Acts 25
New King James Version
Paul Appeals to Caesar
25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from (A)Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 (B)Then the [a]high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—(C)while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. 4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. 5 “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.”
6 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. 7 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, 8 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.”
9 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
- Acts 25:2 NU chief priests
- Acts 25:16 NU omits to destruction, although it is implied
- Acts 25:18 suspected
- Acts 25:23 pageantry
Acts 25
New American Standard Bible
Paul before Festus
25 Festus, then, after arriving in (A)the province, went up to Jerusalem from (B)Caesarea three days later. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews (C)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with [a]Festus, 3 requesting a [b]concession against [c]Paul, that he might [d]have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, (D)setting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then (E)answered that Paul (F)was being kept in custody in (G)Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you [e]go there with me, and if there is anything wrong [f]about the man, have them bring charges against him.”
6 After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to (H)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on (I)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. 7 After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing (J)many, and serious, charges against him (K)which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “(L)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, (M)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “(N)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and [g]stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s (O)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I (P)appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [h]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”
13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in (Q)Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was (R)left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews (S)brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I (T)replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before (U)the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on (V)the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges [i]against him of crimes that I suspected, 19 but they simply had some (W)points of disagreement with him about their own [j](X)religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 And (Y)being at a loss how to investigate [k]such matters, I [l]asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. 21 But when Paul (Z)appealed to be held in custody for [m]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then (AA)Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul before Agrippa
23 So, on the next day when (AB)Agrippa and (AC)Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, [n]accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom (AD)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that (AE)he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed (AF)nothing deserving death; and since he himself (AG)appealed to [o]the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 [p]Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:2 Lit him
- Acts 25:3 Or favor
- Acts 25:3 Lit him
- Acts 25:3 Lit summon him to Jerusalem
- Acts 25:5 Lit go down
- Acts 25:5 Lit in
- Acts 25:9 Lit be judged
- Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20
- Acts 25:18 Lit in regard to him
- Acts 25:19 Or superstition
- Acts 25:20 Lit these
- Acts 25:20 Lit said
- Acts 25:21 Lit the Augustus’ (in this case Nero)
- Acts 25:23 Lit and with
- Acts 25:25 See note v 21
- Acts 25:26 Lit About whom I
Acts 25
The Voice
There are rumors that a large sum of money is at Paul’s disposal—that is, the relief offering for the church in Jerusalem. But Paul does not choose to buy his freedom. Despite the corruption of the government, Paul understands that ultimately his justice is in the hands of God. In the near future, he will appear before the government of Rome, and that encounter will likely lead to his death.
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus traveled south from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2-3 The chief priests and Jewish leaders still had a plan to kill Paul and gave a report to Festus about their unresolved grievances against Paul. They suggested that as a favor to them, Festus should move Paul to Jerusalem. Of course, this was part of the plan to set an ambush for Paul and kill him en route. 4 Festus instead offered to reopen the case. He would be going back to Caesarea soon.
Festus: 5 So let your leaders accompany me, and bring your accusations against the man.
6 Eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea, and the next day he took his seat in court. He ordered Paul to be brought before him. 7 The Jewish opponents from Jerusalem immediately surrounded Paul and from all directions bombarded him with all sorts of serious charges, none of which could be proven.
Paul (quietly and simply): 8 In no way have I committed any offense against Jewish law, against the Jewish temple and all it represents, or against the emperor.
9 Here Festus saw an opportunity to do just the favor Paul’s Jewish opponents had requested.
Festus: Would you like to have your trial in Jerusalem? I’d be willing to try your case there.
Paul: 10-11 If I had committed a capital offense, I would accept my punishment. But I’m sure it’s clear to you that I have done no wrong to the Jews. Since their charges against me are completely empty, it would be wrong to turn me over to them. No, I do not wish to go to Jerusalem. I am appealing to the court of the emperor in Rome.
12 Festus conferred privately with his council and returned with this decision:
Festus: You have appealed to the emperor, so to the emperor you will go.
13 Several days later, the provincial king Agrippa arrived in Caesarea with his wife Bernice to welcome the new governor. 14 Their visit lasted several days, which gave Festus the chance to describe Paul’s case to the king.
Festus: Felix left me some unfinished business involving a prisoner named Paul. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, I got an earful about him from the chief priests and Jewish elders. They wanted me simply to decide against him, 16 but I informed them that we Romans don’t work that way. We don’t condemn a person accused of a crime unless the accusers present their case in person so the accused has ample opportunity to defend himself against the charge. 17 I arranged for them to come here for a proper hearing. In fact, the first day after I returned to Caesarea, I took my seat in court and heard his case without delay. 18 Contrary to my expectations, the accusers brought no substantial charges against him at all. 19 Instead, they were bickering about their own religious beliefs related to a fellow named Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul claimed was raised to life again. 20 I had no idea how to handle a religious squabble pretending to be a legal case, so I suggested Paul be taken to Jerusalem so he could be tried on Jewish turf, so to speak. 21 But Paul refused, and instead he appealed to be kept in custody so the case could be referred to his Imperial Majesty. So I have held him until we can arrange to send him to the emperor.
Agrippa: 22 This sounds interesting. I’d like to hear this fellow in person.
Festus: You will, then. We’ll bring him in tomorrow.
23 The next day, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the great hall with great formality, accompanied by the military commanders and the city’s leading men. Festus ordered Paul to be brought before them.
Festus: 24 King Agrippa and all our honored guests, here is the man who has been charged with wrongdoing by the Jewish community—both in Jerusalem and here. They yelled for his execution, 25 but I found him guilty of no capital offense. Then he appealed to our Imperial Majesty, so I have agreed that he will be sent to Rome. 26-27 Here is where I need your help. I can’t send a man to our emperor without a letter logically detailing the charges against him, but I have no idea what to write. So, King Agrippa, and all of you honored guests, I’m requesting your help in determining what to write in my letter to the emperor.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.