1 F estus therefore, having come into the province, 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 T hen the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged 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 a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting 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 H owever Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

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

5 “ Let them therefore”, said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them 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 W hen he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and 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 W hen he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges 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 he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

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, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there 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 Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

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 F or if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one 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, when he had conferred with the council, 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 some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

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

14 A s he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left 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 bout whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence 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 that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

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, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat 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, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things 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 certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed 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 perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning 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 had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could 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 grippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

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 and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal 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 men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying 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 when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined 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 O f whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, 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 unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”

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