Acts 25

1So Festus, having come into that part of the country which was under his rule, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

1Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2And the chief priests and the chief men of the Jews made statements against Paul,

2And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,

3Requesting Festus to give effect to their design against him, and send him to Jerusalem, when they would be waiting to put him to death on the way.

3asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.

4But Festus, in answer, said that Paul was being kept in prison at Caesarea, and that in a short time he himself was going there.

4Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.

5So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.

5Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.

6And when he had been with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the day after, he took his place on the judge's seat, and sent for Paul.

6And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

7And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.

7And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:

8Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.

8Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.

9But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?

9But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?

10And Paul said, I am before the seat of Caesar's authority where it is right for me to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you are well able to see.

10But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

11If, then, I am a wrongdoer and there is a cause of death in me, I am ready for death: if it is not as they say against me, no man may give me up to them. Let my cause come before Caesar.

11If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

12Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.

12Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.

13Now when some days had gone by, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea and went to see Festus.

13And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.

14And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix:

14And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,

15Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him.

15concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:

16To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.

16to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.

17So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat and sent for the man.

17When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought:

18But when they got up they said nothing about such crimes as I had in mind:

18concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;

19But had certain questions against him in connection with their religion, and about one Jesus, now dead, who, Paul said, was living.

19but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.

20And as I had not enough knowledge for the discussion of these things, I made the suggestion to him to go to Jerusalem and be judged there.

20And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?

21But when Paul made a request that he might be judged by Caesar, I gave orders for him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

21But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar.

22And Agrippa said to Festus, I have a desire to give the man a hearing myself. Tomorrow, he said, you may give him a hearing.

22And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23So on the day after, when Agrippa and Bernice in great glory had come into the public place of hearing, with the chief of the army and the chief men of the town, at the order of Festus, Paul was sent for.

23On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.

24And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer.

24And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer.

25But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him.

25But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him;

26But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to put in writing.

26concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write:

27For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.

27for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.