| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. | 1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, |
| 2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, | 2where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. |
| 3asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. | 3They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. |
| 4Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. | 4Festus answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. |
| 5“So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.” | 5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there." |
| 6After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. | 6After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. |
| 7When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. | 7When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. |
| 8Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” | 8Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar." |
| 9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” | 9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" |
| 10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. | 10Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. |
| 11If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” | 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" |
| 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” | 12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!" |
| 13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. | 13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. |
| 14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, | 14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. |
| 15and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. | 15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. |
| 16I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. | 16"I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. |
| 17So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. | 17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. |
| 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. | 18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. |
| 19Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. | 19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. |
| 20Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. | 20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. |
| 21But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” | 21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar." |
| 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” | 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." He replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him." |
| 23So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. | 23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. |
| 24And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. | 24Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. |
| 25But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. | 25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. |
| 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 we have examined him, I may have something to write. | 26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. |
| 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” | 27For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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