Parallel Bible results for "acts 25"

Acts 25

Common English Bible CEB

1 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 The chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. Appealing to him,

3 they asked as a favor from Festus that he summon Paul to Jerusalem. They were planning to ambush and kill him along the way.

4 But Festus responded by keeping Paul in Caesarea, since he was to return there very soon himself.

5 "Some of your leaders can come down with me," he said. "If he's done anything wrong, they can bring charges against him."

6 He stayed with them for no more than eight or ten days, then went down to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat in the court and ordered that Paul be brought in.

7 When he arrived, many Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him. They brought serious charges against him, but they couldn't prove them.

8 In his own defense, Paul said, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish Law, against the temple, or against Caesar."

9 Festus, wanting to put the Jews in his debt, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me concerning these things?"

10 Paul replied, "I'm standing before Caesar's court. I ought to be tried here. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you well know.

11 If I'm guilty and have done something that deserves death, then I won't try to avoid death. But if there is nothing to their accusations against me, no one has the authority to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

12 After Festus conferred with his advisors, he responded, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go."

13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea to welcome Festus.

14 Since they were staying there for many days, Festus discussed the case against Paul with the king. He said, "There is a man whom Felix left in prison.

15 When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and elders brought charges against him and requested a guilty verdict in his case.

16 I told them it is contrary to Roman practice to hand someone over before they have faced their accusers and had opportunity to offer a defense against the charges.

17 When they came here, I didn't put them off. The very next day I took my seat in the court and ordered that the man be brought before me.

18 When the accusers took the floor, they didn't charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

19 Instead, they quibbled with him about their own religion and about some dead man named Jesus, who Paul claimed was alive.

20 Since I had no idea how to investigate these matters, I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there on these issues.

21 However, Paul appealed that he be held in custody pending a decision from His Majesty the emperor, so I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar."

22 Agrippa said to Festus, "I want to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," Festus replied, "you will hear him."

23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great fanfare. They entered the auditorium with the military commanders and the city's most prominent men. Festus then ordered that Paul be brought in.

24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and everyone present with us: You see this man! The entire Jewish community, both here and in Jerusalem, has appealed to me concerning him. They've been calling for his immediate death.

25 I've found that he has done nothing deserving death. When he appealed to His Majesty, I decided to send him to Rome.

26 I have nothing definite to write to our lord emperor. Therefore, I've brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this investigation, I might have something to write.

27 After all, it would be foolish to send a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 Three days after Festus took over his duties in the province of Judea, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2 The chief priests and the other important Jewish leaders informed Festus about their charges against Paul. They were urging

3 Festus to do them the favor of having Paul brought to Jerusalem. The Jews had a plan to ambush and kill Paul as he traveled to Jerusalem.

4 Festus replied that he would be returning to Caesarea soon and would keep Paul there.

5 He told them, "Have your authorities come to Caesarea with me and accuse him there if the man has done something wrong."

6 Festus stayed in Jerusalem for eight or ten days at the most and then returned to Caesarea. The next day Festus took his place in court and summoned Paul.

7 When Paul entered the room, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem surrounded him. They made a lot of serious accusations that they couldn't prove.

8 Paul defended himself by saying, "I haven't broken any Jewish law or done anything against the temple or the emperor."

9 But Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he asked Paul, "Are you willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on these charges with me as your judge?"

10 Paul said, "I am standing in the emperor's court where I must be tried. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jews, as you know very well.

11 If I am guilty and have done something wrong for which I deserve the death penalty, I don't reject the idea of dying. But if their accusations are untrue, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal my case to the emperor!"

12 Festus discussed the appeal with his advisers and then replied to Paul, "You have appealed your case to the emperor, so you'll go to the emperor!"

13 Later King Agrippa and Bernice came to the city of Caesarea to welcome Festus.

14 Since they were staying there for a number of days, Festus told the king about Paul's case. Festus said, "Felix left a man here in prison.

15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish leaders brought me some information about him and asked me to condemn him.

16 "I replied to them, 'That's not the Roman way of doing things. A person can't be sentenced as a favor. Before he is sentenced, he must face his accusers and have a chance to defend himself against their accusation.'

17 "So the Jewish leaders came to Caesarea with me. The next day I immediately convened court and summoned the man.

18 When his accusers stood up, they didn't accuse him of the crimes I was expecting.

19 They were disputing with him about their own religion and about some man named Jesus who had died. But Paul claimed that Jesus is alive.

20 Their debate about these things left me puzzled. So I asked Paul if he would like to go to Jerusalem to have his case heard there.

21 But Paul appealed his case. He asked to be held in prison and to have His Majesty the Emperor decide his case. So I ordered him to be held in prison until I could send him to the emperor."

22 Agrippa told Festus, "I would like to hear the man." Festus replied, "You'll hear him tomorrow."

23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with a lot of fanfare. Roman army officers and the most important men of the city entered the auditorium with them. Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought into the auditorium.

24 Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and everyone who is present with us! All the Jews in Jerusalem and Caesarea have talked to me about this man you see in front of you. They shout that he must not be allowed to live any longer.

25 However, I don't think that he has done anything to deserve the death penalty. But since he made an appeal to His Majesty the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

26 But I don't have anything reliable to write our emperor about him. So I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa. Then I'll have something to write after he is cross-examined.

27 I find it ridiculous to send a prisoner to Rome when I can't specify any charges against him."