1 T hree days after Festus had become leader in the country, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem.

وَبَعدَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ مِنْ وُصُولِ فِستُوسَ إلَى الوِلايَةِ، جاءَ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ قَيصَرِيَّةَ إلَى القُدسِ.

2 T he head religious leaders and the leaders of the Jews told Festus what they had against Paul.

وَعَرَضَ كِبارُ الكَهَنَةِ وَقادَةُ اليَهُودِ أمامَ فِستُوسَ اتِّهاماتِهِمْ ضِدَّ بُولُسَ،

3 T hey asked Festus for a favor. They wanted Paul to be brought to Jerusalem because they had plans to kill him on the way.

وَطَلَبُوا مِنهُ أنْ يَصنَعَ مَعَهُمْ مَعرُوفاً بِأنْ يُرسِلَ بُولُسَ إلَى القُدسِ. إذْ كانُوا يَتَآمَرُونَ لِقَتلِهِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ.

4 F estus told them that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea and that he would be going there soon.

فَأجابَ فِسْتُوسُ بِأنَّ بُولُسَ مُحتَجَزٌ فِي قَيصَرِيَّةَ. وَقالَ إنَّهُ سَيَذهَبُ هُوَ نَفسُهُ إلَى قَيصَرِيَّةَ قَرِيباً.

5 F estus said, “If Paul has done anything wrong, let your leaders go along with me and say what they have against him.”

وَقالَ: «لِيَأتِ بَعضُ قادَتِكُمْ مَعِي، وَلْيَعرِضُوا تُهَمَهُمْ ضِدَّ بُولُسَ إنْ كانَ قَدْ أساءَ.»

6 A fter staying with them about ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat in the courtroom and asked for Paul to be brought in.

وَبَعدَ أنْ قَضَى فِستُوسُ ثَمانِيَةَ أوْ عَشْرَةَ أيّامٍ مَعَهُمْ، عادَ إلَى قَيصَرِيَّةَ. وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي جَلَسَ عَلَى كُرسِيِّهِ فِي المَحكَمَةِ، وَأمَرَ بِإحضارِ بُولُسَ.

7 P aul came into the courtroom. The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They said many bad things against him. But they could not prove any of the things they said.

فَلَمّا جاءَ بُولُسُ، وَقَفَ حَولَهُ اليَهُودُ الَّذِينَ جاءُوا مِنَ القُدسِ، وَاشتَكُوا عَلَيهِ بِتُهَمٍ كَثِيرَةٍ خَطِيرَةٍ عَجِزُوا عَنْ إثباتِها.

8 P aul spoke for himself, saying, “I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews or against the house of God or against Caesar.”

أمّا بُولُسُ فَدافَعَ عَنْ نَفسِهِ وَقالَ: «ما أسَأتُ بِشَيءٍ إلَى شَرِيعَةِ اليَهُودِ أوِ الهَيكَلِ أوِ القَيصَرِ.»

9 F estus was hoping to get the respect of the Jews. He asked Paul, “Will you go to the court in Jerusalem and let me say if you are guilty or not about these things?”

لَكِنَّ فِستُوسَ أرادَ أنْ يُرضِيَ اليَهودَ، فَقالَ لِبُولُسَ: «أتُرِيدُ أنْ تَذهَبَ إلَى القدسِ لِتُحاكَمَ عَلَى هَذِهِ التُّهَمِ هُناكَ أمامِي؟»

10 P aul said, “I am standing in front of Caesar’s court where I should be told I am right or wrong. I have done no wrong to the Jews. You know that.

فَقالَ بُولُسُ: «يَنبَغي أنْ أمثُلَ أمامَ مَحكَمَةِ القَيصَرِ، فَهُناكَ يَنْبَغي أنْ أُحاكَمَ. وَأنا لَمْ أُسِئْ إلَى اليَهُودِ بِشَيءٍ، كَما تَعرِفُ أنتَ جَيِّداً.

11 I f I have done wrong and should die, I am not trying to keep from dying. But if these things they say against me are not true, no one can give me over to them. I ask to be taken to Caesar.”

