< Acts 25 >
1 Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
Festus, therefore, having come into the province, 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 priest and the principal men of the Jews disclosed to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,
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.
asking favor against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.
4 Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.
Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and is himself about to go forth speedily,
5 Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.
“Therefore those able among you,” he says, “having come down together, if there be anything in this man—let them accuse 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 having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the next day having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought;
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 he having come, there stood around the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem—many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,
8 Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.
he making defense, [said, ] “Neither in regard to the Law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar—did I commit any sin.”
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?
And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favor, answering Paul, said, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me there concerning 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, “At the judgment seat of Caesar I am standing, where it is necessary for me to be judged; I did no unrighteousness to Jews, as you also very well know;
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.
for if I am indeed unrighteous, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favor of me to them; I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.
Then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.”
13 And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.
And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea greeting 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 continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, “There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,
15 concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:
about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking 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 answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favor of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defense in regard to the charge laid 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:
They, therefore, having come together—I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat on the judgment seat, commanded the man to be brought,
18 concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;
concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of,
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 certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;
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 I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, asked if he was willing to go on to Jerusalem, and to be judged there concerning these things—
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 Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I commanded him to be kept until 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 was also intending to hear the man myself”; and he said, “Tomorrow you will hear him”;
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.
on the next day, therefore—on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered—Paul was brought forth.
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 men who are present with us, you see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live 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;
and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to 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:
concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, for what reason I brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;
27 for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.
for it seems to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not to also signify the charges against him.”