Acts 25
1 Festus, therefore, having come upon the province, after three days, went up unto Jerusalem from Caesarea;
Three days after Festus had arrived in the province he left Caesarea to go to Jerusalem.
2 and the High-priest and chiefs of the Jews laid information before him against Paul, and began to beseech him
The chief priests and Jewish leaders came to him and brought their charges against Paul.
3 asking for themselves as a favour against him, that he would send for him unto Jerusalem, —making, an ambush, to kill him on the way.
They begged Festus as a favor to send Paul to Jerusalem, plotting to ambush and kill him on the way.
4 Festus, therefore, answered, that Paul should be kept in Caesarea, and that, he himself, was about, shortly, to be going out [thither].
But Festus replied that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be there shortly.
5 They, therefore, among you (saith he) who are in power, let them go down with me; and, if there is in the man, anything amiss, let them accuse him.
“Your leaders can come with me, and make their accusation against this man, if he has done anything wrong,” he told them.
6 And, spending among them, not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and, on the morrow, taking his place upon the judgment-seat, ordered Paul to be brought.
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.
7 And, when he presented himself, the Jews who, from Jerusalem, had come down, stood round about him, many and grievous charges, bringing against [him], which they were not able to prove, —
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.
8 Paul saying in defence—Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I in anything sinned.
Paul defended himself, telling them, “I have not sinned at all against the Jewish law, the Temple, or Caesar.”
9 But, Festus, wishing, with the Jews, to gain, favour, answered Paul, and said—Art thou willing, unto Jerusalem, to go up, and, there, concerning these things, be judged before me?
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?”
10 But Paul said—Standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, am I, where, I, ought to be judged. Unto the Jews, have I done no wrong, as, even thou, right well, art discovering.
“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.
11 If then, on the one hand, I am doing wrong, and, anything worthy of death, have committed, I excuse not myself from dying; but, on the other hand, if there is, nothing, in the things whereof these are accusing me, no man, hath power to give, me, unto them as a favour: —Unto Caesar, I appeal!
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!”
12 Then Festus, having conversed with the council, answered—Unto Caesar, hast thou appealed? Unto Caesar, shalt thou go.
Festus then conferred with the council, and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go!”
13 And, some days having gone by, Agrippa the king and Bernice came down to Caesarea, to salute Festus.
Several days later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived in Caesarea and came to pay their respects to Festus.
14 And, as they were spending more days there, Festus, repeated, unto the king, the things relating to Paul, saying—A certain man, hath been left behind by Felix, as a prisoner;
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.
15 concerning whom, when I happened to be in Jerusalem, the High-priests and the Elders of the Jews laid information, claiming against him a condemnation:
When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and leaders came and made accusations against him and asked me to sentence him.
16 unto whom made answer—That it is not a custom with Romans, to grant as a favour any man, before the accused, face to face, should have his accusers, and, opportunity of defence, should receive, concerning the charge.
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.
17 When, therefore, they had come together here, no delay whatever, making, on the next day, taking my place upon the judgment-seat, I ordered the man to be brought:
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.
18 Concerning whom, taking their stand, his accusers, no accusation at all, were bringing, of the evil things which, I, had been suspecting;
However, when the accusers got up they didn't bring charges of criminal acts as I expected.
19 but, certain questions concerning their own demon-worship, had they against him, and concerning one Jesus, who had died, whom Paul was affirming to be alive.
Instead they brought up controversies over religious questions, and over a man called Jesus who was dead but whom Paul insisted was alive.
20 And, I, being at a loss as to the inquiry into these things, was asking—whether he might be minded to go unto Jerusalem, and, there, be judged concerning these things.
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.
21 But, Paul, having appealed to be kept for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept, until I could send him up unto Caesar.
However, Paul appealed for his case to be heard by the emperor, so I ordered him detained until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 And, Agrippa, [said] unto Festus—I could wish, myself also, to hear, the man. To-morrow, (saith he) thou shalt hear him.
“I would like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa told Festus. “I'll arrange for you to hear him tomorrow,” Festus replied.
23 On the morrow, therefore, when Agrippa had come, and Bernice, with great display, and they had entered into the audience-chamber, with the captains of thousands and men of distinction of the city, —and Festus had given orders, Paul was brought.
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.
24 And Festus saith—King Agrippa! and all ye men, here present with us: Ye observe this person, concerning whom, one and all the throng of the Jews, have interceded with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying aloud that he ought not to be living any longer.
“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.
25 But, I, gathered, that, nothing worthy of death, had he committed; and, this man himself, having appealed unto the Emperor, I decided to send him: —
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.
26 Concerning whom, anything certain to write unto my lord, I have not; wherefore, I have brought him forth before you, —and especially before thee, King Agrippa! in order that, after examination had, I might have something I could write;
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.
27 For, unreasonable, unto me, it seemeth, when sending a prisoner, not also, the accusations against him, to signify.
It doesn't seem fair to me to send on a prisoner without explaining the charges made against him.”
