Acts 25
Lexham English Bible
Paul Appeals to Caesar
25 Now when[a] Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, 3 asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they[b] were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way. 4 Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go there[c] in a short time. 5 So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,[d] and[e] if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”
6 And after he[f] had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and[g] gave orders for Paul to be brought. 7 And when[h] he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, 8 while[i] Paul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!” 9 But Festus, because he[j] wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and[k] said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 If then I am doing wrong[l] and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid[m] dying. But if there is nothing true of the things which these people are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, after[n] discussing this[o] with his[p] council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”
Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice
13 Now after[q] some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 And while they were staying there many days, Festus laid out the case against Paul to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left behind by Felix as a prisoner, 15 concerning whom when[r] I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 To them[s] I replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met his[t] accusers face to face and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation. 17 Therefore, when[u] they had assembled here, I made[v] no delay; on the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and[w] gave orders for the man to be brought. 18 When they[x] stood up, his[y] accusers began bringing[z] no charge concerning him[aa] of the evil deeds that I was suspecting, 19 but they had some issues with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. 20 And because[ab] I was at a loss with regard to the investigation concerning these things, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to be judged there concerning these things. 21 But when[ac] Paul appealed that he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 So Agrippa said to Festus, “I want to hear the man myself also.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And when[ad] Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he must not live any longer. 25 But I understood that he had done nothing deserving death himself, and when[ae] this man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.[af] 26 I do not have anything definite to write to my[ag] lord about him.[ah] Therefore I have brought him before you all[ai]—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that after[aj] this preliminary hearing has taken place, 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 25:1 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“set foot in”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:3 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were preparing ”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:4 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:5 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go down with”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:6 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had stayed”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“arrived”)
- Acts 25:8 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“said in his defense”)
- Acts 25:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“wanted”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:9 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Acts 25:11 Or “I am in the wrong”
- Acts 25:11 Here the present tense has been translated as conative (“trying to avoid”)
- Acts 25:12 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“discussing”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:12 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:13 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had passed”)
- Acts 25:15 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was”)
- Acts 25:16 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:17 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had assembled”)
- Acts 25:17 Here this participle (“made”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style
- Acts 25:17 Here “and” is supplied because the two previous participles (“made” and “sat down”) have been translated as finite verbs
- Acts 25:18 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“stood up”) which is understood as temporal
- Acts 25:18 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:18 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began bringing”)
- Acts 25:18 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:20 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was at a loss”) which is understood as causal
- Acts 25:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“appealed”)
- Acts 25:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“gave the order”)
- Acts 25:25 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“appealed to”)
- Acts 25:25 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Acts 25:26 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Acts 25:26 Literally “whom”
- Acts 25:26 Here “all” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) is plural
- Acts 25:26 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“has taken place”)
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
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
