Πραξεις 25

1 φηστος ουν επιβας τη επαρχια μετα τρεις ημερας ανεβη εις ιεροσολυμα απο καισαρειας

Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

2 ενεφανισαν δε αυτω ο αρχιερευς και οι πρωτοι των ιουδαιων κατα του παυλου και παρεκαλουν αυτον

where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus

3 αιτουμενοι χαριν κατ αυτου οπως μεταπεμψηται αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ ενεδραν ποιουντες ανελειν αυτον κατα την οδον

to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

4 ο μεν ουν φηστος απεκριθη τηρεισθαι τον παυλον εν καισαρεια εαυτον δε μελλειν εν ταχει εκπορευεσθαι

But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.

5 οι ουν δυνατοι εν υμιν φησιν συγκαταβαντες ει τι εστιν εν τω ανδρι τουτω κατηγορειτωσαν αυτου

So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”

6 διατριψας δε εν αυτοις ημερας πλειους η δεκα καταβας εις καισαρειαν τη επαυριον καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσεν τον παυλον αχθηναι

After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.

7 παραγενομενου δε αυτου περιεστησαν οι απο ιεροσολυμων καταβεβηκοτες ιουδαιοι πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα φεροντες κατα του παυλου α ουκ ισχυον αποδειξαι

When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.

8 απολογουμενου αυτου οτι ουτε εις τον νομον των ιουδαιων ουτε εις το ιερον ουτε εις καισαρα τι ημαρτον

Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

9 ο φηστος δε θελων τοις ιουδαιοις χαριν καταθεσθαι αποκριθεις τω παυλω ειπεν θελεις εις ιερουσαλημ αναβας εκει περι τουτων κρινεσθαι επ εμου

But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”

10 ειπεν δε ο παυλος επι του βηματος καισαρος εστως ειμι ου με δει κρινεσθαι ιουδαιους ουδεν ηδικησα ως και συ καλλιον επιγινωσκεις

Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.

11 ει μεν γαρ αδικω και αξιον θανατου πεπραχα τι ου παραιτουμαι το αποθανειν ει δε ουδεν εστιν ων ουτοι κατηγορουσιν μου ουδεις με δυναται αυτοις χαρισασθαι καισαρα επικαλουμαι

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12 τοτε ο φηστος συλλαλησας μετα του συμβουλιου απεκριθη καισαρα επικεκλησαι επι καισαρα πορευση

Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

13 ημερων δε διαγενομενων τινων αγριππας ο βασιλευς και βερνικη κατηντησαν εις καισαρειαν ασπασομενοι τον φηστον

After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

14 ως δε πλειους ημερας διετριβον εκει ο φηστος τω βασιλει ανεθετο τα κατα τον παυλον λεγων ανηρ τις εστιν καταλελειμμενος υπο φηλικος δεσμιος

Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.

15 περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην

While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.

16 προς ους απεκριθην οτι ουκ εστιν εθος ρωμαιοις χαριζεσθαι τινα ανθρωπον εις απωλειαν πριν η ο κατηγορουμενος κατα προσωπον εχοι τους κατηγορους τοπον τε απολογιας λαβοι περι του εγκληματος

I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

17 συνελθοντων ουν αυτων ενθαδε αναβολην μηδεμιαν ποιησαμενος τη εξης καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσα αχθηναι τον ανδρα

So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.

18 περι ου σταθεντες οι κατηγοροι ουδεμιαν αιτιαν επεφερον ων υπενοουν εγω

But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

19 ζητηματα δε τινα περι της ιδιας δεισιδαιμονιας ειχον προς αυτον και περι τινος ιησου τεθνηκοτος ον εφασκεν ο παυλος ζην

They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 απορουμενος δε εγω την περι τουτου ζητησιν ελεγον ει βουλοιτο πορευεσθαι εις ιεροσολυμα κακει κρινεσθαι περι τουτων

Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.

21 του δε παυλου επικαλεσαμενου τηρηθηναι αυτον εις την του σεβαστου διαγνωσιν εκελευσα τηρεισθαι αυτον εως ου πεμψω αυτον προς καισαρα

But when Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 αγριππας δε προς τον φηστον εφη εβουλομην και αυτος του ανθρωπου ακουσαι ο δε αυριον φησιν ακουση αυτου

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.

23 τη ουν επαυριον ελθοντος του αγριππα και της βερνικης μετα πολλης φαντασιας και εισελθοντων εις το ακροατηριον συν τε τοις χιλιαρχοις και ανδρασιν τοις κατ εξοχην ουσιν της πολεως και κελευσαντος του φηστου ηχθη ο παυλος

The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.

24 και φησιν ο φηστος αγριππα βασιλευ και παντες οι συμπαροντες ημιν ανδρες θεωρειτε τουτον περι ου παν το πληθος των ιουδαιων ενετυχον μοι εν τε ιεροσολυμοις και ενθαδε επιβοωντες μη δειν ζην αυτον μηκετι

Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25 εγω δε καταλαβομενος μηδεν αξιον θανατου αυτον πεπραχεναι και αυτου δε τουτου επικαλεσαμενου τον σεβαστον εκρινα πεμπειν αυτον

But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

26 περι ου ασφαλες τι γραψαι τω κυριω ουκ εχω διο προηγαγον αυτον εφ υμων και μαλιστα επι σου βασιλευ αγριππα οπως της ανακρισεως γενομενης σχω τι γραψαι

I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign one about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry I may have something to write.

27 αλογον γαρ μοι δοκει πεμποντα δεσμιον μη και τας κατ αυτου αιτιας σημαναι

For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”