| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. | 1Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. |
| 2Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, | 2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, |
| 3asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. | 3asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. |
| 4But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. | 4Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. |
| 5“Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.” | 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.” |
| 6And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. | 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. |
| 7When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, | 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. |
| 8while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” | 8Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” |
| 9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?” | 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?” |
| 10So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. | 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. |
| 11For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” | 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.” |
| 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!” | 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” |
| 13And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. | 13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. |
| 14When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, | 14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, |
| 15about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. | 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. |
| 16To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ | 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. |
| 17Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. | 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. |
| 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, | 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. |
| 19but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. | 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. |
| 20And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. | 20Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. |
| 21But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.” | 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.” |
| 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” | 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” |
| 23So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. | 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. |
| 24And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. | 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. |
| 25But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. | 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. |
| 26I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. | 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. |
| 27For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.” | 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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. |
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