Acts 25

1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

Now, Festus entered the province, and after three days, he went from Caesarea up to Jerusalem.

2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus

The chief priest and the prominent Jews brought accusations against Paul, and they urged 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.

and asked him for a favor that would put Paul in danger—that Festus might summon Paul to Jerusalem so that they could kill him along the way.

4 But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.

Festus answered that Paul was being held at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

5 So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”

“Therefore, those who can,” he said, “should go there with us. If there is something wrong with the man, you should 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.

Festus stayed not more than eight or ten days and then he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought to him.

7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.

When he arrived, the Jews from Jerusalem stood nearby, and they brought many serious charges which they could not 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 defended himself and said, “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

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 wanted to gain the favor of the Jews, and so he answered Paul and said, “Do you want to go up to Jerusalem and to be judged by me about these things there?”

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.

Paul said, “I stand before the judgment seat of Caesar where I must be judged. I have wronged no Jews, just as you also very well know.

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!”

Though if I have done wrong and if I have done what is worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if their accusations are nothing, no one may hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

12 Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

After Festus talked with the council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

Now after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay an official visit to 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.

After he had been there for many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king; he said, “A certain man was left behind here 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.

When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against this man to me, and they asked for a sentence of condemnation against him.

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.

I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had faced his accusers and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charges.

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.

Therefore, when they came together here, I did not wait, but the next day I sat in the judgment seat and I ordered the man to be brought in.

18 But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

When the accusers stood up and accused him, I thought that none of the charges that they brought against him were serious.

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.

Instead, they had certain disputes with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claims 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.

I was not certain about how to investigate this matter, and so I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there about these charges.

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 when Paul appealed to be kept in custody while awaiting the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.

Agrippa spoke to Festus, “I would also like to listen to this man.” “Tomorrow,” Festus said, “you will 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.

So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with much ceremony; they came into the hall with the military officers and with the prominent men of the city. When Festus spoke the command, Paul was brought to them.

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.

Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you men who are here with us, you see this man; all the multitude of Jews consulted with me in Jerusalem and here also, and they shouted to me that he should no longer live.

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.

I learned that he had done nothing worthy of death; but because he appealed to 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.

But I do not have something definite to write to the emperor. For this reason, I have brought him to you, especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I might have something more to write about the case.

27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”

For it seems unreasonable for me to send a prisoner and to not also state the charges against him.”