Felix
Roman governor of Judea
Also known as: Felix
Antonius Felix was a Roman procurator (governor) over Judea from about 52 to 59 AD. He is known from the Bible for having kept the apostle Paul imprisoned in Caesarea for two years, and for hearing Paul preach about faith, righteousness, and the coming judgment. He left Paul in prison to please the Jews and in hope of receiving a bribe.
Family
Key events
Paul is brought before Felix
After Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, he was sent to Caesarea to stand trial before governor Felix. The high priest Ananias and the lawyer Tertullus presented the charges against Paul.
23Then he summoned two of his centurions and said, "Have two hundred soldiers ready to march to Caesarea, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, by nine o'clock tonight.[^1]"
[^1]: Literally "the third hour of the night," counting from about six in the evening.
Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενός ⸂τινας δύο⸃ τῶν ἑκατονταρχῶν εἶπεν· Ἑτοιμάσατε στρατιώτας διακοσίους ὅπως πορευθῶσιν ἕως Καισαρείας, καὶ ἱππεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ δεξιολάβους διακοσίους, ἀπὸ τρίτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτός,
24Also provide mounts for Paul, so that he may be brought safely to Felix the governor."
κτήνη τε παραστῆσαι ἵνα ἐπιβιβάσαντες τὸν Παῦλον διασώσωσι πρὸς Φήλικα τὸν ἡγεμόνα,
25And he wrote a letter to this effect:
γράψας ἐπιστολὴν ⸀ἔχουσαν τὸν τύπον τοῦτον·
26Claudius Lysias, to His Excellency Governor Felix: Greetings.
Κλαύδιος Λυσίας τῷ κρατίστῳ ἡγεμόνι Φήλικι χαίρειν.
27This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.
τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον συλλημφθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ μέλλοντα ἀναιρεῖσθαι ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐπιστὰς σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι ⸀ἐξειλάμην, μαθὼν ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν,
28Wanting to know the charge on which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.
βουλόμενός ⸀τε ⸀ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν διʼ ἣν ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ, ⸀κατήγαγον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον αὐτῶν.
29I found that the accusations concerned disputes about their own law, and that he was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment.
ὃν εὗρον ἐγκαλούμενον περὶ ζητημάτων τοῦ νόμου αὐτῶν, μηδὲν ⸀δὲ ἄξιον θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ⸂ἔχοντα ἔγκλημα⸃.
30When I was informed that there was to be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, instructing his accusers to state their case against him before you.
μηνυθείσης δέ μοι ἐπιβουλῆς εἰς τὸν ⸀ἄνδρα ἔσεσθαι ⸀ἐξαυτῆς ἔπεμψα πρὸς σέ, παραγγείλας καὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις ⸀λέγειν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ⸀σοῦ.
31So the soldiers, following their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται κατὰ τὸ διατεταγμένον αὐτοῖς ἀναλαβόντες τὸν Παῦλον ἤγαγον ⸀διὰ νυκτὸς εἰς τὴν Ἀντιπατρίδα·
32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him and returned to the barracks.
τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἐάσαντες τοὺς ἱππεῖς ⸀ἀπέρχεσθαι σὺν αὐτῷ ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν·
33When the horsemen came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him.
οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν καὶ ἀναδόντες τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῷ ἡγεμόνι παρέστησαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον αὐτῷ.
34After reading the letter, he asked what province Paul was from, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said,
ἀναγνοὺς ⸀δὲ καὶ ἐπερωτήσας ἐκ ποίας ⸀ἐπαρχείας ἐστὶν καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀπὸ Κιλικίας,
35"I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace.
Διακούσομαί σου, ἔφη, ὅταν καὶ οἱ κατήγοροί σου παραγένωνται· ⸀κελεύσας ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ ⸀τοῦ Ἡρῴδου φυλάσσεσθαι ⸀αὐτόν.
1Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they laid their case against Paul before the governor.
Μετὰ δὲ πέντε ἡμέρας κατέβη ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς Ἁνανίας μετὰ ⸂πρεσβυτέρων τινῶν⸃ καὶ ῥήτορος Τερτύλλου τινός, οἵτινες ἐνεφάνισαν τῷ ἡγεμόνι κατὰ τοῦ Παύλου.
