Paul's Defence

When the governor motioned to Paul to speak, he replied:" Becaue I know you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defence in what concerns me. You are able to determine that is no more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. They didn't find me disputing with anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple complex or in the synagogues or anywhere in the city. Neither can they provide evidence to you of what they now bring against me. But I confess this to you: I worship my father's God according to the Way, which they call a sect, believing all things that are written in the laws and the prophets. And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteousness. After many years I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation, and while I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without an uproar. It is they who should be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. either let these men here state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, or about this one statement I cried out while standing among them, ' Today I am being judged before you concerning the resurrection and the dead." Acts 24:10-21

Paul handles himself well, he sticks to the facts, because the facts show he has been set up. He is not emotional but factual. Offense that those who should know better behave so badly would have been pointless and caused Paul to make accusations back himself. By sticking to the facts, he makes his enemies approach fools.

Evil men can catch themselves in a trap, if we let them. God knows the truth and he uses it for His purpose. Yes Paul should have been released but he also had to go to Rome and by leaving him in jail winFelix, Felix was given an earful of the gospel, the Lord wished it that way. Fleix wa striven apmle opportunity to come to repentance.mnow there is no proof he did as he was dismissed from his role and replaced by Festus whilst Paul was in the palace.

We have to trust God for His methods. Yes it appears that evil men were winning, but God had a higher purpose.

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