When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in.(A) When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove.(B) Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,(C) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,(D) replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?”

10 Paul replied, “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. 11 If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (E)

12 Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

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And after he[a] had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and[b] gave orders for Paul to be brought. And when[c] he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, while[d] Paul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!” But Festus, because he[e] wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and[f] said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 If then I am doing wrong[g] and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid[h] dying. But if there is nothing true of the things which these people are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, after[i] discussing this[j] with his[k] council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:6 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had stayed”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Acts 25:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. Acts 25:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“arrived”)
  4. Acts 25:8 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“said in his defense”)
  5. Acts 25:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“wanted”) which is understood as causal
  6. Acts 25:9 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  7. Acts 25:11 Or “I am in the wrong”
  8. Acts 25:11 Here the present tense has been translated as conative (“trying to avoid”)
  9. Acts 25:12 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“discussing”) which is understood as temporal
  10. Acts 25:12 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  11. Acts 25:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun

After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court(A) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.(B) When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,(C) but they could not prove them.(D)

Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple(E) or against Caesar.”

Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,(F) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”(G)

10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,(H) as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”(I)

12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

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