Acts, 25

1. Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

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

2. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

2. There the chief priests and the elders accused Paul again.

3. And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

3. In a very hypocritical way, they asked as a favor from Festus that Paul be brought to Jerusalem; but they were planning to kill him on the way.

4. But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly [thither].

4. Festus answered that Paul was under custody in Caesarea and, as he himself had to go there shortly, he added,

5. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with [me], and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

5. "Let those of you who have the authority go down with me to Caesarea, and if this man has done anything wrong, let them accuse him."

6. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

6. Festus did not stay in Jerusalem for more than eight or ten days, and then he went to Caesarea. The next day, he took his seat on the tribunal and sent for Paul.

7. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

7. When Paul arrived, the Jews who came from Jerusalem stood around him and presented many serious charges which they could not prove.

8. While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

8. Paul defended himself from all these saying, "I have not committed any offense against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple or against Caesar."

9. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

9. Then Festus, who wanted to please the Jews, asked Paul: "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me?"

10. Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

10. Paul answered, "I am on trial before Caesar's tribunal; here I have to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews: you yourself know this very well.

11. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

11. If I have committed any crime which deserves death, I accept death. But if I have not done anything of which they accuse me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

12. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

12. So Festus, after conferring with his council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

13. And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

13. Some days later King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived in Caesarea to greet Festus. As they were to stay there several days, Festus told the king about Paul's case and said to him,

14. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

14. "We have here a man whom Felix left as a prisoner.

15. About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me], desiring [to have] judgment against him.

15. When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews accused him and asked me to sentence him.

16. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

16. I told them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over a man without giving him an opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers.

17. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

17. So they came and I took my seat without delay on the tribunal and sent for the man.

18. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

18. When the accusers had the floor, they did not accuse him of any of the crimes that I was led to think he had committed;

19. But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

19. instead they quarreled with him about religion and about a certain Jesus who has died but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

20. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked [him] whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

20. I did not know what to do about this case, so I asked Paul if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be tried there.

21. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

21. But Paul appealed to be judged by the emperor. So I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar."

22. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

22. Agrippa said to Festus: "I would like to hear that man." Festus answered him: "Tomorrow you shall."

23. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

23. On the following day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with great ceremony and entered the audience hall with the commanders and the elders of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in and said:

24. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and [also] here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

24. "King Agrippa and all here present, here you see this man about whom the whole community of the Jews came to see me, in Jerusalem as well as here, protesting loudly that he must not live.

25. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

25. I, for my part, am convinced that he has not done anything that deserves death. But after he appealed to be judged by the emperor, I decided to send him on.

26. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

26. Well, if I have no definite information, what can I write to Caesar about him? Therefore I present him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that you may examine him and that I may know what to write.

27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes [laid] against him.

27. For it seems absurd to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him."