| King James Bible | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. | 1Three 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, | 2The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, |
| 3And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. | 3asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. |
| 4But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. | 4Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about 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"Therefore," he said, "let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong." |
| 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. | 6When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in. |
| 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 and brought 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. | 8Then Paul made his defense: "Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way." |
| 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, replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to 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 at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself 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 did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up 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 Festus conferred with his council, he 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. | 13Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on 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: | 14Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, "There's 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. | 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned. |
| 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 is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a 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. | 17So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. |
| 18Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: | 18The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils 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. | 19Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man 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. | 20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding 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. | 21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody 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 like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow you will hear him," he replied. |
| 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 auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, 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 men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not 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. | 25I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when 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. | 26I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, 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 indicating the charges against him." |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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