| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. | 1Now three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. |
| 2Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, | 2So the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul to him. |
| 3And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. | 3Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him along the way. |
| 4But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. | 4Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there 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"So," he said, "let your leaders go down there with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, they may bring charges against 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 Festus had stayed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat on the judgment seat 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. | 7When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to 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. | 8Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law 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, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there 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. | 10Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. |
| 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. | 11If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, 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, after conferring with his council, Festus replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!" |
| 13And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. | 13After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay 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 staying there many days, Festus explained Paul's case to the king to get his opinion, saying, "There is a man left here 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. | 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about 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. | 16I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met his accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. |
| 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. | 17So after they came back here with me, I did not postpone the case, but the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought. |
| 18Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: | 18When his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. |
| 19But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. | 19Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed 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. | 20Because I was at a loss how I could investigate these matters, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. |
| 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. | 21But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar." |
| 22Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. | 22Agrippa said to Festus, "I would also like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he replied, "you will 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 the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall, along with the senior military officers and the prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the order, 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. | 24Then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting loudly 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. | 25But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, and when he appealed to His Majesty 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. | 26But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this preliminary hearing 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. | 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him." |
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