Acts 25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Appeal to Caesar
25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.(A) 2 Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,(B) 3 asking him to do them a favor against Paul,[a] that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.(C) 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man.”
6 When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge’s bench, 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 while Paul made the defense that, “Neither against the Jewish law,(F) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all.”
9 Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews,(G) replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?”
10 But Paul said: “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. 11 If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, 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 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 After some days had passed, King Agrippa[b] and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14 Since they stayed there many 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 for a judgment against him.(I) 16 I answered them that it’s not the Romans’ custom to give any man up[c] before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges.(J) 17 Therefore, when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I sat at the judge’s bench and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 Concerning him, the accusers stood up and brought no charge of the sort 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 wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then 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 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 about whom the whole Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.(N) 25 Now I realized 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 and not to indicate the charges against him.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:3 Lit asking a favor against him
- Acts 25:13 Herod Agrippa II ruled Palestine a.d. 52–ca 95.
- Acts 25:16 Other mss add to destruction
Mga Gawa 25
Magandang Balita Biblia
Naghabol si Pablo sa Emperador
25 Dumating si Festo sa lalawigang pangangasiwaan niya at pagkaraan ng tatlong araw, pumunta siya sa Jerusalem mula sa Cesarea. 2 Lumapit sa kanya ang mga punong pari at ang mga pinuno ng mga Judio, at idinulog ang kanilang reklamo laban kay Pablo. 3 Dahil may balak silang tambangan at patayin si Pablo, nagmakaawa sila sa gobernador na ipatawag ito sa Jerusalem. 4 Sumagot si Festo, “Si Pablo'y nakabilanggo sa Cesarea at babalik ako roon sa madaling panahon. 5 Pasamahin ninyo sa akin ang inyong mga pinuno, kung totoong may kasalanan siya, saka ninyo siya isakdal.”
6 Nagpalipas pa si Festo ng walo o sampung araw sa Jerusalem, saka bumalik sa Cesarea. Kinabukasan, umupo siya sa hukuman at nag-utos na iharap sa kanya si Pablo. 7 Pagdating ni Pablo, pinaligiran siya ng mga Judiong galing sa Jerusalem. Nagharap sila ng maraming mabibigat na paratang laban sa kanya, ngunit hindi nila napatunayan ang mga iyon. 8 Sinabi ni Pablo bilang pagtatanggol sa sarili, “Wala akong ginawang labag sa Kautusan ng mga Judio, ni laban sa Templo, o sa Emperador.”
9 Nais ni Festo na pagbigyan ang mga Judio, kaya't tinanong niya si Pablo, “Nais mo bang pumunta sa Jerusalem upang doon kita litisin?”
10 Sumagot si Pablo, “Naririto ako sa harap ng hukuman ng Emperador; dito ako dapat litisin. Wala akong nagawang pagkakasala sa mga Judio at iyan ay nalalaman ninyo. 11 Kung ako ay lumabag sa batas o nakagawa ng anumang bagay na dahil dito'y dapat akong parusahan ng kamatayan, hindi ako tututol. Ngunit kung walang katotohanan ang mga paratang nila sa akin, hindi ako dapat ibigay sa kanila. Sa Emperador ako dudulog.”
12 Sumangguni si Festo sa kanyang mga tagapayo, at pagkatapos ay sinabi, “Yamang sa Emperador mo gustong dumulog, sa Emperador ka pupunta.”
