Drusilla

Biblical Account

Drusilla appears only once in Scripture, in Acts 24. The episode takes place after Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem and transferred to Caesarea. According to Acts 24:24, "after certain days" the governor Felix came "with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess," sent for Paul, and "heard him concerning the faith in Christ." Paul "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," and Felix trembled and answered, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" (Acts 24:25). The text goes on to say that Felix hoped Paul would give him money, and that two years later, when Festus succeeded him, he left Paul in prison (Acts 24:26–27). Nothing is recorded about what Drusilla said or how she responded.

Extrabiblical Sources

According to the Antiquities of the Jews by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agrippa I, the king called "Herod" in Acts 12. She was the sister of Agrippa II and Bernice. Josephus reports that Drusilla was first married to Azizus, king of Emesa, but that she left him at the urging of Felix and married Felix, a Gentile. He also judges this marriage to have been a violation of Jewish law. Josephus further records that a son born to the couple died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. These details come from Josephus, not from Scripture.

Significance Within the Bible

Drusilla was a member of the Herodian family, and she appears in Acts in a scene in which Paul proclaims the gospel before Roman authorities. This scene is sometimes read as a counterpart to Acts 25–26, where Agrippa II and Bernice together hear Paul's defense.

Interpretation and Issues

• Many commentators and preachers connect Paul's mention of "temperance" (self-control) with the circumstances of Felix and Drusilla's marriage as reported by Josephus. This, however, is an inference drawn from extrabiblical sources; the text itself says nothing about the circumstances of their marriage.
• Some manuscript traditions are reported to contain an added explanation that Felix summoned Paul because Drusilla wished to see him and hear him speak. This material does not appear in the text of Korean Bible translations.
• Accounts of whether Drusilla came to faith, or of her later life, are not part of the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, sermons or Sunday school lessons devoted specifically to Drusilla are relatively rare. The words "when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" in Acts 24:25 are often cited in sermons warning against postponing a decision about the gospel. In such contexts, Drusilla is usually mentioned as one who heard the gospel together with Felix.