثَتِه

ولَمَّا ٱنقَضَت سنَتان، خَلَفَ بُرْقيوس فَسطُس فيلِكسَ، فأَرادَ فيلِكس أَن يُرضِيَ اليَهود، فتَرَكَ بولُسَ في السِّجْن

After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.

When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that prosperity is coming to this nation by your foresight,

we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

But that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words.

For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.

By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”

The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so.

When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense,

seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.

In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city.

Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me.

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;

having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil.

They ought to have been here before you and to make accusation if they had anything against me.

Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council,

unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’”

But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.”

He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him.

After some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”

Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often and talked with him.

But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.