Acts of the Apostles 25

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.	1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 The chief priests and leaders of the Jews informed him of the case against Paul,	2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 urgently asking him to support them against him, and to have him transferred to Jerusalem. They werepreparing an ambush to murder him on the way.	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 replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he would be going back there shortlyhimself.	4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 He said, 'Let your authorities come down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, theycan bring a charge against him.'	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 After staying with them for eight or ten days at the most, he went down to Caesarea and the next dayhe took his seat on the tribunal and had Paul brought in.	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 As soon as Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, makingmany serious accusations which they were unable to substantiate.	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 Paul's defence was this, 'I have committed no offence whatever against either Jewish law, or theTemple, or Caesar.'	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 Festus was anxious to gain favour with the Jews, so he said to Paul, 'Are you wil ing to go up toJerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?'	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 But Paul replied, 'I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar and this is where I should be tried. Ihave done the Jews no wrong, as you very wel know.	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 If I am guilty of committing any capital crime, I do not ask to be spared the death penalty. But if thereis no substance in the accusations these persons bring against me, no one has a right to surrender me to them. Iappeal to Caesar.'	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 conferred with his advisers and replied, 'You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar youshall go.'	12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
13 Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.	13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul's case before the king, saying, 'There is a manhere whom Felix left behind in custody,	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 and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him,demanding his condemnation.	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 But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confrontshis accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.	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 So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next dayand had the man brought in.	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 When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected;	18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
19 but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man cal edJesus whom Paul al eged to be alive.	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 Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be wil ing to go toJerusalem to be tried there on this issue.	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 Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the emperor, so I orderedhim to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.'	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 Agrippa said to Festus, 'I should like to hear the man myself.' He answered, 'Tomorrow you shal hearhim.'	22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived in great state and entered the audience chamberattended by the tribunes and the city notables; and Festus ordered Paul to be brought in.	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 Then Festus said, 'King Agrippa, and all here present with us, you see before you the man aboutwhom the whole Jewish community has petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, loudly protesting that heought not to be allowed to remain alive.	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 For my own part I am satisfied that he has committed no capital crime, but when he himself appealedto the emperor I decided to send him.	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 But I have nothing definite that I can write to his Imperial Majesty about him; that is why I haveproduced him before you all, and before you in particular, King Agrippa, so that after the examination I may havesomething to write.	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 It seems to me pointless to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.'	27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.