| King James Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. | 1Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, |
| 2Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, | 2where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul. |
| 3And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. | 3They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way). |
| 4But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. | 4But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. |
| 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. | 5So he said, “Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.” |
| 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. | 6About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul 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 Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t 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 denied the charges. “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said. |
| 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? | 9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?” |
| 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. | 10But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. |
| 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 I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!” |
| 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. | 12Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!” |
| 13And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. | 13A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, 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: | 14During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me 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 leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn 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 pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves. |
| 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. | 17“When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. |
| 18Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: | 18But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. |
| 19But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. | 19Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is 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. | 20I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. |
| 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 Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.” |
| 22Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. | 22“I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!” Paul Speaks to Agrippa |
| 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 arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be 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 who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. |
| 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 in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. |
| 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. | 26“But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might 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 makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!” |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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