Acts 25
1 Festus, [who was now the governor] of the province, arrived in Caesarea, and three days later he went up to Jerusalem.
WHEN Festus then was come into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 In Jerusalem, the chief priests and [other] Jewish leaders formally told [Festus] about [the things that they said] that Paul [had done that were wrong].
And the high-priest and the principal persons among the Jews informed him against Paul, and entreated him,
3 They urgently asked Festus to do something for them. [They asked him to command soldiers] to bring Paul to Jerusalem, [so that Festus could put him on trial there]. But they were planning that some [of them] would hide [near the road] and wait [for Paul] and kill him when he was traveling [to Jerusalem].
begging it as a favour from him, that he would send him back to Jerusalem, lying in wait for him to kill him on the road.
4 But Festus replied, “Paul is in Caesarea, and is being guarded {[soldiers] are guarding him} [there]. I myself will go down to Caesarea in a few days.
Then Festus answered, that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going thither shortly.
5 Choose some of your leaders to go there with me. [While they are there], they can accuse Paul of the wrong things that you say that he has done.”
Let therefore, said he, those among you who are able, go down with me, and accuse him, if there be anything criminal in this man.
6 After Festus had been [in Jerusalem] eight or ten days, he went back down to Caesarea. [Several of the Jewish leaders also went there]. The next day Festus [commanded] that Paul be brought {someone to bring Paul} to him [in the assembly hall] so that he could judge him.
And after staying with them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow seated on the bench, commanded Paul to be brought.
7 [After] Paul was brought to [the assembly hall], the Jewish [leaders] from Jerusalem gathered around him [to accuse him]. They told [Festus] that Paul had committed many crimes. But they could not prove [that Paul had done the things about which they accused him].
And on his appearing, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and laid many and heavy accusations against Paul, which they were not able to prove.
8 Then Paul [spoke] to defend himself. He said to Festus, “I have done nothing wrong against the laws of us [(exc)] Jews, and I have not disobeyed the rules concerning our Temple. I have also done nothing wrong against your government [MTY].”
But he pleaded in his defence, That neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed the least offence.
9 But Festus wanted to please the Jewish [leaders, so] he asked Paul, “Are you [(sg)] willing to go up to Jerusalem so that I can listen as these men accuse you [there]?”
Then Festus, desirous of ingratiating himself with the Jews, replying to Paul, said, Wilt thou go up unto Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 But Paul [did not want to do that. So] he said [to Festus], “[No], I [am not willing to go to Jerusalem]! I am [now] standing before you, and you [(sg)] are the judge [whom the Roman] Emperor [MTY] [has authorized. This is the place] where I should be judged {where you should judge me}. I have not wronged the Jewish people [at all], as you know very well.
Then said Paul, I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar, where I have a right to be judged: against the Jews I have committed no offence, as thou also clearly perceivest.
11 If I had done something bad [for which I] should be executed {[concerning which the law said that they] should execute me}, I would not plead [with them that they] not kill me. But none of these things about which they accuse me is [true, so] no one can [legally] surrender me to [these Jews]. So I formally request that the emperor [MTY] [should judge me at Rome].”
For indeed if I have committed any crime, or done aught worthy of death, I object not to be put to death: but if there is nothing in those things whereof they accuse me, no man dare gratify them by abandoning me to them.
12 Then after Festus conferred with the [men who regularly] advised him, he replied to Paul, “You [(sg)] have formally requested [that I should send you] to the emperor [in Rome. So I will arrange for] you to go there [in order that he can judge you].”
I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, after conferring with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed to Caesar? to Caesar shalt thou go.
13 After several days, King [Herod] Agrippa arrived at Caesarea, along with [his younger sister] Bernice. They had come to [formally] welcome Festus [as the new Governor of the province].
Now when some days were passed, Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 King Agrippa and Bernice stayed many days in Caesarea. While [they were] there, Festus told Agrippa about Paul. He said to the king, “There is a man here whom Felix kept in prison [while he was governor]. He left him [there when his time as governor ended].
