Acts 25

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

Now, Festus entered the province, and after three days, he went from Caesarea up to Jerusalem.

2 And the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews brought a complaint before him against Paul, and besought him,

The chief priest and the prominent Jews brought accusations against Paul, and they urged him

3 asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, intending to place men in wait to kill him on the road.

and asked him for a favor that would put Paul in danger—that Festus might summon Paul to Jerusalem so that they could kill him along the way.

4 But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going thither shortly.

Festus answered that Paul was being held at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

5 Let those therefore, said he, who have authority among you, go down with me and accuse this man, if he is guilty of anything.

“Therefore, those who can,” he said, “should go there with us. If there is something wrong with the man, you should accuse him.”

6 And having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, ordered Paul to be brought.

Festus stayed not more than eight or ten days and then he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought to him.

7 And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and heavy charges which they could not prove;

When he arrived, the Jews from Jerusalem stood nearby, and they brought many serious charges which they could not prove.

8 while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offence.

Paul defended himself and said, “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

9 But Festus, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges before me?

But Festus wanted to gain the favor of the Jews, and so he answered Paul and said, “Do you want to go up to Jerusalem and to be judged by me about these things there?”

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

Paul said, “I stand before the judgment seat of Caesar where I must be judged. I have wronged no Jews, just as you also very well know.

11 If indeed I am an offender, and have done anything deserving death, I refuse not to die; but if there be nothing in the charges which they bring against me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

Though if I have done wrong and if I have done what is worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if their accusations are nothing, no one may 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 Festus talked with the council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

13 And after some days Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

Now after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay an official visit to Festus.

14 And while they were making a stay of some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix,

After he had been there for many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king; he said, “A certain man was left behind here by Felix as a prisoner.

15 against whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought a complaint, asking for judgment against him.

When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against this man to me, and they asked for a sentence of condemnation against him.

16 To whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man on a charge, before the accused hath the accusers face to face, and hath opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had faced his accusers and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charges.

17 When therefore they had come together here, without any delay I sat on the judgment-seat on the day after, and ordered the man to be brought forward.

Therefore, when they came together here, I did not wait, but the next day I sat in the judgment seat and I ordered the man to be brought in.

18 And his accusers standing around him brought no accusation of such things as I had conjectured,

When the accusers stood up and accused him, I thought that none of the charges that they brought against him were serious.

19 but had against him certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Instead, they had certain disputes with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claims to be alive.

20 And I being at a loss about such questions, asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be put on trial for these matters.

I was not certain about how to investigate this matter, and so I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there about these charges.

21 But Paul having appealed to be kept in custody for the judgment of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept till I should send him up to Caesar.

But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody while awaiting the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, I should like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

Agrippa spoke to Festus, “I would also like to listen to this man.” “Tomorrow,” Festus said, “you will hear him.”

23 Accordingly on the morrow Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, and at the order of Festus Paul was brought forward.

So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with much ceremony; they came into the hall with the military officers and with the prominent men of the city. When Festus spoke the command, Paul was brought to them.

24 And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us! Ye see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live.

Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you men who are here with us, you see this man; all the multitude of Jews consulted with me in Jerusalem and here also, and they shouted to me that he should no longer live.

25 But having found that he had done nothing deserving death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him;

I learned that he had done nothing worthy of death; but because he appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

26 and as I have nothing certain to write about him to the emperor, I have brought him forward before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that when the examination hath been made, I may have something to write.

But I do not have something definite to write to the emperor. For this reason, I have brought him to you, especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I might have something more to write about the case.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not signify the charges against him;

For it seems unreasonable for me to send a prisoner and to not also state the charges against him.”