| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. | 1Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, |
| 2The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, | 2where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul. |
| 3asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. | 3They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way). |
| 4Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. | 4But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. |
| 5"Therefore," he said, "let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong." | 5So he said, “Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.” |
| 6When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in. | 6About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in. |
| 7When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove. | 7When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t prove. |
| 8Then Paul made his defense: "Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way." | 8Paul denied the charges. “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said. |
| 9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?" | 9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?” |
| 10Paul replied: "I am standing at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. | 10But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. |
| 11If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" | 11If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!” |
| 12Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go." | 12Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!” |
| 13Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. | 13A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. |
| 14Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, "There's a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. | 14During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix. |
| 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned. | 15When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. |
| 16I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges. | 16I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves. |
| 17So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. | 17“When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. |
| 18The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils I was expecting. | 18But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. |
| 19Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. | 19Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. |
| 20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. | 20I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. |
| 21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar." | 21But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.” |
| 22Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow you will hear him," he replied. | 22“I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!” Paul Speaks to Agrippa |
| 23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. | 23So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. |
| 24Then Festus said: "King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer. | 24Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. |
| 25I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. | 25But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. |
| 26I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. | 26“But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. |
| 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him." | 27For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!” |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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