فَإنْ كُنتُ مُذنِباً وَأستَحِقُّ عُقُوبَةَ المَوتِ، فَإنِّي لا أسعَى إلَى الهُروبِ مِنَ المَوتِ. لَكِنْ إنْ لَمْ تَكُنِ التُّهَمُ الَّتِي يُوَجِّهُها إلَيَّ هَؤُلاءِ صَحِيحَةً، فَلا يَقدِرُ أحَدٌ أنْ يُسَلِّمَنِي إلَيْهِمْ. فَأنا أرفَعُ قَضِيَّتِي إلَى القَيصَرِ.»

12 F estus talked to the leaders of the court. Then he said to Paul, “You have asked to be taken to Caesar. You will go to him.” Festus Tells King Agrippa about Paul

وبَعدَ أنْ شاوَرَ فِسْتوسُ مَجلِسَهُ، قالَ: «رَفَعْتَ قَضِّيَتَكَ إلَى القَيصَرِ، فَإلَى القَيصَرِ تَذْهَبُ.» فِسْتُوسُ يَسألُ أغرِيباسَ عَنْ بُولُس

13 A fter a few days, King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, came down to Caesarea. They went to Festus to greet him.

وَبَعدَ مُرُورِ عِدَّةِ أيّامٍ وَصَلَ المَلِكُ أغرِيباسُ وَبَرْنِيكِي إلَى قَيصَرِيَّةَ لِلتَّرحِيبِ بِفِستُوسَ.

14 T hey stayed there a few days. Festus told them about Paul. He said, “There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.

وَبَعدَ أنْ قَضَيا هُناكَ عِدَّةَ أيّامٍ، شَرَحَ فِسْتُوسُ قَضِيَّةَ بُولُسَ لِلمَلِكِ فَقالَ لَهُ: «هُنا رَجُلٌ تَرَكَهُ فِيلِكسُ سَجِيناً.

15 W hen I was at Jerusalem, the head religious leaders and the leaders of the people told me about him and asked me to say that he is guilty.

وَعِندَما كُنتُ فِي القُدسِ، عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ كِبارُ الكَهَنَةِ وَشُيُوخُ اليَهُودِ دَعواهُمْ عَلَيهِ. وَطَلَبُوا مِنِّي أنْ أُدِينَهُ.

16 I told them it was against the Roman law to hand over a man to be put to death before he stood face to face with those who had something against him and could speak for himself.

فَقُلتُ لَهُمْ إنَّهُ لَيسَ مِنْ عادَةِ الرُّومانِ أنْ يُسَلِّمُوا شَخْصاً قَبلَ أنْ تَتِمَّ المُواجَهَةُ بَينَ المُشتَكَى عَلَيهِ وَالمُشتَكينَ. وَيَنبَغِي أنْ يُعطَى المُشتَكَى عَلَيهِ فُرصَةً لِلدِّفاعِ عَنْ نَفسِهِ ضِدَّ التُّهمَةِ المُوَجَّهَةِ إلَيهِ.

17 W hen they came here, I took my seat in the courtroom at once. I had the man brought in.

«فَلَمّا جاءُوا هُنا مَعِي، لَمْ أتَأخَّرْ فِي النَّظَرِ فِي القَضِيَّةِ. بَلْ جَلَستُ فِي اليَومِ التّالِي عَلَى كُرسِيِّ القَضاءِ، وَأمَرتُ بِإحضارِ الرَّجُلِ.

18 W hen the others spoke, they had nothing against him that I thought they had.

«وَلَمّا وَقَفَ الَّذِينَ اتَّهَمُوهُ لِيَتَحَدَّثُوا ضِدَّهُ، لَمْ يَتَّهِمُوهُ بِأيٍّ مِنَ الجَرائِمِ الَّتِي تَوَقَّعتُها.

19 T hey did not agree with him about their own religion, and they argued about someone called Jesus. He had died but Paul kept saying He was alive.

بَلْ تَجادَلُوا مَعَهُ فِي مَسائِلَ تَتَعَلَّقُ بِدِيانَتِهِمْ، وَتَتَعَلَّقُ بِشَخصٍ ما اسْمُهُ يَسُوعُ. وَيَسُوعُ هَذا ماتَ، لَكِنَّ بُولُسَ يَزعُمُ أنَّهُ حَيٌّ.

