Acts 25
Christian Standard Bible
Appeal to Caesar
25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.(A) 2 The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,(B) 3 asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.(C) 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”
6 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.(D) 7 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.(E) 8 Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,(F) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”
9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,(G) 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!” (H)
12 Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”
King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus
13 Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14 Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There’s a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned.(I) 16 I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up[a] before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.(J) 17 So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils I was expecting. 19 Instead they had some disagreements(K) with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. 20 Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor,[b] I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow you will hear him,” he replied.(L)
Paul before Agrippa
23 So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice(M) came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. 24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.(N) 25 I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.(O) 26 I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”
Acts 25
Lexham English Bible
Paul Appeals to Caesar
25 Now when[a] Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, 3 asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they[b] were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way. 4 Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go there[c] in a short time. 5 So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,[d] and[e] if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”
6 And after he[f] 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[g] gave orders for Paul to be brought. 7 And when[h] 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, 8 while[i] 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!” 9 But Festus, because he[j] wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and[k] 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[l] and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid[m] 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[n] discussing this[o] with his[p] council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”
Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice
13 Now after[q] some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 And while they were staying there many days, Festus laid out the case against Paul to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left behind by Felix as a prisoner, 15 concerning whom when[r] I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 To them[s] I replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met his[t] accusers face to face and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation. 17 Therefore, when[u] they had assembled here, I made[v] no delay; on the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and[w] gave orders for the man to be brought. 18 When they[x] stood up, his[y] accusers began bringing[z] no charge concerning him[aa] of the evil deeds that I was suspecting, 19 but they had some issues with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. 20 And because[ab] I was at a loss with regard to the investigation concerning these things, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to be judged there concerning these things. 21 But when[ac] Paul appealed that he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 So Agrippa said to Festus, “I want to hear the man myself also.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And when[ad] Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he must not live any longer. 25 But I understood that he had done nothing deserving death himself, and when[ae] this man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.[af] 26 I do not have anything definite to write to my[ag] lord about him.[ah] Therefore I have brought him before you all[ai]—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that after[aj] this preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:1 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“set foot in”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:3 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were preparing ”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:4 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:5 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go down with”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:6 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had stayed”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“arrived”)
- Acts 25:8 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“said in his defense”)
- Acts 25:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“wanted”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:9 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:11 Or “I am in the wrong”
- Acts 25:11 Here the present tense has been translated as conative (“trying to avoid”)
- Acts 25:12 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“discussing”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:12 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:13 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had passed”)
- Acts 25:15 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was”)
- Acts 25:16 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:17 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had assembled”)
- Acts 25:17 Here this participle (“made”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style
- Acts 25:17 Here “and” is supplied because the two previous participles (“made” and “sat down”) have been translated as finite verbs
- Acts 25:18 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“stood up”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:18 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:18 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began bringing”)
- Acts 25:18 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:20 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was at a loss”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“appealed”)
- Acts 25:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“gave the order”)
- Acts 25:25 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“appealed to”)
- Acts 25:25 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:26 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:26 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:26 Here “all” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) is plural
- Acts 25:26 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“has taken place”)
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