And as their stay there was extended to a considerable time, Festus communicated to the king Paul’s affairs, saying, There is a certain man left by Felix, a prisoner:
15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and [the other] Jewish elders told me that this man had done many things [against their laws]. They asked me to condemn him [to be executed] {judge him [so that people could kill him]}.
against whom when I was at Jerusalem, the high-priest and the elders of the Jews appeared, desiring judgment against him.
16 But I told them that when someone has been accused [of a crime, we] Romans do not immediately (condemn that person/declare that person to be guilty). First, we [command] him to stand before the people who are accusing him and to say whether or not he has done those things. [After that, the judge will decide what to do with] him.
To whom I replied, That it was not customary for Romans to give up any man gratuitously to destruction, before that the person accused should have his accusers produced face to face, and be allowed opportunity to defend himself against the charge.
17 So those Jews came [here to Caesarea] when I came. I did not delay. The day after [we(exc) arrived], after I sat down at the place where I make decisions, I [commanded] that Paul be brought {[soldiers] to bring Paul} into [the courtroom].
When therefore they were come here together, making no demur, the very next day I sat on the tribunal, and commanded the man to be brought.
18 The Jewish leaders did accuse him, but the things about which they accused him were not any of the [evil] crimes about which I thought [they would accuse him].
Against whom his accusers standing forth, brought no charge of such things as I expected:
19 Instead, what they argued about with him were some teachings that [some] Jews believe [and others do not believe. They argued] about a man whose name was Jesus who had died, [but the man they were accusing, whose name is] Paul, kept saying, ‘Jesus is alive again.’
but only pleaded against him certain disputes about their own mode of religious worship, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 I did not know what questions to ask [them, and I did not know how to judge] concerning their dispute. So I asked Paul, ‘Are you [(sg)] willing to go [back] to Jerusalem and have the dispute [between you and these Jews] judged there {and [let me] judge there the dispute [between you and these Jews]}?’
But being in doubt respecting a question of this sort, I demanded if he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.
21 But Paul answered, ‘[No]. I [am not willing to go to Jerusalem]!
But Paul appealing that he should be reserved for the cognizance of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I should send him to Caesar.
22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, I wish also myself to hear the man. He said, To-morrow thou shalt hear him.
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came very ceremoniously to the assembly hall. Some [Roman] commanders and prominent men in [Caesarea] came with them. Then, Festus told an officer to bring Paul. So after the officer [went to the prison and] brought him,
On the morrow therefore, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with a very splendid retinue, and were entered into the place of audience, with the military tribunes, and the men of superior eminence in the city, then at the order of Festus Paul was produced.
24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all [the rest of you] who are here, you see this man. Many [HYP] Jews in Jerusalem and also those here [in Caesarea] appealed to me, screaming that we [(exc)] should not let him live any longer.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all you, sirs, who are present with us, behold the man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews have set upon me, both at Jerusalem and in this place, clamouring that he ought not to live a moment longer.
25 But [when I asked them to tell me what he had done, and they told me], I found out that he had not done anything for which he should be executed {[anyone should] execute him}. However, he has asked that our emperor [should judge his case], so I have decided to send him to Rome.
But finding on inquiry that he had done nothing worthy of death, and he himself indeed having appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 But I do not know what specifically I should write to the emperor concerning him. That is why I have brought him here. I [want] you all [to hear him speak], and I especially want you [(sg)], King Agrippa, to hear him. Then, after we [(inc)] have questioned him, I may know what I should write [to the emperor about him].
Respecting whom I have nothing determinate to write to my sovereign. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa, that on a fresh examination taken, I might have something to write.
27 It seems to me [that it would be] unreasonable to send a prisoner [to the emperor in Rome without my] specifying the [things about which people] are accusing him.”
For it appears to me highly unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also signify the charges against him.
