Acts 25

1 Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

So Festus, having come into that part of the country which was under his rule, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,

And the chief priests and the chief men of the Jews made statements against Paul,

3 asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.

Requesting Festus to give effect to their design against him, and send him to Jerusalem, when they would be waiting to put him to death on the way.

4 Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.

But Festus, in answer, said that Paul was being kept in prison at Caesarea, and that in a short time he himself was going there.

5 Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.

So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.

6 And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

And when he had been with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the day after, he took his place on the judge's seat, and sent for Paul.

7 And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:

And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.

8 Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.

Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.

9 But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?

But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?

10 But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

And Paul said, I am before the seat of Caesar's authority where it is right for me to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you are well able to see.

11 If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

If, then, I am a wrongdoer and there is a cause of death in me, I am ready for death: if it is not as they say against me, no man may give me up to them. Let my cause come before Caesar.

12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.

Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.

13 And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.

Now when some days had gone by, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea and went to see Festus.

14 And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,

And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix:

15 concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:

Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him.

16 to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.

To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.

17 When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought:

So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat and sent for the man.

18 concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;

But when they got up they said nothing about such crimes as I had in mind:

19 but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.

But had certain questions against him in connection with their religion, and about one Jesus, now dead, who, Paul said, was living.

20 And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?

And as I had not enough knowledge for the discussion of these things, I made the suggestion to him to go to Jerusalem and be judged there.

21 But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar.

But when Paul made a request that he might be judged by Caesar, I gave orders for him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

22 And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

And Agrippa said to Festus, I have a desire to give the man a hearing myself. Tomorrow, he said, you may give him a hearing.

23 On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.

So on the day after, when Agrippa and Bernice in great glory had come into the public place of hearing, with the chief of the army and the chief men of the town, at the order of Festus, Paul was sent for.

24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer.

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer.

25 But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him;

But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him.

26 concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write:

But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to put in writing.

27 for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.

For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.