2When Paul had been called in, Tertullus began his accusation: "Most excellent Felix, through you we enjoy great peace, and by your foresight reforms have been brought about for this nation.
κληθέντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἤρξατο κατηγορεῖν ὁ Τέρτυλλος λέγων· Πολλῆς εἰρήνης τυγχάνοντες διὰ σοῦ καὶ ⸀διορθωμάτων γινομένων τῷ ἔθνει τούτῳ διὰ τῆς σῆς προνοίας
3In every way and everywhere we acknowledge this with all gratitude.
πάντῃ τε καὶ πανταχοῦ ἀποδεχόμεθα, κράτιστε Φῆλιξ, μετὰ πάσης εὐχαριστίας.
4But so as not to detain you any longer, I beg you to give us a brief hearing in your kindness.
ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖόν σε ἐγκόπτω, παρακαλῶ ἀκοῦσαί σε ἡμῶν συντόμως τῇ σῇ ἐπιεικείᾳ.
5We have found this man to be a plague, stirring up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
εὑρόντες γὰρ τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον λοιμὸν καὶ κινοῦντα ⸀στάσεις πᾶσι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην πρωτοστάτην τε τῆς τῶν Ναζωραίων αἱρέσεως,
6He even tried to desecrate the temple, so we seized him.
ὃς καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐπείρασεν βεβηλῶσαι, ὃν καὶ ⸀ἐκρατήσαμεν,
7But Lysias the commander came along and took him out of our hands with great force, ordering his accusers to come before you.[^1]
[^1]: Some early manuscripts do not contain the words from "so we seized him" through "to come before you."
παρελθὼν δὲ Λυσίας ὁ χιλίαρχος μετὰ πολλῆς βίας ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ἡμῶν ἀπήγαγε, 8 κελεύσας τοὺς κατηγόρους αὐτοῦ ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ σέ·
8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about everything of which we accuse him."
παρʼ οὗ δυνήσῃ αὐτὸς ἀνακρίνας περὶ πάντων τούτων ἐπιγνῶναι ὧν ἡμεῖς κατηγοροῦμεν αὐτοῦ.
9The Jews joined in the attack, insisting that this was so.
συνεπέθεντο δὲ καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι φάσκοντες ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχειν.
Paul defends himself before Felix
Paul defended himself against the charges and claimed that he had done nothing wrong, but that he worshipped God according to the Way, which his opponents called a sect.
10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "Knowing that you have been judge over this nation for many years, I make my defense cheerfully.
Ἀπεκρίθη ⸀τε ὁ Παῦλος νεύσαντος αὐτῷ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος λέγειν· Ἐκ πολλῶν ἐτῶν ὄντα σε κριτὴν τῷ ἔθνει τούτῳ ἐπιστάμενος ⸀εὐθύμως τὰ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ ἀπολογοῦμαι,
11You can verify that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.
δυναμένου σου ⸀ἐπιγνῶναι, ὅτι οὐ πλείους εἰσίν μοι ἡμέραι ⸀δώδεκα ἀφʼ ἧς ἀνέβην προσκυνήσων ⸀εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ,
12They did not find me arguing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd—not in the synagogues, not anywhere in the city.
καὶ οὔτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ εὗρόν με πρός τινα διαλεγόμενον ἢ ⸀ἐπίστασιν ποιοῦντα ὄχλου οὔτε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς οὔτε κατὰ τὴν πόλιν,
13Nor can they prove to you the charges they are now bringing against me.
⸀οὐδὲ ⸀παραστῆσαι δύνανταί ⸀σοι περὶ ὧν ⸀νυνὶ κατηγοροῦσίν μου.
14But this I confess to you: I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect, believing everything written in the Law and the Prophets,
ὁμολογῶ δὲ τοῦτό σοι ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν λέγουσιν αἵρεσιν οὕτως λατρεύω τῷ πατρῴῳ θεῷ, πιστεύων πᾶσι τοῖς κατὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ ⸂τοῖς ἐν⸃ τοῖς προφήταις γεγραμμένοις,
15and I have the same hope in God that they themselves accept—that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.
ἐλπίδα ἔχων εἰς τὸν θεόν, ἣν καὶ αὐτοὶ οὗτοι προσδέχονται, ἀνάστασιν μέλλειν ⸀ἔσεσθαι δικαίων τε καὶ ἀδίκων·
16So I too always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and before all people.
