Acts 25
Complete Jewish Bible
25 Three days after Festus had entered the province, he went up from Caesarea to Yerushalayim. 2 There the head cohanim and the Judean leaders informed him of the case against Sha’ul, and they asked him 3 to do them the favor of having the man sent to Yerushalayim. (They had plotted to have him ambushed and killed en route.) 4 Festus replied that Sha’ul was being kept under guard in Caesarea, and that he was about to go there shortly himself. 5 “So,” he said, “let competent men among you come down with me and press charges against the man, if he has done something wrong.”
6 After staying with them at most eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea; and on the following day, he took his seat in court and ordered Sha’ul to be brought in. 7 When he arrived, the Judeans who had come down from Yerushalayim stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him which they could not prove. 8 In reply, Sha’ul said, “I have committed no offense — not against the Torah to which the Jews hold, not against the Temple, and not against the Emperor.”
9 But Festus, wanting to do the Judeans a favor, asked Sha’ul, “Would you be willing to go up to Yerushalayim and be tried before me there on these charges?” 10 Sha’ul replied, “I am standing right now in the court of the Emperor, and this is where I should be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you very well know. 11 If I am a wrongdoer, if I have done something for which I deserve to die, then I am ready to die. But if there is nothing to these charges which they are bringing against me, no one can give me to them just to grant a favor! I appeal to the Emperor!” 12 Then Festus, after talking with his advisers, answered, “You have appealed to the Emperor; you will go to the Emperor!”
13 After some days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were staying on there for some time, Festus had the opportunity to acquaint the king with Sha’ul’s situation. “There is a man here,” he said, “who was left behind in custody by Felix. 15 When I was in Yerushalayim, the head cohanim and the elders of the Judeans informed me about him and asked me to pronounce judgment against him. 16 My answer to them was that it is not the custom with Romans to give up an accused man just to grant a favor, before he has met his accusers face to face and had the opportunity to defend himself against the charge. 17 So when they arrived here with me, I did not delay, but took my seat in court the next day and ordered the man brought in.
18 “When the accusers stood up, instead of charging him with some serious crime as I had expected, 19 they disputed with him about certain points of their own religion, and particularly about somebody called Yeshua, who had died, but who Sha’ul claimed was alive. 20 Being at a loss as to how to investigate such questions, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Yerushalayim and be tried on these matters there. 21 But since Sha’ul appealed to be kept in custody and have his case decided by His Imperial Majesty, I ordered him held until I could send him to the Emperor.”
22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I myself have been wanting to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, “You will hear him.”
23 So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with much pageantry; they entered the audience room accompanied by military commanders and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Sha’ul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa and all of you here with us, do you see this man? The whole Judean community has complained to me about him both in Yerushalayim and here, crying that he shouldn’t be allowed to remain alive. 25 But I discovered that he had done nothing that deserves a death sentence. Now when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 However, I have nothing specific to write to His Majesty about him. This is why I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa — so that after we have examined him, I might have something to write. 27 It seems irrational to me to send a prisoner without also indicating what the charges against him are.”
使徒行传 25
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
保羅上訴凱撒
25 非斯都到任三天之後，就從該撒利亞去耶路撒冷。 2 祭司長和猶太人的首領，到他面前控告保羅。他們又要求非斯都， 3 求他恩准對付保羅，把保羅解來耶路撒冷，他們好埋伏在路上殺死他。 4 非斯都回答：“保羅現今押在該撒利亞，我就要回到那裡去。” 5 又說：“你們中間有權勢的，和我一同去吧！那人若有甚麼不是，他們就可以告他。”
