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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, 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.

6 A nd 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.

So 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.

7 A nd 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:

And 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.

8 P aul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended anything.

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

9 B ut 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?

But 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?

10 B ut 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.

But 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.

11 I f 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.

If 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.

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

Then Festus, when he had consulted with the '> men who formed his] council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.

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

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

14 A nd 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,

And 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;

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

And 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.

16 t o whom I answered, It is not 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.

But 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.

17 W hen 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:

So 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.

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

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

19 b ut 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.

Instead 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.

20 A nd 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?

And 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.

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

But 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.

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

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

23 O n 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.

So 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.

24 A nd 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 that he ought not to live any longer.

Then 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.

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

But 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.

26 c oncerning 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:

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.

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

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