Acts 25

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

١ بَعْدَ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ لِتَوَلِّي فَسْتُوسَ مَنْصِبَهُ، ذَهَبَ مِنْ قَيْصَرِيَّةَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ.

2 And the high-priest and principal men among the Jews, appeared before him against Paul, and made application to him,

٢ فَجَاءَهُ رَئِيسُ الْكَهَنَةِ وَوُجَهَاءُ الْيَهُودِ وَعَرَضُوا لَهُ دَعْوَاهُمْ ضِدَّ بُولُسَ، وَطَلَبُوا مِنْهُ

3 begging the favor of him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; for they were preparing an ambush to kill him by the way.

٣ بِإِلْحَاحٍ أَنْ يُكْرِمَهُمْ بِإِحْضَارِ بُولُسَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ. وَكَانُوا قَدْ نَصَبُوا لَهُ كَمِيناً عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ لِيَغْتَالُوهُ.

4 But Festus answered, that Paul was in custody at Cesarea, and that he himself should go thither soon.

٤ فَأَجَابَهُمْ فَسْتُوسُ بِأَنَّ بُولُسَ سَيَبْقَى مُحْتَجَزاً فِي قَيْصَرِيَّةَ وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ سَيَعُودُ إِلَيْهَا بَعْدَ فَتْرَةٍ قَصِيرَةٍ.

5 Therefore, said he, let those of you who are able, go down with me, and if there be any thing bad in this man, let them accuse him.

٥ وَقَالَ: «لِيَذْهَبْ مَعِي أَصْحَابُ النُّفُوذِ مِنْكُمْ؛ فَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ ذَنْبٌ مَا، فَلْيَتَّهِمُوهُ بِهِ أَمَامِي!»

6 And when he had staid among them more than ten days, he went down to Cesarea, and the next day sitting on the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought before him.

٦ وَقَضَى فَسْتُوسُ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ أَيَّاماً لَا تَزِيدُ عَلَى الثَّمَانِيَةِ أَوِ الْعَشَرَةِ، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى قَيْصَرِيَّةَ. وَفِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي لِوُصُولِهِ جَلَسَ عَلَى مَنَصَّةِ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَمَرَ بِإِحْضَارِ بُولُسَ.

7 And when he was come, the Jews that came down from Jerusalem, stood round about, bringing many heavy charges against Paul, which they were not able to prove:

٧ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ اجْتَمَعَ حَوْلَهُ الْيَهُودُ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَوَجَّهُوا إِلَيْهِ تُهَماً كَثِيرَةً وَخَطِيرَةً عَجَزُوا عَنْ إِثْبَاتِ صِحَّتِهَا.

8 he answering in his own defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cesar have I committed any offence.

٨ فَدَافَعَ بُولُسُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ قَائِلاً: «لَمْ أَرْتَكِبْ ذَنْباً فِي حَقِّ شَرِيعَةِ الْيَهُودِ، أَوِ الْهَيْكَلِ، أَوِ الْقَيْصَرِ».

9 But Festus, being desirous to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there to be tried concerning these things before me?

٩ وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ أَرَادَ فَسْتُوسُ أَنْ يَكْسِبَ رِضَى الْيَهُودِ، فَسَأَلَ بُولُسَ: «هَلْ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَذْهَبَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ حَيْثُ تَجْرِي مُحَاكَمَتُكَ بِحُضُورِي عَلَى هَذِهِ التُّهَمِ؟»

10 Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as thou very well knowest.

١٠ فَأَجَابَ بُولُسُ: «أَنَا مَاثِلٌ الآنَ فِي مَحْكَمَةِ الْقَيْصَرِ، وَأَمَامَهَا يَجِبُ أَنْ تَجْرِيَ مُحَاكَمَتِي. لَمْ أَرْتَكِبْ ذَنْباً فِي حَقِّ الْيَهُودِ، وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ هَذَا جَيِّداً.

11 For if I am indeed doing them wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be nothing in what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them.

١١ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ ارْتَكَبْتُ جَرِيمَةً أَسْتَحِقُّ عَلَيْهَا عُقُوبَةَ الإِعْدَامِ، لَمَا كُنْتُ أَهْرُبُ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ. وَلكِنْ مَادَامَتْ تُهَمُ هَؤُلاءِ لِي بِلا أَسَاسٍ، فَلا يَحِقُّ لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَنِي إِلَيْهِمْ لِيُحَاكِمُونِي. إِنِّي أَسْتَأْنِفُ دَعْوَايَ إِلَى الْقَيْصَرِ!»

12 I appeal to Cesar. Then Festus, conferring with his council, answered, Hast thou appealed to Cesar? to Cesar thou shalt go.

١٢ وَتَدَاوَلَ فَسْتُوسُ الأَمْرَ مَعَ مُسْتَشَارِيهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِبُولُسَ: «مَادُمْتَ قَدِ اسْتَأْنَفْتَ دَعْوَاكَ إِلَى الْقَيْصَرِ، فَإِلَى الْقَيْصَرِ تَذْهَبُ!»

13 And some days after king Agrippa and Bernice came to Cesarea to salute Festus.

١٣ وَبَعْدَ بِضْعَةِ أَيَّامٍ جَاءَ الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ وَبَرْنِيكِي إِلَى قَيْصَرِيَّةَ لِيُسَلِّمَا عَلَى فَسْتُوسَ.

14 And as they spent several days there, Festus related Paul's case to the king, saying, There is a man left in custody by Felix: concerning whom,

١٤ وَمَكَثَا هُنَاكَ أَيَّاماً عَدِيدَةً. فَعَرَضَ فَسْتُوسُ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ قَضِيَّةَ بُولُسَ قَائِلاً: «هُنَا رَجُلٌ تَرَكَهُ فِيلِكْسُ سَجِيناً.

