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Pablo apela a César

25 Llegado, pues, Festo a la provincia, subió de Cesarea a Jerusalén tres días después. Y los principales sacerdotes y los más influyentes de los judíos se presentaron ante él contra Pablo, y le rogaron, pidiendo contra él, como gracia, que le hiciese traer a Jerusalén; preparando ellos una celada para matarle en el camino. Pero Festo respondió que Pablo estaba custodiado en Cesarea, adonde él mismo partiría en breve. Los que de vosotros puedan, dijo, desciendan conmigo, y si hay algún crimen en este hombre, acúsenle.

Y deteniéndose entre ellos no más de ocho o diez días, venido a Cesarea, al siguiente día se sentó en el tribunal, y mandó que fuese traído Pablo. Cuando este llegó, lo rodearon los judíos que habían venido de Jerusalén, presentando contra él muchas y graves acusaciones, las cuales no podían probar; alegando Pablo en su defensa: Ni contra la ley de los judíos, ni contra el templo, ni contra César he pecado en nada. Pero Festo, queriendo congraciarse con los judíos, respondiendo a Pablo dijo: ¿Quieres subir a Jerusalén, y allá ser juzgado de estas cosas delante de mí? 10 Pablo dijo: Ante el tribunal de César estoy, donde debo ser juzgado. A los judíos no les he hecho ningún agravio, como tú sabes muy bien. 11 Porque si algún agravio, o cosa alguna digna de muerte he hecho, no rehúso morir; pero si nada hay de las cosas de que estos me acusan, nadie puede entregarme a ellos. A César apelo. 12 Entonces Festo, habiendo hablado con el consejo, respondió: A César has apelado; a César irás.

Pablo ante Agripa y Berenice

13 Pasados algunos días, el rey Agripa y Berenice vinieron a Cesarea para saludar a Festo. 14 Y como estuvieron allí muchos días, Festo expuso al rey la causa de Pablo, diciendo: Un hombre ha sido dejado preso por Félix, 15 respecto al cual, cuando fui a Jerusalén, se me presentaron los principales sacerdotes y los ancianos de los judíos, pidiendo condenación contra él. 16 A estos respondí que no es costumbre de los romanos entregar alguno a la muerte antes que el acusado tenga delante a sus acusadores, y pueda defenderse de la acusación. 17 Así que, habiendo venido ellos juntos acá, sin ninguna dilación, al día siguiente, sentado en el tribunal, mandé traer al hombre. 18 Y estando presentes los acusadores, ningún cargo presentaron de los que yo sospechaba, 19 sino que tenían contra él ciertas cuestiones acerca de su religión, y de un cierto Jesús, ya muerto, el que Pablo afirmaba estar vivo. 20 Yo, dudando en cuestión semejante, le pregunté si quería ir a Jerusalén y allá ser juzgado de estas cosas. 21 Mas como Pablo apeló para que se le reservase para el conocimiento de Augusto, mandé que le custodiasen hasta que le enviara yo a César. 22 Entonces Agripa dijo a Festo: Yo también quisiera oír a ese hombre. Y él le dijo: Mañana le oirás.

23 Al otro día, viniendo Agripa y Berenice con mucha pompa, y entrando en la audiencia con los tribunos y principales hombres de la ciudad, por mandato de Festo fue traído Pablo. 24 Entonces Festo dijo: Rey Agripa, y todos los varones que estáis aquí juntos con nosotros, aquí tenéis a este hombre, respecto del cual toda la multitud de los judíos me ha demandado en Jerusalén y aquí, dando voces que no debe vivir más. 25 Pero yo, hallando que ninguna cosa digna de muerte ha hecho, y como él mismo apeló a Augusto, he determinado enviarle a él. 26 Como no tengo cosa cierta que escribir a mi señor, le he traído ante vosotros, y mayormente ante ti, oh rey Agripa, para que después de examinarle, tenga yo qué escribir. 27 Porque me parece fuera de razón enviar un preso, y no informar de los cargos que haya en su contra.

Paul Before Festus

25 Festus then, having arrived in (A)the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from (B)Caesarea. And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews (C)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with him, requesting a favor against [a]Paul, that he might [b]have him brought to Jerusalem (while they (D)set an ambush to kill him on the way). Festus then (E)answered that Paul (F)was being kept in custody at (G)Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. “Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong [c]about the man, let them accuse him.”

And after he had spent not 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 judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. And 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, while Paul said in his own defense, “(L)I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” But Festus, (M)wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “(N)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and to be tried before me on these matters?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s (O)judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I (P)appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [d]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

Festus and Agrippa Discuss Paul’s Trial

13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at (Q)Caesarea [e]and greeted Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was (R)left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at 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)answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man 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 judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing any charges against him for the evil deeds I was expecting, 19 but they had some (W)points of disagreement with him about their own [f](X)religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 (Y)And being perplexed about how to investigate [g]such matters, I was asking whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be tried on these matters. 21 But when Paul (Z)appealed to be held in custody for [h]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to 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 and Bernice

23 So, on the next day when (AB)Agrippa came [i]together with (AC)Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the hall [j]accompanied by the [k]commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom (AD)all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that (AE)he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed (AF)nothing worthy of death, and since he himself (AG)appealed to [l]the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 [m]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 also the charges against him.”

Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:3 Lit him
  2. Acts 25:3 Lit send for him to Jerusalem
  3. Acts 25:5 Lit in
  4. Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20
  5. Acts 25:13 Lit greeting Festus
  6. Acts 25:19 Or superstition
  7. Acts 25:20 Lit these
  8. Acts 25:21 Lit the Augustus’ (in this case Nero)
  9. Acts 25:23 Lit and Bernice
  10. Acts 25:23 Lit and with
  11. Acts 25:23 Military leader over 1,000 soldiers
  12. Acts 25:25 v 21, note 1
  13. Acts 25:26 Lit About whom I have nothing definite