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Festus travels to Jerusalem to speak to the leaders of the Jews

25 Three days after Festus began to rule in Caesarea, he travelled from there to Jerusalem. ² When he arrived there, the leaders of the priests and the Jewish leaders told him about Paul. They spoke bad things against Paul. ³ They said to Festus, ‘Please listen to us. We really want you to bring Paul here to Jerusalem. You can judge him here. Then we would be very happy.’ They wanted to kill Paul while he was travelling to Jerusalem.

⁴ But Festus answered them, ‘Paul will remain in prison in Caesarea. I myself will return there soon. ⁵ So your leaders should go to Caesarea with me. If this man has done anything wrong, they can speak against him there. I will listen and I will judge.’

⁶ Festus stayed for another eight or ten days in Jerusalem. Then he returned to Caesarea. On the next day, he sat down on his special seat as judge. He said to his soldiers, ‘Bring Paul here!’ ⁷ Some of the Jewish leaders had also come from Jerusalem. When Paul came into the room, they all stood round him. They began to speak to Festus against Paul. They said that he had done very many bad things. But they could not show Festus that these things were really true.

⁸ Then Paul spoke to show what was true. He said, ‘I have not done anything wrong against our Jewish laws or against the temple in Jerusalem. Also, I have not done anything wrong against your Roman ruler, Caesar.’

⁹ Festus wanted to make the Jewish leaders happy. So he asked Paul, ‘I would like to judge this problem in Jerusalem. Would you be happy to go there? Then I can decide if what these men are saying against you is true.’

¹⁰ Paul answered him, ‘I am already in the place where Caesar's officers judge people. This is the right place for you to judge me. I have never done anything wrong against the Jews. You yourself know very well that it is true. ¹¹ Have I done something bad that you should kill me for it? If that is true, then I will agree to it. It is right that I should die. But these Jews are not speaking true words against me. Nobody should let them take hold of me. So now I ask you to send me to Caesar himself. I want him to be the judge.’

¹² Festus talked to his officers about what Paul had said. Then he said to Paul, ‘You have asked to go to Caesar, for him to be your judge. So prepare yourself to go to Caesar!’

King Agrippa and Bernice visit Festus

¹³ Several days after this, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea. They wanted to say ‘welcome’ to Festus as the new ruler. ^{[ a ]}

¹⁴ They stayed in Caesarea for many days. While they were there, Festus explained to King Agrippa the problem about Paul. He said, ‘There is a man here that Felix left in prison. ¹⁵ When I went to Jerusalem, the important Jews and the leaders of their priests spoke to me about him. They said, “Paul has done some very bad things. You should judge him and he should die.”

¹⁶ I answered them, “You are saying that this man has done wrong things. He must first stand in front of you who are speaking against him. Then he can answer you, and I can judge who is right. That is what our Roman law says must happen.”

¹⁷ So when I came back here, the Jewish leaders and the leaders of their priests came with me. I did not wait for long. On the next day I sat down on my special seat as judge. I told my soldiers to bring this man to me. ¹⁸ The men who had spoken against him stood up. I thought they would say that Paul had done some very bad thing. But they did not say that. ¹⁹ Instead, they were arguing with Paul about what the Jews teach about God. They were arguing about a man who is called Jesus. Jesus had died. But Paul was saying that he is alive. ²⁰ I did not know how I could judge all these problems. So I told Paul, “I want to take you to Jerusalem. Would you be happy to go there? Then I will listen to what these men are saying against you. I will judge there who is right.” ²¹ But Paul did not want to go to Jerusalem. He said to me, “Please keep me safe here in prison. Then send me to Caesar. He himself should decide what to do with me.” So I said to my soldiers, “Guard Paul here until I send him to Caesar.” ’

²² Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear this man myself.’

Festus replied, ‘You will hear him tomorrow.’

²³ The next day, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea's public meeting room. They wore beautiful clothes to show that they were great people. Some Roman soldiers' officers and important men in the city also arrived there. Festus said to his soldiers, ‘Bring Paul here to us!’ So they brought Paul into the room. ²⁴ Festus said, ‘King Agrippa, and everyone here today, listen to me! You see this man who is standing in front of you. Many Jews in Jerusalem, and also Jews here in Caesarea, have spoken to me about him. They say very loudly, “This man has done very bad things. He should not continue to live!” ²⁵ But I could not find any reason to kill him. He has not done anything against our law. But he has asked for Caesar himself to judge him. So I have decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I do not know what to write about him to our ruler, Caesar. So I have brought him here to stand in front of all of you. I ask you, King Agrippa, to listen carefully to what Paul says. Then we can talk about the problem together. As a result, I will know what to write about him to Caesar. ²⁷ I need to tell Caesar what wrong things this man has done. If I cannot do that, it would not be right to send him to Rome.’

