Acts 25

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

Then Festus having entered upon his office, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem;

2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him,

and both the chief priests and the first men of the Jews appeared before him against Paul, and continued to entreat him,

3 asking favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying wait to kill him on the way.

asking favor against him, in order that he might send him to Jerusalem, making a plot to kill him on the road.

4 Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart [thither] shortly.

Then indeed Festus responded, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and himself was about to go away quickly:

5 Let them therefore, saith he, which are of power among you, go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

Then, says he, Let the influential ones among you, coming down, accuse him, if there is anything wrong in the man.

6 And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

And having tarried with them not more than eight or ten days, having come down to Caesarea, on the following day, sitting on the tribunal, he commanded that Paul should be brought forth.

7 And when he was come, the Jews which had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges, which they could not prove;

And he being present, the Jews having come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him charges many and heavy, which they were not able to prove.

8 while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.

And Paul apologizing, that Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I done anything wrong.

9 But Festus, desiring to gain favour with the Jews, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

And Festus, wishing to confer a gratification on the Jews, responding to Paul, said, Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, there to be judged by me concerning these things?

10 But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

And Paul said, I am standing at the tribunal of Caesar, where it behooves me to be judged. To the Jews I have done nothing wrong, as you indeed well know.

11 If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if none of those things is [true], whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

If therefore I indeed am guilty of unrighteousness, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not ask not to die: but if nothing of these things of which they accuse me is true, no man is able to gratify them (by my death): I appeal unto Caesar.

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go.

Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar; thou shalt go unto Caesar.

13 Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and saluted Festus.

And some days having passed away, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, saluting Festus.

14 And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix:

And while they were spending many days there, Festus expounded to the king the matters appertaining to Paul, saying, A certain man has been left a prisoner by Felix:

15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me], asking for sentence against him.

concerning whom, I being in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews appeared before me, asking condemnation against him;

16 To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.

to whom I responded, that it is not the customs to the Romans to slay any man gratuitously, before that the accused may have his accusers face to face, and receive a place of defence concerning the charge.

17 When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat down on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought.

Then they, having come together to this place, making no delay, immediately sitting on the judgment-seat, I commanded that the man should be led forth;

18 Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed;

concerning whom his accusers standing by, brought no evil charge of those things which I supposed:

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

but they had certain questions against him concerning their own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who is dead, whom Paul was saying that He is alive.

20 And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

And I, being at a loss as to the question concerning these things, asked him if he is willing to go to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things.

21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar.

And Paul having demanded that he should be kept for the diagnosis of Augustus, I demanded that he should be kept until I shall send him to Caesar.

22 And Agrippa [said] unto Festus, I also could wish to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.

And Agrippa said to Festus, I myself also would wish to hear the man. He says, To-morrow you shall hear him.

23 So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

Then on the following day, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entering into the auditorium, along with the chiliarchs, and chief men of the city, and, Festus commanding, Paul was led forth.

24 And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

And Festus says, O king Agrippa, and all ye men present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews is besieging me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that it does not behoove him to live any longer.

25 But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

But I discovered that he had done nothing worthy of death, however he himself appealing to Caesar, I decided to send him.

26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write.

Concerning whom I have nothing definite to write to my lord; therefore I have led him to you, and especially to thee, O king Agrippa, in order that, there being an investigation, I may have something which I shall write;

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.

for it seems to me to be unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to signify charges against him.