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.”
Acts 25
Christian Standard Bible
Appeal to Caesar
25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.(A) 2 The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,(B) 3 asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4 Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.(C) 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”
6 When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, 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 Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,(F) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”
9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,(G) replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?”
10 Paul replied, “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. 11 If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; 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 Then 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 Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14 Since they were staying there several 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 that he be condemned.(I) 16 I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up[a] before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.(J) 17 So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils 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 wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor,[b] I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 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 military 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. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.(N) 25 I found 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 without indicating the charges against him.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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