6 非斯都在他們那裡大約逗留了不過十天八天，就回到該撒利亞去。第二天就開庭，吩咐把保羅帶來。 7 保羅一到，那些從耶路撒冷來的猶太人，就站在他周圍，提出許多嚴重的控告，可是所控告的他們都不能證實。 8 保羅申辯說：“無論對猶太人的律法、聖殿或凱撒，我都沒有罪。” 9 但非斯都為要討好猶太人，就問保羅：“你願意去耶路撒冷，讓我在那裡審問這事嗎？” 10 保羅說：“我現在站在凱撒的審判臺前，這裡是我應當受審的地方。我對猶太人並沒有作過甚麼不對的事，這是你清楚知道的。 11 我若作過不對的事，犯過甚麼該死的罪，就是死我也不推辭。不過，如果這些人告我的事不是真的，誰也不可以把我送給他們。我要向凱撒上訴。” 12 非斯都同議會商量後，答覆說：“你既然要向凱撒上訴，可以到凱撒那裡去。”
亞基帕王要聽保羅的案情
13 過了一些日子，亞基帕王和百尼基到該撒利亞來，問候非斯都。 14 他們在那裡逗留了許多天，非斯都把保羅的案情向王陳明，說：“這裡有一個囚犯，是腓力斯留下來的。 15 我在耶路撒冷的時候，祭司長和猶太人的長老控告他，要求把他定罪。 16 我答覆他們說，被告還沒有和原告當面對證，又沒有機會為所控的罪申辯，就被送給對方，羅馬人沒有這個規例。 17 後來他們都到了這裡，我沒有耽延時間，第二天就開庭，吩咐把那人提出來。 18 原告都站在那裡，他們所控訴他的，並不是我所意料的惡事。 19 他們與他爭辯的，只是他們的宗教問題；還論到一位已經死了的耶穌，保羅卻說他是活著的。 20 關於這些爭論，我不知道怎樣處理，就問他願不願意上耶路撒冷去為這些事在那裡受審。 21 但保羅要求把他留下，等待皇上裁判，我就下令把他押起來，等候解往凱撒那裡。” 22 亞基帕對非斯都說：“我也想聽聽這人說些甚麼。”非斯都說：“明天就請你來聽。”
23 第二天，亞基帕和百尼基威風凜凜地來了，同千夫長和城中的顯要進了廳堂。非斯都吩咐一聲，就有人把保羅提出來。 24 非斯都說：“亞基帕王和在座的各位，請看這個人。耶路撒冷和本地的猶太人都向我請求，嚷著說這個人不該活著。 25 我查明他沒有犯甚麼該死的罪，但是他自己既然要向皇上上訴，我就決定把他解去。 26 關於這個人，我沒有甚麼確實的事可以呈奏主上的。所以把他帶到你們面前，特別是你亞基帕王面前，為要在審查之後，有所陳奏。 27 因為我認為解送囚犯，不指明他的罪狀，是不合理的。”
Acts 25
Living Bible
25 Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and other Jewish leaders got hold of him and gave him their story about Paul. 3 They begged him to bring Paul to Jerusalem at once. (Their plan was to waylay and kill him.) 4 But Festus replied that since Paul was at Caesarea and he himself was returning there soon, 5 those with authority in this affair should return with him for the trial.
6 Eight or ten days later he returned to Caesarea and the following day opened Paul’s trial.
7 On Paul’s arrival in court the Jews from Jerusalem gathered around, hurling many serious accusations which they couldn’t prove. 8 Paul denied the charges: “I am not guilty,” he said. “I have not opposed the Jewish laws or desecrated the Temple or rebelled against the Roman government.”
9 Then Festus, anxious to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me?”
10-11 But Paul replied, “No! I demand my privilege of a hearing before the emperor himself. You know very well I am not guilty. If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die! But if I am innocent, neither you nor anyone else has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Festus conferred with his advisors and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you shall go!”
13 A few days later King Agrippa arrived with Bernice[a] for a visit with Festus. 14 During their stay of several days Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and other Jewish leaders gave me their side of the story and asked me to have him killed. 16 Of course I quickly pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict a man before he is tried. He is given an opportunity to defend himself face-to-face with his accusers.
17 “When they came here for the trial, I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18 But the accusations made against him weren’t at all what I supposed they would be. 19 It was something about their religion and about someone called Jesus who died, but Paul insists is alive! 20 I was perplexed as to how to decide a case of this kind and asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. 21 But Paul appealed to Caesar! So I ordered him back to jail until I could arrange to get him to the emperor.”
22 “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said.
And Festus replied, “You shall—tomorrow!”
23 So the next day, after the king and Bernice had arrived at the courtroom with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city, Festus ordered Paul brought in.
24 Then Festus addressed the audience: “King Agrippa and all present,” he said, “this is the man whose death is demanded both by the local Jews and by those in Jerusalem! 25 But in my opinion he has done nothing worthy of death. However, he appealed his case to Caesar, and I have no alternative but to send him. 26 But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no real charge against him! So I have brought him before you all, and especially you, King Agrippa, to examine him and then tell me what to write. 27 For it doesn’t seem reasonable to send a prisoner to the emperor without any charges against him!”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:13 arrived with Bernice. She was his sister.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.