Acts, 25

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

1. Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesare'a.

2. The chief priests and leaders of the Jews informed him of the case against Paul,

2. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him,

3. urgently asking him to support them against him, and to have him transferred to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush to murder him on the way.

3. asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

4. But Festus replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he would be going back there shortly himself.

4. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesare'a, and that he himself intended to go there shortly.

5. He said, 'Let your authorities come down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, they can bring a charge against him.'

5. "So," said he, "let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him."

6. After staying with them for eight or ten days at the most, he went down to Caesarea and the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and had Paul brought in.

6. When he had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesare'a; and the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

7. As soon as Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, making many serious accusations which they were unable to substantiate.

7. And when he had come, the Jews who had gone down from Jerusalem stood about him, bringing against him many serious charges which they could not prove.

8. Paul's defence was this, 'I have committed no offence whatever against either Jewish law, or the Temple, or Caesar.'

8. Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all."

9. Festus was anxious to gain favour with the Jews, so he said to Paul, 'Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?'

9. But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges before me?"

10. But Paul replied, 'I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar and this is where I should be tried. I have done the Jews no wrong, as you very well know.

10. But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried; to the Jews I have done no wrong, as you know very well.

11. If I am guilty of committing any capital crime, I do not ask to be spared the death penalty. But if there is no substance in the accusations these persons bring against me, no one has a right to surrender me to them. I appeal to Caesar.'

11. If then I am a wrongdoer, and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death; but if there is nothing in their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

12. Then Festus conferred with his advisers and replied, 'You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.'

12. Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go."

13. Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

13. Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Berni'ce arrived at Caesare'a to welcome Festus.

14. Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul's case before the king, saying, 'There is a man here whom Felix left behind in custody,

14. And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man left prisoner by Felix;

15. and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation.

15. and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews gave information about him, asking for sentence against him.

16. But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.

16. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any one before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.

17. So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in.

17. When therefore they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in.

18. When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected;

18. When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed;

19. but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive.

19. but they had certain points of dispute with him about their own superstition and about one Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

20. Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue.

20. Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them.

21. But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.'

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

22. Agrippa said to Festus, 'I should like to hear the man myself.' He answered, 'Tomorrow you shall hear him.'

22. And Agrippa said to Festus, "I should like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," said he, "you shall hear him."

23. So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived in great state and entered the audience chamber attended by the tribunes and the city notables; and Festus ordered Paul to be brought in.

23. So on the morrow Agrippa and Berni'ce came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then by command of Festus Paul was brought in.

24. Then Festus said, 'King Agrippa, and all here present with us, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish community has petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, loudly protesting that he ought not to be allowed to remain alive.

24. And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

25. For my own part I am satisfied that he has committed no capital crime, but when he himself appealed to the emperor I decided to send him.

25. But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

26. But I have nothing definite that I can write to his Imperial Majesty about him; that is why I have produced him before you all, and before you in particular, King Agrippa, so that after the examination I may have something to write.

26. But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you, and, especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write.

27. It seems to me pointless to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.'

27. For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."