After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to (A)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on (B)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing (C)many, and serious, charges against him (D)which they could not prove, while Paul said in his own defense, “(E)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” But Festus, (F)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “(G)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and [a]stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s (H)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 (I)appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [b]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:9 Lit be judged
  2. Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20

Festus[a] stayed with them no more than eight or ten days and then went down to Caesarea. The next day, he sat on the judge’s seat and ordered Paul brought in. When Paul[b] arrived, the Jewish leaders[c] who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and began bringing a number of serious charges against him that they couldn’t prove. Paul said in his defense, “I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews, or of the Temple, or of the emperor.”

Then Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders[d] a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried there before me on these charges?”

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the emperor’s judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jewish leaders,[e] as you know very well. 11 If I’m guilty and have done something that deserves death, I’m willing to die. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to the emperor!”

12 Festus talked it over with the council and then answered, “To the emperor you have appealed; to the emperor you will go!”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:6 Lit. He
  2. Acts 25:7 Lit. he
  3. Acts 25:7 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  4. Acts 25:9 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  5. Acts 25:10 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews