Acts 25
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1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.2Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,
3They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.3asking him to do them a favor against Paul, that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him.
4Festus answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.4However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly."
5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there."5Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man."
6After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.6When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge's bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in.
7When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.7When 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,
8Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."8while Paul made the defense that, "Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all."
9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?"9Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews, replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?"
10Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.10But Paul said: "I am standing at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well.
11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"11If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"
12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"12After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"
13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.13After some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus.
14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.14Since they stayed there many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, "There's a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix.
15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a judgment against him.
16"I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.16I answered them that it's not the Romans' custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges.
17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.17Therefore, when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I sat at the judge's bench and ordered the man to be brought in.
18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.18Concerning him, the accusers stood up and brought no charge of the sort I was expecting.
19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.19Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive.
20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there concerning these matters.
21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar."
22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." He replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him."22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself."" Tomorrow you will hear him," he replied.
23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in.
24Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.24Then Festus said: "King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.
25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.25Now I realized that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write.26I 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.
27For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him."27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him."
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Acts 24
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