Appeal to Caesar

25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.(A) The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,(B) 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. Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.(C) “Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”

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) 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) Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,(F) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

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.”

Footnotes

  1. 25:16 Other mss add to destruction
  2. 25:21 Lit his majesty, also in v. 25

25 Three treis days hēmera after meta arriving epibainō in the ho province eparcheia, Festus Phēstos went up anabainō to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma from apo Caesarea Kaisareia. So te the ho chief archiereus priests and kai the ho Jewish Ioudaios leaders prōtos · ho brought formal charges emphanizō against kata · ho Paul Paulos, · kai begging parakaleō him autos and asking aiteō him to do them a favor charis against kata Paul autos; they urged Festus to transfer metapempō him autos to eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm, for they were forming poieō a plot enedra to kill anaireō him autos along kata the ho way hodos. · ho So oun then Festus Phēstos replied apokrinomai that Paul Paulos was being kept tēreō · ho at eis Caesarea Kaisareia but de that he himself heautou intended mellō to go there ekporeuomai shortly en tachos. · ho So oun,” he said phēmi, “ let your hymeis leaders dynatos go down there with synkatabainō me, and if ei there is eimi in en this ho man anēr anything tis improper atopos, let them bring charges katēgoreō against him autos.”

After he stayed diatribō · de among en them autos not ou more than polys eight oktō or ē ten deka days hēmera, he went katabainō down to eis Caesarea Kaisareia, and the ho next epaurion day he took kathizō his seat on epi the ho judge’ s bēma bench and ordered keleuō · ho Paul Paulos to be brought agō. When he autos arrived paraginomai, · de the ho Jews Ioudaios who had come down katabainō from apo Jerusalem Hierosolyma stood around periistēmi him autos, bringing katapherō many polys and kai serious barys charges aitiōma against katapherō him, which hos they were not ou able ischuō to prove apodeiknymi. · ho Paul Paulos argued in his defense apologeomai, “ Neither oute against eis the ho law nomos of the ho Jews Ioudaios, nor oute against eis the ho temple hieron, nor oute against eis Caesar Kaisar have I committed any tis offense hamartanō.” But de · ho Festus Phēstos, wanting thelō to curry katatithēmi favor charis with katatithēmi the ho Jews Ioudaios, responded apokrinomai to ho Paul Paulos, saying legō, “ Do you want thelō to go up anabainō to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma and there ekei be tried krinō on peri these houtos charges before epi me egō?” 10 Paul Paulos answered legō, · de · ho I am eimi now standing histēmi before epi · ho Caesar’ s Kaisar judgment bēma seat , where hou I egō ought dei to be tried krinō. Against the Jews Ioudaios I have done nothing oudeis wrong adikeō, as hōs · kai you epiginōskō yourself sy know epiginōskō very well kalōs. 11 If ei then oun I am a wrongdoer adikeō and kai have done prassō anything tis worthy axios of death thanatos, I am not ou trying to escape paraiteomai death apothnēskō; but de if ei there is eimi nothing oudeis to their hos charges katēgoreō against me egō, no oudeis one has a right dynamai to turn charizomai me egō over charizomai to them autos. I appeal to epikaleō Caesar Kaisar.” 12 Then tote · ho Festus Phēstos, after conferring syllaleō with meta the ho council symboulion, replied apokrinomai, “ To Caesar Kaisar you have appealed epikaleō; to epi Caesar Kaisar you will go poreuō.”

13 Now de after some tis days hēmera had passed diaginomai, Agrippa Agrippas the ho king basileus and kai Bernice Bernikē came katantaō down to eis Caesarea Kaisareia and paid their respects aspazomai to · ho Festus Phēstos. 14 Since hōs · de they were staying diatribō there ekei several polys days hēmera, · ho Festus Phēstos laid anatithēmi Paul’ s Paulos case kata before anatithēmi the ho king basileus, · ho · ho saying legō, “ There is eimi a tis man anēr left kataleipō by hypo Felix Phēlix, a prisoner desmios. 15 When I egō came ginomai to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma, the ho chief archiereus priests and kai the ho elders presbyteros of the ho Jews Ioudaios informed emphanizō me about peri him hos, asking aiteō for a guilty verdict katadikē against kata him autos. 16 I answered apokrinomai them hos that hoti it was eimi not ou the custom ethos of the Romans Rhōmaios to turn charizomai anyone tis over before prin ē the ho accused katēgoreō has echō met the ho accusers katēgoros face to face kata and te had an opportunity topos to make lambanō his defense apologia against peri the ho charge enklēma. 17 So oun when they autos met synerchomai here enthade, I made poieō no mēdeis delay anabolē, but on the ho next hexēs day took kathizō my seat on epi the ho judge’ s bēma bench and ordered keleuō the ho man anēr to be brought agō. 18 When the ho accusers katēgoros stood up histēmi, they brought pherō no oudeis charge aitia against peri him hos of such hos evils ponēros as I egō was expecting hyponoeō, 19 but de had echō certain tis questions zētēma about peri · ho their idios own religion deisidaimonia to put to pros him autos and kai about peri a certain tis Jesus Iēsous, who was dead thnēskō, whom hos Paul Paulos claimed phaskō · ho to be alive zaō. 20 Since I egō was uncertain aporeō · de · ho about peri how to investigate zētēsis such houtos questions , I asked legō if ei he wanted boulomai to go poreuō to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma to be tried krinō there kakei on peri these houtos charges . 21 · ho But de when Paul Paulos had appealed epikaleō to be kept tēreō in custody for eis the ho decision diagnōsis of the ho emperor sebastos, I ordered keleuō him autos to be held tēreō until heōs hos I could send anapempō him autos to pros Caesar Kaisar.” 22 Then de Agrippa Agrippas said to pros · ho Festus Phēstos, “ I too kai would like boulomai to hear akouō the ho man anthrōpos myself autos.” “ Tomorrow aurion,” said phēmi he , “ you will hear akouō him autos.”

23 So oun on the ho next epaurion day when Agrippa Agrippas and kai Bernice Bernikē came erchomai · ho · ho with meta great polys pomp phantasia and kai entered eiserchomai eis the ho audience akroatērion hall along syn with the commanding chiliarchos officers and kai the ho prominent exochē men anēr of the ho city polis, and kai when Festus Phēstos had given keleuō the order , · ho Paul Paulos was brought agō in . · ho 24 And kai Festus Phēstos said phēmi, · ho King basileus Agrippa Agrippas, and kai all pas · ho men anēr present sympareimi with us hēmeis, you see theōreō this houtos man about peri whom hos the ho whole hapas Jewish Ioudaios people plēthos · ho petitioned entynchanō me egō, both te in en Jerusalem Hierosolyma and kai here enthade, crying boaō out that he autos ought dei not to live zaō any mēketi longer . 25 But de I egō found katalambanō that he autos had done prassō nothing mēdeis worthy axios of death thanatos; and de since he autos himself houtos appealed epikaleō to the ho emperor sebastos, I decided krinō to send pempō him. 26 But I do echō not ou have echō anything tis definite asphalēs about peri him hos to write graphō to my ho lord kyrios. Therefore dio I have brought proagō him autos before epi you hymeis all, and kai especially malista before epi you sy, King basileus Agrippa Agrippas, so hopōs that , when the ho examination anakrisis has been conducted ginomai, I may have echō something tis to write graphō. 27 For gar it seems dokeō unreasonable alogos to me egō, in sending pempō a prisoner desmios, not to sēmainō also kai report sēmainō the ho charges aitia against kata him autos.”