Footnotes

25:13 This king was Agrippa the second. He was the son of Agrippa the first. He ruled over a part of Galilee, but he did have some authority over the Jews. He could decide who would be their most important priest. Bernice was the oldest daughter of Agrippa the first and she was the younger sister of Agrippa the second.

Paul Asks to See Caesar

25 Festus became governor, and three days later he went from Caesarea to Jerusalem. ² The leading priests and the important Jewish leaders made charges against Paul before Festus. ³ They asked Festus to do them a favor. They wanted him to send Paul back to Jerusalem because they had a plan to kill Paul on the way. ⁴ But Festus answered, “No, Paul will be kept in Caesarea. I will be going there soon myself, ⁵ and your leaders can go with me. If this man has really done anything wrong, they can accuse him there.”

⁶ Festus stayed in Jerusalem another eight or ten days and then went back to Caesarea. The next day Festus told the soldiers to bring Paul before him. Festus was seated on the judgment seat. ⁷ Paul came into the room, and the Jews who had come from Jerusalem stood around him. They made many serious charges against him, but they could not prove anything. ⁸ Paul defended himself, saying, “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law, against the Temple, or against Caesar.”

⁹ But Festus wanted to please the Jews. So he asked Paul, “Do you want to go to Jerusalem for me to judge you there on these charges?”

¹⁰ Paul said, “I am standing at Caesar’s judgment seat now. This is where I should be judged. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it. ¹¹ If I have done something wrong and the law says I must die, then I agree that I should die. I don’t ask to be saved from death. But if these charges are not true, then no one can hand me over to these people. No, I want Caesar to hear my case!”

¹² Festus talked about this with his advisors. Then he said, “You have asked to see Caesar, so you will go to Caesar!”

Festus Asks King Agrippa About Paul

¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to visit Festus. ¹⁴ They stayed there many days, and Festus told the king about Paul’s case. Festus said, “There is a man that Felix left in prison. ¹⁵ When I went to Jerusalem, the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders there made charges against him. They wanted me to order his death. ¹⁶ But I told them, ‘When a man is accused of doing something wrong, Romans don’t hand him over for others to judge. First, he must face the people accusing him. And then he must be allowed to defend himself against their charges.’

¹⁷ “So when these Jews came here for the trial, I did not waste time. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. ¹⁸ The Jews stood up and accused him. But they did not accuse him of the kind of crimes I thought they would. ¹⁹ Their charges were all about their own religion and about a man named Jesus. Jesus died, but Paul said that he is still alive. ²⁰ I did not have any idea about how to judge these matters. So I asked Paul, ‘Do you want to go to Jerusalem and be judged there?’ ²¹ But Paul asked to be kept in Caesarea. He wants a decision from the emperor. So I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar in Rome.”

²² Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man too.”

Festus said, “Tomorrow you can hear him.”

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came to the meeting with great show, acting like very important people. They entered the room with military leaders and important men of the city. Festus ordered the soldiers to bring Paul in.

²⁴ Festus said, “King Agrippa and all of you gathered here with us, you see this man. All the Jewish people, here and in Jerusalem, have complained to me about him. When they complain about him, they shout that he should be killed. ²⁵ When I judged him, I did not find him guilty of any crime worthy of death. But he asked to be judged by Caesar, so I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ However, I don’t really know what to tell Caesar that this man has done wrong. So I have brought him before all of you—especially you, King Agrippa. I hope that you can question him and give me something to write to Caesar. ²⁷ I think it is foolish to send a prisoner to Caesar without making some charges against him.”

25 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

² Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

³ And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

⁴ But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

⁵ Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

⁶ And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷ And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

⁸ While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

⁹ But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

¹⁰ Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

¹¹ For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

¹² Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

¹³ And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

¹⁴ And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

¹⁵ About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

¹⁶ To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

¹⁷ Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

¹⁸ Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

¹⁹ But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰ And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

²¹ But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

²² Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

²³ And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

²⁴ And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵ But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

²⁶ Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

²⁷ For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Paul before Festus

25 Festus, then, after arriving in ^{( A )} the province, went up to Jerusalem from ^{( B )} Caesarea three days later. ² And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews ^{( C )} brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with ^{[ a ]} Festus, ³ requesting a ^{[ b ]} concession against ^{[ c ]} Paul, that he might ^{[ d ]} have him brought to Jerusalem ( at the same time , ^{( D )} setting an ambush to kill him on the way). ⁴ Festus then ^{( E )} answered that Paul ^{( F )} was being kept in custody in ^{( G )} Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. ⁵ “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you ^{[ e ]} go there with me, and if there is anything wrong ^{[ f ]} about the man, have them bring charges against him.”

