Acts 23-24 Trial Before Felix

God demonstrated His protection of Paul by using 470 soldiers, horsemen, and spearmen to escort him to Caesarea for his third of six defenses as a prisoner.   Even the Roman commander's letter to Felix essentially said that he could not find Paul guilty of anything regarding Roman law.

In the trial before Felix, the lawyer for the chief priest and elders used false flattery, false accusations, and false witnesses to bring their charges against Paul.   But, in his defense, Paul stated facts and also gave a defense of the faith; along with once again making the bold and amazing statement that his conscience is clear before God and man.   He pointed out that there were no eyewitnesses to bring charges against him and there were no substantiated accusations even from those who were present.

Though the passage indicates that Felix knew there was no evidence to convict Paul, he still kept Paul under guard because he was hoping to collect a bribe from Paul and was also trying to gain political favor from the Jews.   Though Felix had two years of direct one-on-one access to ask Paul any questions he wanted to and would've had solid Scriptural answers, he put off listening to his conscience which convicted him of the sin in his life and thus squandered this amazing opportunity.    We do not know whether he and his wife Drusilla ever turned to the Way; but, we do know that in the two years Paul was under guard in Caesarea, they did not yet.