1 N ow when Festus had entered into his own province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,

2 A nd the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid charges before him against Paul, and they kept begging and urging him,

and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him against Paul, and were calling on him,

3 A sking as a favor that he would have him brought to Jerusalem; they were planning an ambush to slay him on the way.

asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.

4 F estus answered that Paul was in custody in Caesarea and that he himself planned to leave for there soon.

Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither,

5 S o, said he, let those who are in a position of authority and are influential among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss or criminal about the man, let them so charge him.

`Therefore those able among you -- saith he -- having come down together, if there be anything in this man -- let them accuse him;'

6 S o when Festus had remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, took his seat the next day on the judgment bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.

and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat upon the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought;

7 A nd when he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood all around him, bringing many grave accusations against him which they were not able to prove.

and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem -- many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,

8 P aul declared in defense, Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in any way.

he making defence -- `Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar -- did I commit any sin.'

9 B ut Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, answered Paul, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be put on trial '> before the Jewish Sanhedrin] in my presence concerning these charges?

And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favour, answering Paul, said, `Art thou willing, to Jerusalem having gone up, there concerning these things to be judged before me?'

10 B ut Paul replied, I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you know better.

and Paul said, `At the tribunal of Caesar I am standing, where it behoveth me to be judged; to Jews I did no unrighteousness, as thou dost also very well know;

11 I f then I am a wrongdoer and a criminal and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not beg off and seek to escape death; but if there is no ground for their accusations against me, no one can give me up and make a present of me '> give me up freely] to them. I appeal to Caesar.

for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!'

12 T hen Festus, when he had consulted with the '> men who formed his] council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.

then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, `To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.'

13 N ow after an interval of some days, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea saluting Festus,

14 A nd while they remained there for many days, Festus acquainted the king with Paul’s case, telling him, There is a man left a prisoner in chains by Felix;

and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, `There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,

15 A nd when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, petitioning for a judicial hearing and condemnation of him.

about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,

16 B ut I replied to them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up freely any man for punishment before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to defend himself concerning the charge brought against him.

unto whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favour of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defence in regard to the charge laid against.

17 S o when they came here together, I did not delay, but on the morrow took my place on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought before me.

`They, therefore, having come together -- I, making no delay, on the succeeding having sat upon the tribunal, did command the man to be brought,

18 w hen the accusers stood up, they brought forward no accusation of any such misconduct as I was expecting.

concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against no accusation of the things I was thinking of,

19 I nstead they had some points of controversy with him about their own religion or superstition and concerning one Jesus, Who had died but Whom Paul kept asserting to be alive.

but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;

20 A nd I, being puzzled to know how to make inquiries into such questions, asked whether he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and there be tried regarding them.

and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things --

21 B ut when Paul had appealed to have his case retained for examination and decision by the emperor, I ordered that he be detained until I could send him to Caesar.

but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I did command him to be kept till I might send him unto Caesar.'

22 T hen Agrippa said to Festus, I also desire to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, replied, you shall hear him.

And Agrippa said unto Festus, `I was wishing also myself to hear the man;' and he said, `To-morrow thou shalt hear him;'

23 S o the next day Agrippa and Bernice approached with great display, and they went into the audience hall accompanied by the military commandants and the prominent citizens of the city. At the order of Festus Paul was brought in.

on the morrow, therefore -- on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered -- Paul was brought forth.

24 T hen Festus said, King Agrippa and all the men present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people came to me and complained, both at Jerusalem and here, insisting and shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

And Festus said, `King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, ye see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews did deal with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer;

25 B ut I found nothing that he had done deserving of death. Still, as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him to Rome.

and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him,

26 I have nothing in particular and definite to write to my lord concerning him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after examination has been made, I may have something to put in writing.

concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to lord, wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;

27 F or it seems to me senseless and absurd to send a prisoner and not state the accusations against him.

for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.'