1 F estus then, having arrived in the province, three days later 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 leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging 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 r equesting a concession against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem ( at the same time, setting an ambush 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 then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly.

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

5 “ Therefore,” he said, “let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute 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 fter he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered 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 fter Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not 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 w hile Paul said in his own defense, “ I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

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, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “ Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges ?”

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 Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.

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 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 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 when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall 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 N ow when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

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

14 W hile they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a 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 a nd when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation 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 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

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 S o after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.

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 W hen the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting,

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

19 b ut they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.

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 B eing at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.

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 when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I 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 T hen Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” Paul before Agrippa

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

23 S o, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

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 F estus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring 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 found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I 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 Y et 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.

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 absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”

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