Isinangguni ni Festo kay Agripa ang Kaso ni Pablo
13 Makalipas ang ilang araw, dumating sa Cesarea si Haring Agripa at si Bernice upang bumati kay Festo. 14 Nang matagal-tagal na sila roon, isinalaysay ni Festo sa hari ang tungkol kay Pablo. Sinabi ni Festo kay Haring Agripa, “Si Felix ay may iniwan ditong isang bilanggo. 15 Nang ako'y nasa Jerusalem, inireklamo ito sa akin ng mga punong pari at ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio at hininging parusahan siya. 16 Sinagot ko silang hindi kaugaliang Romano ang magparusa sa sinumang inirereklamo hangga't hindi niya nakakaharap ang mga nagsasakdal sa kanya at naipagtatanggol ang kanyang sarili laban sa paratang. 17 Kaya't nang dumating sila rito, hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng panahon; kinabukasan din, ipinatawag ko siya sa hukuman. 18 Nang tumayo ang mga nagsasakdal, hindi nila siya pinaratangan ng anumang mabigat na pagkakasala na inaakala kong ipaparatang nila. 19 Ang pinagtatalunan nila ay tungkol sa kanilang relihiyon at sa isang tao na ang pangala'y Jesus na patay na, ngunit iginigiit ni Pablo na buháy. 20 Hindi ko alam kung paano sisiyasatin ang bagay na ito, kaya't tinanong ko si Pablo kung nais niyang sa Jerusalem siya litisin. 21 Ngunit tumutol siya at hiniling na ipaubaya sa Emperador ang pagpapasya sa kanyang kaso. Dahil dito, pinabantayan ko siya upang ipadala sa Emperador.”
22 Sinabi ni Agripa kay Festo, “Gusto kong mapakinggan ang taong iyan.”
“Mapapakinggan mo siya bukas,” tugon naman ni Festo.
Iniharap si Pablo kina Agripa at Bernice
23 Kinabukasan, dumating sina Agripa at Bernice, kasama ang matataas na punong kawal at ang mga tanyag na tao sa lungsod. Buong karangyaan silang pumasok sa bulwagan ng hukuman at iniutos ni Festo na si Pablo'y iharap sa kanila. 24 Sinabi ni Festo, “Haring Agripa, at lahat ng naririto, narito po ang lalaking isinakdal sa akin ng mga Judio rito at sa Jerusalem. Ipinagsisigawan nilang hindi siya dapat mabuhay. 25 Ngunit sa pagsisiyasat ko'y wala akong makitang dahilan upang parusahan siya ng kamatayan. Dahil nais niyang dumulog sa Emperador, ipinasya kong ipadala siya roon. 26 Subalit wala akong tiyak na maisulat sa Emperador tungkol sa taong ito. Kaya iniharap ko siya sa inyo, lalung-lalo na sa iyo, Haring Agripa, upang may maisulat ako pagkatapos na siya'y masiyasat natin. 27 Sa palagay ko'y hindi nararapat ipadala sa Emperador ang isang bilanggo nang hindi inilalahad ang mga reklamo laban sa kanya.”
Acts 25
Tree of Life Version
Appeal to Caesar
25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 There the ruling kohanim and the leading Judeans brought charges against Paul. They were urging him, 3 asking a favor—to have Paul sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the road.
4 Festus then answered that Paul was being guarded at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. 5 “So then,” he said, “let the prominent men among you go down with me; and if there is any wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
6 After spending not more than eight to ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. 7 When he arrived, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many serious charges which they could not prove.
8 Paul said in his defense, “I have committed no offense against the Torah of the Jewish people, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.”
9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me?”
10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you very well know. 11 If then I am in the wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Then when Festus had consulted with the council, he responded, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you shall go!”
Festus Seeks Agrippa’s Counsel
13 Now after several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 While they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left behind as a prisoner by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the ruling kohanim and elders of the Judeans brought charges against him, asking for a judgment against him. 16 I answered them that it is not Roman practice to turn over anyone before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense concerning the charges. 17 So when they came together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing a charge of what crimes I suspected. 19 Instead, they had certain issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Yeshua, who had died, whom Paul claimed to be alive.
20 “Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there in regard to them. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry. They entered the audience hall with the commanders and the most prominent men of the city. Then at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 Festus said, “King Agrippa and all present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Judean population petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting out that he ought not live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and when he himself appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 Yet I have nothing specific to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that after the investigation has taken place, I might have something to write. 27 For it seems illogical to me when sending a prisoner, not to report also the charges against him.”
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