Acts 25
1 Three days after Festus had arrived in the province he left Caesarea to go to Jerusalem.
托到省上任，三天以後，就從凱撒勒雅上了耶路撒冷。
2 The chief priests and Jewish leaders came to him and brought their charges against Paul.
司祭長和猶太人的首領，向他告發保祿，並請求他開恩，
3 They begged Festus as a favor to send Paul to Jerusalem, plotting to ambush and kill him on the way.
來對付保祿，就是求他將保祿解到耶路撒冷來，他們好設下埋伏，在半路上將他殺掉。
4 But Festus replied that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be there shortly.
可是，斐斯托回答說：「保祿應押在凱撒勒雅，我自己不久就快回去；」
5 “Your leaders can come with me, and make their accusation against this man, if he has done anything wrong,” he told them.
又說：「你們中有權勢的人，跟我一同下去，若在那人身上有什麼不對處，控告他好了。」
6 After staying there with them for no more than eight or ten days, Festus returned to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat as judge, and ordered that Paul be brought before him.
斐斯托在他們中住了不過八天或十天，就下到了凱撒勒雅。第二天坐堂，下令將保祿帶來；
7 When he came in the Jews that had come from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him that they couldn't prove.
保祿一來到，從耶路撒冷下來的猶太人就圍住他，提出許多嚴重而不能證明的罪狀。
8 Paul defended himself, telling them, “I have not sinned at all against the Jewish law, the Temple, or Caesar.”
保祿分辯說：「我對於猶太人的法律，對於聖殿，對於凱撒，都沒有犯什麼罪。」
9 But Festus, who was looking to gain favor with the Jews, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried before me there about these matters?”
斐斯托想要向猶太人討好，就向保祿說：「關於這些事，你願意上耶路撒冷，在那裏於我面前受審嗎﹖」
10 “I'm standing before Caesar's court to be tried, right where I should be,” Paul replied. “I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.
保祿卻說：「我站在凱撒的公堂前，我該在這裏受審。我對猶太人並沒有作過不對的事，就是你也知道的很清楚。
11 If I've committed a crime and have done something that deserves death, I do not ask to be pardoned from a death sentence. But if there's no substance to these accusations they're making against me, then nobody has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
假如我作了不對的事，或作了什麼該死的事，我雖死不辭；但若這些人所控告我的，都是實無其事，那麼誰也不能將我交與他們；我向凱撒上訴。」
12 Festus then conferred with the council, and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go!”
斐斯托與議會商議之後，回答說：「你既向凱撒上訴，就往凱撒那裏去!」
13 Several days later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived in Caesarea and came to pay their respects to Festus.
過了幾天，阿格黎帕王同貝勒尼切到了凱撒勒雅，向斐斯托致候。
14 They were staying some time so Festus presented Paul's case to the king, explaining, “There's a man that Felix left as a prisoner here.
他們在那裏住了多日，斐斯托就將保祿的事件，陳述給王說：「這裏有一個人，是斐理斯留在獄中的囚犯。
15 When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and leaders came and made accusations against him and asked me to sentence him.
我在耶路撒冷的時候，司祭長和猶太人的長老告發他，要求定他的罪。
16 I replied that it is not according to Roman law to convict anyone without having them face their accusers and giving them the opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.
我回答他們說：當被告還沒有與原告當面對質，還沒有機會辯護控告他的事以前，就將那人交出，不合羅馬人的規例。
17 So when his accusers arrived here, I wasted no time and convened the court the very next day. I ordered the man to be brought in.
及至他們來到這裏，我一點也沒有遲延，次日便坐堂，下令把那人帶來。
18 However, when the accusers got up they didn't bring charges of criminal acts as I expected.
原告站起來，對他沒有提出一件罪案，是我所逆料的惡事；
19 Instead they brought up controversies over religious questions, and over a man called Jesus who was dead but whom Paul insisted was alive.
他們的爭辯，僅是關於他們的宗教及關於一個已死的耶穌，保祿卻說他還活著。
20 Since I was undecided as to how to proceed in investigating such matters, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there.
我對這爭執不知如何處理，就問他是否願意去耶路撒冷，在那裏受審。
21 However, Paul appealed for his case to be heard by the emperor, so I ordered him detained until I could send him to Caesar.”
可是，保祿卻要求上訴，將他留給皇帝審斷，我便下令留下他，等我解他到凱撒那裏。」
22 “I would like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa told Festus. “I'll arrange for you to hear him tomorrow,” Festus replied.
阿格黎帕向斐斯托說：「我也願意親自聽聽這個人。」斐斯托說：「明天你就可以聽他。」
23 The next day Agrippa arrived with Bernice in great ceremonial splendor and entered the auditorium with the commanders and leading citizens. Then Festus ordered Paul to be brought in.
第二天，阿格黎帕和貝勒尼切來時甚是排場，偕同千夫長及城裏的要人進了廳堂；斐斯托下令，把保祿帶來。
24 “King Agrippa, and everyone who is present here with us,” Festus began, “you see before you this man whom all the Jewish people, both here and in Jerusalem, have complained to me about, shouting that he shouldn't be allowed to live.
斐斯托說：「阿格黎帕王和同我們在場的眾人，你們看這個人，為了他，所有的猶太群眾曾在耶路撒冷和這裏向我請求，呼喊說：不該容他再活下去。
25 However, I discovered he has not committed any crime that deserves death, and since he has appealed to the emperor I decided to send him there.
但我查明他並沒有作過什麼該死的事。他既把這案子向皇帝上訴了，我便決定把他解去。
26 But I don't have anything specific to write about him to His Imperial Majesty. That's why I have brought him before you so I can have something definite to write.
我對這人沒有什麼確實的事可向主上陳奏；因此我將他帶到你們前，尤其你阿格黎帕王前，好在審訊以後，有所陳奏，
27 It doesn't seem fair to me to send on a prisoner without explaining the charges made against him.”
因為我以為，解送囚犯而不指明他的罪狀，於理不合。」