15 when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews appeared in court, desiring judgement against him.

١٥ وَلَمَّا ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ شَكَاهُ إِلَيَّ رُؤَسَاءُ الْكَهَنَةِ وَالشُّيُوخُ، وَطَالَبُوا بِإِصْدَارِ الْحُكْمِ عَلَيْهِ.

16 To whom I answered, it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, till he that is accused have the accusers face to face, and have an opportunity of making his defence concerning the accusation.

١٦ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ عَادَةِ الرُّومَانِ أَنْ يُصْدِرُوا حُكْماً عَلَى أَحَدٍ قَبْلَ أَن يُوَاجِهَ الَّذِينَ يَتَّهِمُونَهُ، لِتُتَاحَ لَهُ فُرْصَةُ الدِّفَاعِ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ.

17 Therefore when they were come hither, making no delay, I sat on the tribunal the next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me.

١٧ فَلَمَّا جَاءُوا إِلَى هُنَا أَسْرَعْتُ فِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي وعَقَدْتُ جَلْسَةً لِلنَّظَرِ فِي الْقَضِيَّةِ، وَأَمَرْتُ بِإِحْضَارِ الْمُتَّهَمِ.

18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed they would:

١٨ فَلَمَّا قَابَلَهُ مُتَّهِمُوهُ لَمْ يَذْكُرُوا ذَنْباً وَاحِداً مِمَّا كُنْتُ أَتَوَقَّعُ أَنْ يَتَّهِمُوهُ بِهِ،

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

١٩ بَلْ جَادَلُوهُ فِي مَسَائِلَ تَخْتَصُّ بِدِيَانَتِهِمْ وَبِرَجُلٍ اسْمُهُ يَسُوعُ، مَاتَ وبُولُسُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ حَيٌّ!

20 But I being in doubt as to the dispute concerning these matters, asked him, if he would go to Jerusalem, and there be tried concerning these things.

٢٠ فَحِرْتُ فِي الأَمْرِ، وَعَرَضْتُ عَلَى الْمُتَّهَمِ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ وَيُحَاكَمَ هُنَاكَ،

21 But when Paul appealed, to be reserved to the hearing of our sovereign, I ordered him to be kept till I could send him to Cesar.

٢١ إِلّا أَنَّهُ اسْتَأْنَفَ دَعْوَاهُ إِلَى جَلالَةِ الْقَيْصَرِ لِيُحَاكَمَ فِي حَضْرَتِهِ، فَأَمَرْتُ بِحِرَاسَتِهِ حَتَّى أُرْسِلَهُ إِلَى الْقَيْصَرِ».

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, I should be willing to hear the man myself. And he said, thou shalt hear him to-morrow.

٢٢ فَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِفَسْتُوسَ: «أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَسْمَعَ مَا يَقُولُهُ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ». فَأَجَابَ: «غَداً تَسْمَعُهُ».

23 The next day therefore, Agrippa and Bernice coming with much pomp, and entering into the court, together with the chief officers, and men of greatest eminence in the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

٢٣ وَفِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي جَاءَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ وَبَرْنِيكِي، وَاسْتُقْبِلا بِاحْتِفَالٍ بَاذِخٍ، إِذْ دَخَلا قَاعَةَ الاسْتِمَاعِ يُحِيطُ بِهِمَا الْقَادَةُ الْعَسْكَرِيُّونَ وَوُجَهَاءُ الْمَدِينَةِ. وَأَمَرَ فَسْتُوسُ بِإِحْضَارِ بُولُسَ.

24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all that are here present with us, ye see this man, concerning whom all the Jews have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out, that he ought not to live.

٢٤ فَلَمَّا أُحْضِرَ قَالَ فَسْتُوسُ: «أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ، وَالسَّادَةُ الْحَاضِرُونَ هُنَا جَمِيعاً: أَمَامَكُمْ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي شَكَاهُ إِلَيَّ الشَّعْبُ الْيَهُودِيُّ كُلُّهُ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ وَهُمْ يَصْرُخُونَ أَنَّهُ يَجِبُ أَلّا يَبْقَى حَيًّا

25 But when I found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and as he himself has appealed to the emperor, I have determined to send him.

٢٥ وَتَبَيَّنَ لِي أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا يَسْتَحِقُّ الإِعْدَامَ. وَلَكِنَّهُ اسْتَأْنَفَ دَعْوَاهُ إِلَى جَلالَةِ الْقَيْصَرِ، فَقَرَّرْتُ أَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ إِلَيْهِ.

26 Concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to our sovereign: wherefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that after examination is made I may have somewhat to write.

٢٦ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ لِي شَيْءٌ أَكِيدٌ أَكْتُبُهُ إِلَى جَلالَةِ الْقَيْصَرِ بِشَأْنِهِ. لِذَلِكَ أَحْضَرْتُهُ أَمَامَكُمْ جَمِيعاً، وَخَاصَّةً أَمَامَكَ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ، حَتَّى إِذَا تَمَّ النَّظَرُ فِي قَضِيَّتِهِ أَجِدُ مَا أَكْتُبُهُ.

27 For it seems to me absurd, to send a prisoner and not to signify the crimes laid against him."

٢٧ فَمِنْ غَيْرِ الْمَعْقُولِ، كَمَا أَرَى، أَنْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَى الْقَيْصَرِ سَجِيناً دُونَ تَحْدِيدِ التُّهَمِ الْمُوَجَّهَةِ إِلَيْهِ!»