Actus Apostolorum 25

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Festus ergo cum venisset in provinciam, post triduum ascendit Jerosolymam a Cæsarea.	1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem
2 Adieruntque eum principes sacerdotum et primi Judæorum adversus Paulum : et rogabant eum,	2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented him their formal charges against Paul. They asked him
3 postulantes gratiam adversus eum, ut juberet perduci eum in Jerusalem, insidias tendentes ut interficerent eum in via.	3 as a favor to have him sent to Jerusalem, for they were plotting to kill him along the way.
4 Festus autem respondit servari Paulum in Cæsarea : se autem maturius profecturum.	4 Festus replied that Paul was being held in custody in Caesarea and that he himself would be returning there shortly.
5 Qui ergo in vobis, ait, potentes sunt, descendentes simul, si quod est in viro crimen, accusent eum.	5 He said, "Let your authorities come down with me, and if this man has done something improper, let them accuse him."
6 Demoratus autem inter eos dies non amplius quam octo aut decem, descendit Cæsaream, et altera die sedit pro tribunali, et jussit Paulum adduci.	6 After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the following day took his seat on the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought in.
7 Qui cum perductus esset, circumsteterunt eum, qui ab Jerosolyma descenderant Judæi, multas et graves causas objicientes, quas non poterant probare :	7 When he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him, which they were unable to prove.
8 Paulo rationem reddente : Quoniam neque in legem Judæorum, neque in templum, neque in Cæsarem quidquam peccavi.	8 In defending himself Paul said, "I have committed no crime either against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."
9 Festus autem volens gratiam præstare Judæis, respondens Paulo, dixit : Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me ?	9 Then Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, said to Paul in reply, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there stand trial before me on these charges?"
10 Dixit autem Paulus : Ad tribunal Cæsaris sto : ibi me oportet judicari : Judæis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti.	10 Paul answered, "I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar; this is where I should be tried. I have committed no crime against the Jews, as you very well know.
11 Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori : si vero nihil est eorum quæ hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Cæsarem appello.	11 If I have committed a crime or done anything deserving death, I do not seek to escape the death penalty; but if there is no substance to the charges they are bringing against me, then no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."
12 Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit : Cæsarem appellasti ? ad Cæsarem ibis.	12 Then Festus, after conferring with his council, replied, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go."
13 Et cum dies aliquot transacti essent, Agrippa rex et Bernice descenderunt Cæsaream ad salutandum Festum.	13 When a few days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea on a visit to Festus.
14 Et cum dies plures ibi demorarentur, Festus regi indicavit de Paulo, dicens : Vir quidam est derelictus a Felice vinctus,	14 Since they spent several days there, Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying, "There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
15 de quo cum essem Jerosolymis, adierunt me principes sacerdotum et seniores Judæorum, postulantes adversus illum damnationem.	15 When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
16 Ad quos respondi : Quia non est Romanis consuetudo damnare aliquem hominem priusquam is qui accusatur præsentes habeat accusatores, locumque defendendi accipiat ad abluenda crimina.	16 I answered them that it was not Roman practice to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
17 Cum ergo huc convenissent sine ulla dilatione, sequenti die sedens pro tribunali, jussi adduci virum.	17 So when (they) came together here, I made no delay; the next day I took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in.
18 De quo, cum stetissent accusatores, nullam causam deferebant, de quibus ego suspicabar malum.	18 His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
19 Quæstiones vero quasdam de sua superstitione habebant adversus eum, et de quodam Jesu defuncto, quem affirmabat Paulus vivere.	19 Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive.
20 Hæsitans autem ego de hujusmodi quæstione, dicebam si vellet ire Jerosolymam, et ibi judicari de istis.	20 Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these charges.
21 Paulo autem appellante ut servaretur ad Augusti cognitionem, jussi servari eum, donec mittam eum ad Cæsarem.	21 And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."
22 Agrippa autem dixit ad Festum : Volebam et ipse hominem audire. Cras, inquit, audies eum.	22 Agrippa said to Festus, "I too should like to hear this man." He replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him."
23 Altera autem die cum venisset Agrippa et Bernice cum multa ambitione, et introissent in auditorium cum tribunis et viris principalibus civitatis, jubente Festo, adductus est Paulus.	23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great ceremony and entered the audience hall in the company of cohort commanders and the prominent men of the city and, by command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 Et dicit Festus : Agrippa rex, et omnes qui simul adestis nobiscum viri, videtis hunc de quo omnis multitudo Judæorum interpellavit me Jerosolymis, petentes et acclamantes non oportere eum vivere amplius.	24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all you here present with us, look at this man about whom the whole Jewish populace petitioned me here and in Jerusalem, clamoring that he should live no longer.
25 Ego vere comperi nihil dignum morte eum admisisse. Ipso autem hoc appellante ad Augustum, judicavi mittere.	25 I found, however, that he had done nothing deserving death, and so when he appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
26 De quo quid certum scribam domino, non habeo. Propter quod produxi eum ad vos, et maxime ad te, rex Agrippa, ut interrogatione facta habeam quid scribam.	26 But I have nothing definite to write about him to our sovereign; therefore I have brought him before all of you, and particularly before you, King Agrippa, so that I may have something to write as a result of this investigation.
27 Sine ratione enim mihi videtur mittere vinctum, et causas ejus non significare.	27 For it seems senseless to me to send up a prisoner without indicating the charges against him."