1 F estus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

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

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 chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought 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 grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill 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 therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.

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.”

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

And 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.

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 was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges 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 answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended anything.

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, 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?

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 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.

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 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.

12 T hen when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

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

13 N ow when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

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

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.

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

to 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.

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.

When 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:

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

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

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.

but 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.

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 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?

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 Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall 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

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

On 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.

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.

And 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.

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

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.

concerning 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:

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, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.