使徒行传 25
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
保罗在非斯都面前申辩
25 非斯都上任三天后，便从凯撒利亚启程上耶路撒冷。 2 祭司长和犹太人的首领向他控告保罗， 3 恳求他将保罗押回耶路撒冷，他们想在途中埋伏杀害保罗。 4 非斯都却拒绝道：“保罗现在关押在凯撒利亚，我很快会回到那里。 5 让你们的首领跟我一起去吧，如果那人有什么过犯，可以在那里告他。”
6 非斯都在耶路撒冷只逗留了十天八天，便返回了凯撒利亚。第二天，他开庭审讯，命人将保罗带上来。 7 保罗被带来后，那些从耶路撒冷下来的犹太人站在他周围，指控他犯了各样严重的罪，但是都没有证据。 8 保罗为自己辩护说：“我从来没有违背犹太律法，亵渎圣殿或反叛凯撒！” 9 非斯都为了讨好犹太人，就对保罗说：“你是否愿意回耶路撒冷接受我的审讯？”
10 保罗说：“我此刻正站在凯撒的法庭上，这就是我应该受审的地方。你很清楚，我并没有做过什么对不起犹太人的事。 11 如果我做错了，犯了该死的罪，我决不逃避！但他们对我的指控毫无根据，谁也不能把我交给他们。我要向凯撒上诉！”
12 非斯都和议会商讨后，说：“你说要上诉凯撒，就去见凯撒吧！”
非斯都请教亚基帕王
13 过了几天，亚基帕王和百妮姬一起到凯撒利亚问候非斯都。 14 他们在那里住了多日，非斯都对王提起保罗的案子，说：“我这里有一个囚犯，是前任总督腓利斯留下来的。 15 上次我去耶路撒冷的时候，犹太人的祭司长和长老控告他，要求我定他的罪。 16 我告诉他们，按照罗马人的规矩，被告还没有跟原告对质和自辩之前，不能定他的罪。 17 后来他们跟我一起来到这里，我没有耽误，第二天就开庭，吩咐把那人带出来审讯。 18 他们都站起来当面指控他，但所告的并非我料想的罪行， 19 不过是关于他们的宗教和一个叫耶稣的人的一些争论。耶稣已经死了，保罗却说他仍然活着。 20 我不知如何审理这些事情，就问被告是否愿意上耶路撒冷受审。 21 但保罗请求留下来，听皇帝定夺，所以我下令仍然扣留他，等着送交凯撒。”
22 亚基帕对非斯都说：“我想亲自听听他的申诉。”
非斯都说：“你明天就会听到。”
23 第二天，亚基帕和百妮姬在众千夫长和城中达官贵人的陪同下，声势浩大地进了法庭。非斯都下令把保罗带上来后， 24 说：“亚基帕王和在座的各位，你们看，就是这个人，所有的犹太人在这里和耶路撒冷都请求我处死他。 25 但我发现他并没有犯什么该死的罪。既然他要向皇帝上诉，我决定把他押去。 26 只是关于这个人，我没有确切的事由可以奏明皇帝[a]。所以，我把他带到各位面前，特别是亚基帕王面前，以便在审讯之后，我可以有所陈奏。 27 因为在我看来，解送犯人却不奏明罪状不合情理。”
Footnotes
- 25:26 希腊文是“主上”，用于对罗马皇帝的尊称。
Acts 25
The Voice
There are rumors that a large sum of money is at Paul’s disposal—that is, the relief offering for the church in Jerusalem. But Paul does not choose to buy his freedom. Despite the corruption of the government, Paul understands that ultimately his justice is in the hands of God. In the near future, he will appear before the government of Rome, and that encounter will likely lead to his death.
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus traveled south from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2-3 The chief priests and Jewish leaders still had a plan to kill Paul and gave a report to Festus about their unresolved grievances against Paul. They suggested that as a favor to them, Festus should move Paul to Jerusalem. Of course, this was part of the plan to set an ambush for Paul and kill him en route. 4 Festus instead offered to reopen the case. He would be going back to Caesarea soon.
Festus: 5 So let your leaders accompany me, and bring your accusations against the man.
6 Eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea, and the next day he took his seat in court. He ordered Paul to be brought before him. 7 The Jewish opponents from Jerusalem immediately surrounded Paul and from all directions bombarded him with all sorts of serious charges, none of which could be proven.
Paul (quietly and simply): 8 In no way have I committed any offense against Jewish law, against the Jewish temple and all it represents, or against the emperor.
9 Here Festus saw an opportunity to do just the favor Paul’s Jewish opponents had requested.
Festus: Would you like to have your trial in Jerusalem? I’d be willing to try your case there.
Paul: 10-11 If I had committed a capital offense, I would accept my punishment. But I’m sure it’s clear to you that I have done no wrong to the Jews. Since their charges against me are completely empty, it would be wrong to turn me over to them. No, I do not wish to go to Jerusalem. I am appealing to the court of the emperor in Rome.
12 Festus conferred privately with his council and returned with this decision:
Festus: You have appealed to the emperor, so to the emperor you will go.
13 Several days later, the provincial king Agrippa arrived in Caesarea with his wife Bernice to welcome the new governor. 14 Their visit lasted several days, which gave Festus the chance to describe Paul’s case to the king.
Festus: Felix left me some unfinished business involving a prisoner named Paul. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, I got an earful about him from the chief priests and Jewish elders. They wanted me simply to decide against him, 16 but I informed them that we Romans don’t work that way. We don’t condemn a person accused of a crime unless the accusers present their case in person so the accused has ample opportunity to defend himself against the charge. 17 I arranged for them to come here for a proper hearing. In fact, the first day after I returned to Caesarea, I took my seat in court and heard his case without delay. 18 Contrary to my expectations, the accusers brought no substantial charges against him at all. 19 Instead, they were bickering about their own religious beliefs related to a fellow named Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul claimed was raised to life again. 20 I had no idea how to handle a religious squabble pretending to be a legal case, so I suggested Paul be taken to Jerusalem so he could be tried on Jewish turf, so to speak. 21 But Paul refused, and instead he appealed to be kept in custody so the case could be referred to his Imperial Majesty. So I have held him until we can arrange to send him to the emperor.
Agrippa: 22 This sounds interesting. I’d like to hear this fellow in person.
Festus: You will, then. We’ll bring him in tomorrow.
23 The next day, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the great hall with great formality, accompanied by the military commanders and the city’s leading men. Festus ordered Paul to be brought before them.
Festus: 24 King Agrippa and all our honored guests, here is the man who has been charged with wrongdoing by the Jewish community—both in Jerusalem and here. They yelled for his execution, 25 but I found him guilty of no capital offense. Then he appealed to our Imperial Majesty, so I have agreed that he will be sent to Rome. 26-27 Here is where I need your help. I can’t send a man to our emperor without a letter logically detailing the charges against him, but I have no idea what to write. So, King Agrippa, and all of you honored guests, I’m requesting your help in determining what to write in my letter to the emperor.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.