ἐν τούτῳ ⸀καὶ αὐτὸς ἀσκῶ ἀπρόσκοπον συνείδησιν ⸀ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ παντός.
17After several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings.
διʼ ἐτῶν δὲ πλειόνων ⸂ἐλεημοσύνας ποιήσων εἰς τὸ ἔθνος μου παρεγενόμην⸃ καὶ προσφοράς,
18While I was doing this they found me in the temple, ceremonially purified, with no crowd and no disturbance.
ἐν ⸀αἷς εὗρόν με ἡγνισμένον ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, οὐ μετὰ ὄχλου οὐδὲ μετὰ θορύβου,
19It was certain Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you to bring their charges, if they have anything against me.
τινὲς δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀσίας Ἰουδαῖοι, οὓς ⸀ἔδει ἐπὶ σοῦ παρεῖναι καὶ κατηγορεῖν εἴ τι ἔχοιεν πρὸς ⸀ἐμέ,
20Or let these men here say what crime they found in me when I stood before the council,
ἢ αὐτοὶ οὗτοι εἰπάτωσαν τί ⸀εὗρον ἀδίκημα στάντος μου ἐπὶ τοῦ συνεδρίου
21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood among them: 'It is because of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'"
ἢ περὶ μιᾶς ταύτης φωνῆς ἧς ἐκέκραξα ⸂ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑστὼς⸃ ὅτι Περὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι σήμερον ⸀ἐφʼ ὑμῶν.
Felix postpones judgment
Felice, who was well acquainted with the Way, postponed the case and said he would decide it when commander Lysias came down.
22Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case."
⸂Ἀνεβάλετο δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Φῆλιξ⸃, ἀκριβέστερον εἰδὼς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ, ⸀εἴπας· Ὅταν Λυσίας ὁ χιλίαρχος καταβῇ διαγνώσομαι τὰ καθʼ ὑμᾶς·
23He gave orders to the centurion that Paul be kept in custody but given some freedom, and that his friends not be prevented from caring for his needs.
⸀διαταξάμενος τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῃ τηρεῖσθαι ⸀αὐτὸν ἔχειν τε ἄνεσιν καὶ μηδένα κωλύειν τῶν ἰδίων αὐτοῦ ⸀ὑπηρετεῖν αὐτῷ.
Felice hears Paul speak about faith in Christ
Felice came together with his Jewish wife Drusilla and heard Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus. When Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felice was frightened and sent Paul away.
24Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
Μετὰ δὲ ἡμέρας τινὰς παραγενόμενος ὁ Φῆλιξ σὺν Δρουσίλλῃ τῇ ⸀ἰδίᾳ γυναικὶ οὔσῃ Ἰουδαίᾳ μετεπέμψατο τὸν Παῦλον καὶ ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν ⸀Ἰησοῦν πίστεως.
25But as Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix grew afraid and said, "That is enough for now. You may go. When I find it convenient, I will send for you again."
διαλεγομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἐγκρατείας καὶ τοῦ κρίματος τοῦ ⸀μέλλοντος ἔμφοβος γενόμενος ὁ Φῆλιξ ἀπεκρίθη· Τὸ νῦν ἔχον πορεύου, καιρὸν δὲ μεταλαβὼν μετακαλέσομαί σε·
Felice hopes for bribes
Felice repeatedly sent for Paul and talked with him, but secretly hoped that Paul would offer him a bribe to be released.
26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would give him money, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
ἅμα καὶ ἐλπίζων ὅτι χρήματα δοθήσεται αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ ⸀Παύλου· διὸ καὶ πυκνότερον αὐτὸν μεταπεμπόμενος ὡμίλει αὐτῷ.
Felice leaves Paul in prison
After two years, Felice was succeeded by Porcius Festus as governor. To please the Jews, Felice left Paul in prison.
27When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and because he wanted to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.
Διετίας δὲ πληρωθείσης ἔλαβεν διάδοχον ὁ Φῆλιξ Πόρκιον Φῆστον· θέλων τε ⸀χάριτα καταθέσθαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὁ Φῆλιξ κατέλιπε τὸν Παῦλον δεδεμένον.