Acts 25

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

Three days after arriving in the province, Festus 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,

where the high priest and prominent Jewish men presented their case 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.

Asking for a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him 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 replied that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.

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 among you who are influential go down with me, and if there is any fault in this man, they can bring charges 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.

After staying among them for more than ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in.

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:

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

Then Paul said in his own defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”

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, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, responded to Paul, “Are yoʋ willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”

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.

Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to stand trial. I have done the Jews no wrong, as yoʋ yoʋrself know very well.

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 I am in the wrong and have done something that deserves death, I do not seek to escape death. But if none of the things these men accuse me of is true, no one can hand me over 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.

After conferring with the council, Festus answered, “Yoʋ have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar yoʋ shall go.”

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

After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted 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,

Since the king was staying there for several days, Festus presented Paul's case to him, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner 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:

When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a judgment 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.

I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand anyone over for destruction before the accused faces his accusers and has an opportunity to make his defense concerning the charges.

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 assembled here, I did not postpone the case, but on the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in.

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

When his accusers stood up, they brought no charge against him of the sort I was expecting.

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.

Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, but whom Paul claimed was 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?

Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate this matter, I asked if he might be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.

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 appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, so I ordered him to be held until I could 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.

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” Festus said, “Tomorrow yoʋ 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.

So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium along with the military commanders and the distinguished men of the city. Then Festus gave the command, and Paul was brought in.

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.

Festus said, “King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the entire Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here in this place, crying out that 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;

But when I found that he had done nothing deserving death, and since he himself appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, 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:

Yet I have nothing definite to write to my lord about this man. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before yoʋ, King Agrippa, so that after we have had this preliminary hearing, 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 unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”