Acts 25

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

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

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

2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

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

3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way.

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

4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

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

5 “Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

6 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.

6 When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

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

7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

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

8 while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

9 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?”

9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

10 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.

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

11 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!”

11 For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

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

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”

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

13 Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

14 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.

14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

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

15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

16 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.

16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

17 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.

17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought.

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

18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed;

19 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.

19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 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.

20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

21 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.”

21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”

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

22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23 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.

23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

24 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.

24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

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

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

26 I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign 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.

26 of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write.

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

27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”