⁶ After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to ^{( H )} Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on ^{( I )} the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. ⁷ After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing ^{( J )} many, and serious, charges against him ^{( K )} which they could not prove, ⁸ while Paul said in his own defense, “ ^{( L )} I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” ⁹ But Festus, ^{( M )} wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “ ^{( N )} Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and ^{[ g ]} stand trial before me on these charges ?” ¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^{( O )} tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. ¹¹ If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^{( P )} appeal to Caesar.” ¹² Then when Festus had conferred with ^{[ h ]} his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

¹³ Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in ^{( Q )} Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was ^{( R )} left as a prisoner by Felix; ¹⁵ and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ^{( S )} brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. ¹⁶ I ^{( T )} replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before ^{( U )} the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. ¹⁷ So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^{( V )} the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges ^{[ i ]} against him of crimes that I suspected, ¹⁹ but they simply had some ^{( W )} points of disagreement with him about their own ^{[ j ]} ^{( X )} religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰ And ^{( Y )} being at a loss how to investigate ^{[ k ]} such matters, I ^{[ l ]} asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. ²¹ But when Paul ^{( Z )} appealed to be held in custody for ^{[ m ]} the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” ²² Then ^{( AA )} Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa

²³ So, on the next day when ^{( AB )} Agrippa and ^{( AC )} Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, ^{[ n ]} accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them . ²⁴ And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom ^{( AD )} all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that ^{( AE )} he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But I found that he had committed ^{( AF )} nothing deserving death; and since he himself ^{( AG )} appealed to ^{[ o ]} the Emperor, I decided to send him. ²⁶ ^{[ p ]} Yet, 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. ²⁷ For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”

Footnotes

Acts 25:2 Lit him
Acts 25:3 Or favor
Acts 25:3 Lit him
Acts 25:3 Lit summon him to Jerusalem
Acts 25:5 Lit go down
Acts 25:5 Lit in
Acts 25:9 Lit be judged
Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20
Acts 25:18 Lit in regard to him
Acts 25:19 Or superstition
Acts 25:20 Lit these
Acts 25:20 Lit said
Acts 25:21 Lit the Augustus’ (in this case Nero)
Acts 25:23 Lit and with
Acts 25:25 See note v 21
Acts 25:26 Lit About whom I

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus ^{( A )} went up from Caesarea ^{( B )} to Jerusalem, ² where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. ^{( C )} ³ They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. ^{( D )} ⁴ Festus answered, “Paul is being held ^{( E )} at Caesarea, ^{( F )} and I myself am going there soon. ⁵ Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

⁶ After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court ^{( G )} and ordered that Paul be brought before him. ^{( H )} ⁷ When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, ^{( I )} but they could not prove them. ^{( J )}

⁸ Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple ^{( K )} or against Caesar.”

⁹ Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, ^{( L )} said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” ^{( M )}

¹⁰ Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, ^{( N )} as you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” ^{( O )}

¹² After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Festus Consults King Agrippa

¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ^{( P )} to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. ^{( Q )} ¹⁵ When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him ^{( R )} and asked that he be condemned.

¹⁶ “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. ^{( S )} ¹⁷ When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. ^{( T )} ¹⁸ When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had some points of dispute ^{( U )} with him about their own religion ^{( V )} and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. ^{( W )} ²¹ But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.” ^{( X )}

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” ^{( Y )}

Paul Before Agrippa ^{( Z )}

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice ^{( AA )} came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community ^{( AB )} has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. ^{( AC )} ²⁵ I found he had done nothing deserving of death, ^{( AD )} but because he made his appeal to the Emperor ^{( AE )} I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

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Festus travels to Jerusalem to speak to the leaders of the Jews

King Agrippa and Bernice visit Festus

Footnotes

Paul Asks to See Caesar

Festus Asks King Agrippa About Paul

Paul before Festus

Paul before Agrippa

Footnotes

Cross references

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

Festus Consults King Agrippa

Paul Before Agrippa ^{( Z )}

Cross references

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Festus travels to Jerusalem to speak to the leaders of the Jews

King Agrippa and Bernice visit Festus

Footnotes

Paul Asks to See Caesar

Festus Asks King Agrippa About Paul

Paul before Festus

Paul before Agrippa

Footnotes

Cross references

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

Festus Consults King Agrippa

Paul Before Agrippa ( Z )

Cross references

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Paul Before Agrippa ^{( Z )}