< Πραξεις 25 >

1 φηστος ουν επιβας τη επαρχια μετα τρεις ημερας ανεβη εις ιεροσολυμα απο καισαρειας
Three days after Festus had arrived in his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.
2 ενεφανισαν δε αυτω ο αρχιερευς και οι πρωτοι των ιουδαιων κατα του παυλου και παρεκαλουν αυτον
There the chief priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,
3 αιτουμενοι χαριν κατ αυτου οπως μεταπεμψηται αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ ενεδραν ποιουντες ανελειν αυτον κατα την οδον
and asked a favor of him, to Paul’s injury – to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.
4 ο μεν ουν φηστος απεκριθη τηρεισθαι τον παυλον εν καισαρεια εαυτον δε μελλειν εν ταχει εκπορευεσθαι
But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.
5 οι ουν δυνατοι εν υμιν φησιν συγκαταβαντες ει τι εστιν εν τω ανδρι τουτω κατηγορειτωσαν αυτου
“So let the influential men among you,” he said, “go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it.”
6 διατριψας δε εν αυτοις ημερας πλειους η δεκα καταβας εις καισαρειαν τη επαυριον καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσεν τον παυλον αχθηναι
After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.
7 παραγενομενου δε αυτου περιεστησαν οι απο ιεροσολυμων καταβεβηκοτες ιουδαιοι πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα φεροντες κατα του παυλου α ουκ ισχυον αποδειξαι
On Paul’s appearance, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.
8 απολογουμενου αυτου οτι ουτε εις τον νομον των ιουδαιων ουτε εις το ιερον ουτε εις καισαρα τι ημαρτον
Paul’s answer to the charge was – ‘I have not committed any offense against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.’
9 ο φηστος δε τοις ιουδαιοις θελων χαριν καταθεσθαι αποκριθεις τω παυλω ειπεν θελεις εις ιεροσολυμα αναβας εκει περι τουτων κρινεσθαι επ εμου
But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?”
10 ειπεν δε ο παυλος επι του βηματος καισαρος εστως ειμι ου με δει κρινεσθαι ιουδαιους ουδεν ηδικησα ως και συ καλλιον επιγινωσκεις
“No,” replied Paul, “I am standing at the Emperor’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware.
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 breaking the law and have committed any offense deserving death, I do not ask to escape the penalty; but, if there is nothing in the accusations of these people, no one has the power to give me up to them. I appeal to the Emperor.”
12 τοτε ο φηστος συλλαλησας μετα του συμβουλιου απεκριθη καισαρα επικεκλησαι επι καισαρα πορευση
Festus, after conferring with his Council, answered, “You have appealed to the Emperor; to the Emperor you will go.”
13 ημερων δε διαγενομενων τινων αγριππας ο βασιλευς και βερνικη κατηντησαν εις καισαρειαν ασπασαμενοι τον φηστον
Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, and paid a visit of congratulation to Festus;
14 ως δε πλειους ημερας διετριβεν εκει ο φηστος τω βασιλει ανεθετο τα κατα τον παυλον λεγων ανηρ τις εστιν καταλελειμμενος υπο φηλικος δεσμιος
and, as they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. “There is a man here,” he said, “left a prisoner by Felix,
15 περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην
about whom, when I came to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priest and the elders laid an information, demanding 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
My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up anyone to their accusers until the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against them.
17 συνελθοντων ουν αυτων ενθαδε αναβολην μηδεμιαν ποιησαμενος τη εξης καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσα αχθηναι τον ανδρα
So they met here, and without loss of time I took my seat on the Bench the very next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me.
18 περι ου σταθεντες οι κατηγοροι ουδεμιαν αιτιαν επεφερον ων υπενοουν εγω
But, when his accusers came forward, they brought no charge of wrongdoing such as I had expected;
19 ζητηματα δε τινα περι της ιδιας δεισιδαιμονιας ειχον προς αυτον και περι τινος ιησου τεθνηκοτος ον εφασκεν ο παυλος ζην
but I found that there were certain questions in dispute between them about their own religion, and about some dead man called Jesus, whom Paul declared to be alive.
20 απορουμενος δε εγω την περι τουτου ζητησιν ελεγον ει βουλοιτο πορευεσθαι εις ιερουσαλημ κακει κρινεσθαι περι τουτων
And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be put on trial there.
21 του δε παυλου επικαλεσαμενου τηρηθηναι αυτον εις την του σεβαστου διαγνωσιν εκελευσα τηρεισθαι αυτον εως ου πεμψω αυτον προς καισαρα
Paul, however, appealed to have his case reserved for the consideration of his August Majesty, so I ordered him to be detained in custody, until I could send him to the Emperor.”
22 αγριππας δε προς τον φηστον εφη εβουλομην και αυτος του ανθρωπου ακουσαι ο δε αυριον φησιν ακουση αυτου
“I should like to hear this man myself,” Agrippa said to Festus. “You will hear him tomorrow,” Festus answered.
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
So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.
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 here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live.
25 εγω δε καταλαβομενος μηδεν αξιον θανατου αυτον πεπραχεναι και αυτου δε τουτου επικαλεσαμενου τον σεβαστον εκρινα πεμπειν αυτον
I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, 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
But I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.
27 αλογον γαρ μοι δοκει πεμποντα δεσμιον μη και τας κατ αυτου αιτιας σημαναι
For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner, without at the same time stating the charges made against him.”

< Πραξεις 25 >