| King James Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. | 1Festus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. |
| 2Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, | 2And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him, |
| 3And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. | 3requesting 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). |
| 4But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. | 4Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. |
| 5Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. | 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." |
| 6And 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. | 6After 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. |
| 7And 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. | 7After 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, |
| 8While 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. | 8while 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." |
| 9But 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? | 9But 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?" |
| 10Then 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. | 10But 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. |
| 11For 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. | 11"If, 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." |
| 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. | 12Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go." |
| 13And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. | 13Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. |
| 14And 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: | 14While 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; |
| 15About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. | 15and 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. |
| 16To 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. | 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. |
| 17Therefore, 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. | 17"So 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. |
| 18Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: | 18"When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, |
| 19But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. | 19but 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. |
| 20And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. | 20"Being 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. |
| 21But 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. | 21"But 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." |
| 22Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. | 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." |
| 23And 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. | 23So, 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. |
| 24And 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. | 24Festus 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. |
| 25But 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. | 25"But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. |
| 26Of 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. | 26"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. |
| 27For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him. | 27"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him." |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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