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."

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesare'a.

2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him,

3 asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesare'a, and that he himself intended to go there shortly.

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 accuse him."

6 When he had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesare'a; and the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

7 And when he had come, the Jews who had gone down from Jerusalem stood about him, bringing against him many serious charges which they could not prove.

8 Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all."

9 But 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?"

10 But 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 know very well.

11 If 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 in their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go."

13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Berni'ce arrived at Caesare'a to welcome Festus.

14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man left prisoner by Felix;

15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews gave information about him, asking for sentence against him.

16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any one before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.

17 When therefore 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 in.

18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed;

19 but they had certain points of dispute with him about their own superstition and about one Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them.

21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be held until I could send him to Caesar."

22 And Agrippa said to Festus, "I should like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," said he, "you shall hear him."

23 So on the morrow Agrippa and Berni'ce came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then by command of Festus Paul was brought in.

24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you, and, especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write.

27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."