25
Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way. However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. “Let them therefore”, said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”
But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”
10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
13 Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. 14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 16 To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. 18 Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; 19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him, 26 of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
+1:10“Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.+2:15about 9:00 a.m.+2:27or, Hell+2:31or, Hell+3:13:00 p.m.+3:17The word for “brothers” here may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+3:25or, seed+4:26Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean Anointed One.+6:1The Hellenists used Greek language and culture, even though they were also of Hebrew descent.+7:5or, seed+7:6or, seed+7:23The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+7:37TR adds “You shall listen to him.”+7:42This idiom could also be translated “host of heaven”, or “angelic beings”, or “heavenly bodies.”+8:37TR addsPhilip8:37said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”+9:5TR adds “It’s hard for you to kick against the cattle prods.”+9:6TR omits “But”+9:11or, Judas+9:28TR and NU add “and going out”+9:29TR and NU omit “Jesus” and reverse the order of verses 28 & 29.+9:29The Hellenists were Hebrews who used Greek language and culture.+9:30The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+9:36“Dorcas” is Greek for “Gazelle.”+9:38Reading from NU, TR; MT omits “two men”+10:33:00 p.m.+10:6TR adds “This one will tell you what it is necessary for you to do.”+10:19Reading from TR and NU. MT omits “three”+10:303:00 p.m.+10:39TR omits “also”+11:1The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+11:20A Hellenist is someone who keeps Greek customs and culture.+12:25TR reads “from” instead of “to”+13:17TR, NU add “Israel”+13:23or, seed+13:23TR, NU read “a Savior, Jesus” instead of “salvation”+13:24TR, NU read “to all the people of Israel” instead of “to Israel”+13:38The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+14:2or, disobedient+14:17TR reads “us” instead of “you”+15:3The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+15:11TR adds “Christ”+15:22The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+15:34Some manuscripts add:But15:34it seemed good to Silas to stay there.+17:5TR reads “And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking along” instead of “But the unpersuaded Jews took along”+17:6The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+17:18TR omits “also”+18:18The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+19:19The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000 drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160 man-years of wages for agricultural laborers+20:8TR reads “they” instead of “we”+20:21TR adds “Christ”+20:28TR, NU omit “the Lord and”+20:32The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”+23:23about 9:00 p.m.+24:6TR adds “We wanted to judge him according to our law,”+24:7TR adds “but the commanding officer, Lysias, came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,”+24:8TR adds “commanding his accusers to come to you.”