Acts 25
1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
Festus, therefore, having come upon the province, after three days, went up unto Jerusalem from Caesarea;
2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
and the High-priest and chiefs of the Jews laid information before him against Paul, and began to beseech him
3 to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
asking for themselves as a favour against him, that he would send for him unto Jerusalem, —making, an ambush, to kill him on the way.
4 But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
Festus, therefore, answered, that Paul should be kept in Caesarea, and that, he himself, was about, shortly, to be going out [thither].
5 So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”
They, therefore, among you (saith he) who are in power, let them go down with me; and, if there is in the man, anything amiss, let them accuse him.
6 After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.
And, spending among them, not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and, on the morrow, taking his place upon the judgment-seat, ordered Paul to be brought.
7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
And, when he presented himself, the Jews who, from Jerusalem, had come down, stood round about him, many and grievous charges, bringing against [him], which they were not able to prove, —
8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
Paul saying in defence—Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I in anything sinned.
9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
But, Festus, wishing, with the Jews, to gain, favour, answered Paul, and said—Art thou willing, unto Jerusalem, to go up, and, there, concerning these things, be judged before me?
10 Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
But Paul said—Standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, am I, where, I, ought to be judged. Unto the Jews, have I done no wrong, as, even thou, right well, art discovering.
11 If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
If then, on the one hand, I am doing wrong, and, anything worthy of death, have committed, I excuse not myself from dying; but, on the other hand, if there is, nothing, in the things whereof these are accusing me, no man, hath power to give, me, unto them as a favour: —Unto Caesar, I appeal!
12 Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Then Festus, having conversed with the council, answered—Unto Caesar, hast thou appealed? Unto Caesar, shalt thou go.
13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
And, some days having gone by, Agrippa the king and Bernice came down to Caesarea, to salute Festus.
14 Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.
And, as they were spending more days there, Festus, repeated, unto the king, the things relating to Paul, saying—A certain man, hath been left behind by Felix, as a prisoner;
15 While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.
concerning whom, when I happened to be in Jerusalem, the High-priests and the Elders of the Jews laid information, claiming against him a condemnation:
16 I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
unto whom made answer—That it is not a custom with Romans, to grant as a favour any man, before the accused, face to face, should have his accusers, and, opportunity of defence, should receive, concerning the charge.
17 So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.
When, therefore, they had come together here, no delay whatever, making, on the next day, taking my place upon the judgment-seat, I ordered the man to be brought:
18 But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
Concerning whom, taking their stand, his accusers, no accusation at all, were bringing, of the evil things which, I, had been suspecting;
19 They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
but, certain questions concerning their own demon-worship, had they against him, and concerning one Jesus, who had died, whom Paul was affirming to be alive.
20 Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.
And, I, being at a loss as to the inquiry into these things, was asking—whether he might be minded to go unto Jerusalem, and, there, be judged concerning these things.
21 But when Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”
But, Paul, having appealed to be kept for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept, until I could send him up unto Caesar.
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.
And, Agrippa, [said] unto Festus—I could wish, myself also, to hear, the man. To-morrow, (saith he) thou shalt hear him.
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.
On the morrow, therefore, when Agrippa had come, and Bernice, with great display, and they had entered into the audience-chamber, with the captains of thousands and men of distinction of the city, —and Festus had given orders, Paul was brought.
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.
And Festus saith—King Agrippa! and all ye men, here present with us: Ye observe this person, concerning whom, one and all the throng of the Jews, have interceded with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying aloud that he ought not to be living any longer.
25 But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
But, I, gathered, that, nothing worthy of death, had he committed; and, this man himself, having appealed unto the Emperor, I decided to send him: —
26 I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign one about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry I may have something to write.
Concerning whom, anything certain to write unto my lord, I have not; wherefore, I have brought him forth before you, —and especially before thee, King Agrippa! in order that, after examination had, I might have something I could write;
27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
For, unreasonable, unto me, it seemeth, when sending a prisoner, not also, the accusations against him, to signify.
