Acts 25
1 And so, when Festus had arrived in the province, after three days, he ascended to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
Then Festus having entered upon his office, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem;
2 And the leaders of the priests, and those first among the Jews, went to him against Paul. And they were petitioning him,
and both the chief priests and the first men of the Jews appeared before him against Paul, and continued to entreat him,
3 asking for favor against him, so that he would order him to be led to Jerusalem, where they were maintaining an ambush in order to kill him along the way.
asking favor against him, in order that he might send him to Jerusalem, making a plot to kill him on the road.
4 But Festus responded that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself would soon go there.
Then indeed Festus responded, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and himself was about to go away quickly:
5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those among you who are able, descend at the same time, and if there is any guilt in the man, they may accuse him.”
Then, says he, Let the influential ones among you, coming down, accuse him, if there is anything wrong in the man.
6 Then, having stayed among them no more than eight or ten days, he descended to Caesarea. And on the next day, he sat in the judgment seat, and he ordered Paul to be led in.
And having tarried with them not more than eight or ten days, having come down to Caesarea, on the following day, sitting on the tribunal, he commanded that Paul should be brought forth.
7 And when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, throwing out many serious accusations, none of which they were able to prove.
And he being present, the Jews having come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him charges many and heavy, which they were not able to prove.
8 Paul offered this defense: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any matter.”
And Paul apologizing, that Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I done anything wrong.
9 But Festus, wanting to show greater favor to the Jews, responded to Paul by saying: “Are you willing to ascend to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things before me?”
And Festus, wishing to confer a gratification on the Jews, responding to Paul, said, Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, there to be judged by me concerning these things?
10 But Paul said: “I stand in Caesar’s tribunal, which is where I ought to be judged. I have done no harm to the Jews, as you well know.
And Paul said, I am standing at the tribunal of Caesar, where it behooves me to be judged. To the Jews I have done nothing wrong, as you indeed well know.
11 For if I have harmed them, or if I have done anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying. But if there is nothing to these things about which they accuse me, no one is able to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
If therefore I indeed am guilty of unrighteousness, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not ask not to die: but if nothing of these things of which they accuse me is true, no man is able to gratify them (by my death): I appeal unto Caesar.
12 Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded: “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar; thou shalt go unto Caesar.
13 And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice descended to Caesarea, to greet Festus.
And some days having passed away, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, saluting Festus.
14 And since they remained there for many days, Festus spoke to the king about Paul, saying: “A certain man was left behind as a prisoner by Felix.
And while they were spending many days there, Festus expounded to the king the matters appertaining to Paul, saying, A certain man has been left a prisoner by Felix:
15 When I was at Jerusalem, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the Jews came to me about him, asking for condemnation against him.
concerning whom, I being in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews appeared before me, asking condemnation against him;
16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before he who is being accused has been confronted by his accusers and has received the opportunity to defend himself, so as to clear himself of the charges.
to whom I responded, that it is not the customs to the Romans to slay any man gratuitously, before that the accused may have his accusers face to face, and receive a place of defence concerning the charge.
17 Therefore, when they had arrived here, without any delay, on the following day, sitting in the judgment seat, I ordered the man to be brought.
Then they, having come together to this place, making no delay, immediately sitting on the judgment-seat, I commanded that the man should be led forth;
18 But when the accusers had stood up, they did not present any accusation about him from which I would suspect evil.
concerning whom his accusers standing by, brought no evil charge of those things which I supposed:
19 Instead, they brought against him certain disputes about their own superstition and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.
but they had certain questions against him concerning their own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who is dead, whom Paul was saying that He is alive.
20 Therefore, being in doubt about this kind of question, I asked him if he was willing go to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things.
And I, being at a loss as to the question concerning these things, asked him if he is willing to go to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things.
21 But since Paul was appealing to be kept for a decision before Augustus, I ordered him to be kept, until I might send him to Caesar.”
And Paul having demanded that he should be kept for the diagnosis of Augustus, I demanded that he should be kept until I shall send him to Caesar.
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus: “I myself also want to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, I myself also would wish to hear the man. He says, To-morrow you shall hear him.
23 And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had arrived with great ostentation and had entered into the auditorium with the tribunes and the principal men of the city, Paul was brought in, at the order of Festus.
Then on the following day, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entering into the auditorium, along with the chiliarchs, and chief men of the city, and, Festus commanding, Paul was led forth.
24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present together with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews disturbed me at Jerusalem, petitioning and clamoring that he should not be allowed to live any longer.
And Festus says, O king Agrippa, and all ye men present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews is besieging me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that it does not behoove him to live any longer.
25 Truly, I have discovered nothing brought forth against him that is worthy of death. But since he himself has appealed to Augustus, it was my judgment to send him.
But I discovered that he had done nothing worthy of death, however he himself appealing to Caesar, I decided to send him.
26 But I have not determined what to write to the emperor about him. Because of this, I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, so that, once an inquiry has occurred, I may have something to write.
Concerning whom I have nothing definite to write to my lord; therefore I have led him to you, and especially to thee, O king Agrippa, in order that, there being an investigation, I may have something which I shall write;
27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to indicate the accusations set against him.”
for it seems to me to be unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to signify charges against him.
