Acts 24:24
And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
The verse belongs to the account of Paul's trial at Caesarea before Felix. It falls within his imprisonment at Caesarea under Felix, before Festus succeeded him as governor, an imprisonment that continued despite the Jews' persistent effort to have him killed, and Festus later refused to send him to Jerusalem, where his accusers planned to murder him on the way.
Felix was the Roman governor before whom this hearing about faith in Christ took place. He is counted among the Roman officials and heathen magistrates who recognized and proclaimed Paul's innocence, unlike the Jewish tribunals that condemned him without proving his guilt.
The hearing took place in the setting of Felix's marriage to Drusilla, a young Jewish woman. Felix had used the deceptive influence of Simon Magus to induce Drusilla to leave her husband and marry him, so their union was adulterous and brought Drusilla the abhorrence of her nation. After certain days Felix came with his wife Drusilla and privately summoned Paul to hear him concerning faith in Christ. They were willing and eager to hear new truths, with Drusilla wanting to understand the reasons for Paul's belief.
The meeting was a God-given, heaven-sent opportunity to share the gospel with people he otherwise might not have reached and for Felix to recognize and forsake his sins. Their position and power did not lessen their need to hear the truth or Paul's duty to present it faithfully. Paul treated the meeting as an opportunity to speak plainly about his faith and the virtues of Christian character, without flattering his hearers or fearing Felix's power. He preached concerning faith in Christ with confidence that came from that faith, upheld by the power of the Holy Spirit against persecution with such power that Felix trembled, proving the power of Christ sufficient for every necessity.
The hearing placed Felix and Drusilla before a choice in which accepting or rejecting the truth would matter at God's judgment. Felix was convicted by Paul's teaching about faith in Christ, but his fear did not lead him to repent. He rejected the Spirit of God and chose to remain among the workers of iniquity. Although Felix respected Paul, he later left him a prisoner to gratify the malice of the Jews.