20 I did not know what to do. Then I asked him if he would go on trial about these things at Jerusalem.

فَاحْتَرتُ فِي كَيفِيَّةِ التَّحقِيقِ فِي هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ. فَسَألتُهُ إنْ كانَ يَوَدُّ أنْ يَذهَبَ إلَى القُدسِ وَيُحاكَمَ هُناكَ عَلَى هَذِهِ التُّهَمِ.

21 B ut Paul asked to go on trial in front of Caesar. I said that he should be kept in prison until he could be sent to Caesar.”

لَكِنْ عِندَما طَلَبَ بُولُسُ أنْ يَبقَى مَحجُوزاً فِي قَيصَرِيَّةَ فِي انتِظارِ قَرارِ الإمبراطُورِ، أمَرتُ بِأنْ يَبقَى مَحجُوزاً إلَى أنْ أتَمَكَّنَ مِنْ إرسالِهِ إلَى القَيصَرِ.»

22 A grippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man.” Festus said, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” Paul Stands in Front of King Agrippa

فَقالَ أًغرِيباسُ لِفِستُوسَ: «أوَدُّ أنْ أستَمِعَ إلَى هَذا الرَّجُلِ بِنَفسِي.» فَقالَ فِستُوسُ: «سَتَستَمِعُ إلَيهِ غَداً.»

23 T he next day Agrippa and Bernice came into the courtroom. They were dressed to show their greatness as king and queen. Army leaders and leading men of the city came in with them. Festus had Paul brought in.

وَهَكَذا جاءَ أغرِيباسُ وَبَرنِيكِي فِي اليَومِ التّالِي فِي أُبَّهَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ، وَدَخَلا إلَى قاعَةِ المُقابَلاتِ مَعَ قادَةِ الجَيشِ وَوُجَهاءِ المَدِينَةِ. وَأصدَرَ فِستُوسُ أمرَهُ، فَأُحضِرَ بُولُسُ.

24 F estus said, “King Agrippa and all of you who are here with us, you see this man. All of the Jews both here and at Jerusalem are saying that Paul should be put to death.

ثُمَّ قالَ فِستُوسُ: «أيُّها المَلِكُ أغرِيباسُ، وَيا كُلَّ الحاضِرِينَ مَعَنا، أنتُمْ تَرَونَ هَذا الرَّجُلَ. لَقَدْ قَدَّمَ إلَيَّ كُلُّ اليَهُودِ فِي القُدسِ وَهُنا أيضاً طَلَباً بِشَأْنِهِ. وَهُمْ يَصرُخُونَ وَيَقولونَ إنَّهُ يَنبَغِي أنْ يَمُوتَ.

25 I have heard nothing against him that would be reason to put him to death. But he asked for a trial in front of Caesar. I have agreed to send Paul to him.

لَكِنِّي وَجَدتُ أنَّهُ لَمْ يَفعَلْ شَيئاً يَستَحِقُّ المَوتَ. وَبِما أنَّهُ رَفَعَ قَضِيَّتَهُ إلَى القَيصَرِ، فَقَدْ قَرَّرتُ أنْ أُرسِلَهُ إلَيهِ.

26 W hen I write to Caesar, I have nothing to say against him. For this reason, I brought him in front of you all and in front of you, King Agrippa. After we ask him questions, I may have something to write about.

لَكِنْ لا يُوجَدُ عِندِي شَيءٌ مُحَدَّدٌ أكتُبُهُ لِلإمبراطُورِ بِشَأْنِهِ. وَلِهَذا أحضَرتُهُ أمامَكُمْ، وَأمامَكَ أنتَ أيُّها المَلِكُ أغرِيباسُ بِشَكلٍ خاصٍّ. وَأنا آمُلُ أنْ يَكُونَ لَدَيَّ بَعدَ هَذا التَّحقِيقِ ما أكتُبُهُ.

27 I t is foolish for me to send a man up for trial without writing what is against him.”

إذْ لا يَبدُو لِي أمراً مَعقُولاً أنْ أُرسِلَ سَجِيناً دُونَ تَحدِيدِ التُّهَمِ المُوَجَّهَةِ إلَيهِ.»