Paul Appeals to Caesar

25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from (A)Caesarea to Jerusalem. (B)Then the [a]high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—(C)while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see (D)if there is any fault in him.”

And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about (E)and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, while he answered for himself, (F)“Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

But Festus, (G)wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, (H)“Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”

10 So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 (I)For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. (J)I appeal to Caesar.”

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”

Paul Before Agrippa

13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: (K)“There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 (L)about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 (M)To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man [b]to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ 17 Therefore when they had come together, (N)without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I [c]supposed, 19 (O)but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul (P)appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then (Q)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”

“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great [d]pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command (R)Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom (S)the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was (T)not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that (U)he had committed nothing deserving of death, (V)and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:2 NU chief priests
  2. Acts 25:16 NU omits to destruction, although it is implied
  3. Acts 25:18 suspected
  4. Acts 25:23 pageantry

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.”