Acts 25
1 Three days after Festus had arrived in his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.
Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 There the chief priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,
And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,
3 and asked a favor of him, to Paul’s injury – to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.
asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.
4 But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.
Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.
5 “So let the influential men among you,” he said, “go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it.”
Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.
6 After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.
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.
7 On Paul’s appearance, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.
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:
8 Paul’s answer to the charge was – ‘I have not committed any offense against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.’
Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.
9 But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?”
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?
10 “No,” replied Paul, “I am standing at the Emperor’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware.
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.
11 If, however, I am breaking the law and have committed any offense deserving death, I do not ask to escape the penalty; but, if there is nothing in the accusations of these people, no one has the power to give me up to them. I appeal to the Emperor.”
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.
12 Festus, after conferring with his Council, answered, “You have appealed to the Emperor; to the Emperor you will go.”
Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.
13 Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, and paid a visit of congratulation to Festus;
And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 and, as they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. “There is a man here,” he said, “left a prisoner by Felix,
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,
15 about whom, when I came to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priest and the elders laid an information, demanding judgment against him.
concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:
16 My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up anyone to their accusers until the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against them.
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.
17 So they met here, and without loss of time I took my seat on the Bench the very next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me.
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:
18 But, when his accusers came forward, they brought no charge of wrongdoing such as I had expected;
concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;
19 but I found that there were certain questions in dispute between them about their own religion, and about some dead man called Jesus, whom Paul declared to be alive.
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.
20 And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be put on trial there.
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?
21 Paul, however, appealed to have his case reserved for the consideration of his August Majesty, so I ordered him to be detained in custody, until I could send him to the Emperor.”
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.
22 “I should like to hear this man myself,” Agrippa said to Festus. “You will hear him tomorrow,” Festus answered.
And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.
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.
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live.
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.
25 I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, I decided to send him.
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;
26 But I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.
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:
27 For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner, without at the same time stating the charges made against him.”
for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.
