Acts 25
1 Festus, therefore, having come into the province, 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 priest and the principal men of the Jews disclosed to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,
where the high priest and prominent Jewish men presented their case against Paul.
3 asking favor against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in 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 Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and is himself about to go forth speedily,
But Festus replied that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.
5 “Therefore those able among you,” he says, “having come down together, if there be anything in this man—let them 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 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;
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 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,
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 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.”
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 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?”
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 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;
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 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!”
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 communed with the council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.”
After conferring with the council, Festus answered, “Yoʋ have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar yoʋ shall go.”
13 And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea greeting Festus,
After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.
14 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,
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 about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision 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, 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].
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 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,
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, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of,
When his accusers stood up, they brought no charge against him of the sort I was expecting.
19 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;
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 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—
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 to the hearing of Sebastus, I commanded him to be kept until I might 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 was also intending to hear the man myself”; and he said, “Tomorrow you will 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 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.
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 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;
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 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,
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 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;
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 irrational, sending a prisoner, not to also signify the charges against him.”
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”
