ESV 1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. MSG 1 Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take up his duties as governor, he went up to Jerusalem. ESV 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, MSG 2 The high priests and top leaders renewed their vendetta against Paul. ESV 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem--because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. MSG 3 They asked Festus if he wouldn't please do them a favor by sending Paul to Jerusalem to respond to their charges. A lie, of course - they had revived their old plot to set an ambush and kill him along the way. ESV 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. MSG 4 Festus answered that Caesarea was the proper jurisdiction for Paul, and that he himself was going back there in a few days. ESV 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." MSG 5 "You're perfectly welcome," he said, "to go back with me then and accuse him of whatever you think he's done wrong." ESV 6 After 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. MSG 6 About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. ESV 7 When 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. MSG 7 The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove. ESV 8 Paul argued in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense." MSG 8 Then Paul took the stand and said simply, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period." ESV 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?" MSG 9 Festus, though, wanted to get on the good side of the Jews and so said, "How would you like to go up to Jerusalem, and let me conduct your trial there?" ESV 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 yourself know very well. MSG 10 Paul answered, "I'm standing at this moment before Caesar's bar of justice, where I have a perfect right to stand. And I'm going to keep standing here. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it as well as I do. ESV 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 to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." MSG 11 If I've committed a crime and deserve death, name the day. I can face it. But if there's nothing to their accusations - and you know there isn't - nobody can force me to go along with their nonsense. We've fooled around here long enough. I appeal to Caesar." ESV 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go." MSG 12 Festus huddled with his advisors briefly and then gave his verdict: "You've appealed to Caesar; you'll go to Caesar!" ESV 13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. MSG 13 A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. ESV 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, MSG 14 After several days, Festus brought up Paul's case to the king. "I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. ESV 15 and 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. MSG 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. ESV 16 I 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. MSG 16 I told them that wasn't the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don't throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. ESV 17 So 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. MSG 17 So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand. ESV 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. MSG 18 "The accusers came at him from all sides, ESV 19 Rather 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. MSG 19 but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive. ESV 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. MSG 20 Since I'm a newcomer here and don't understand everything involved in cases like this, I asked if he'd be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. ESV 21 But 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." MSG 21 Paul refused and demanded a hearing before His Majesty in our highest court. So I ordered him returned to custody until I could send him to Caesar in Rome." ESV 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself.""Tomorrow," said he, "you will hear him." MSG 22 Agrippa said, "I'd like to see this man and hear his story." "Good," said Festus. "We'll bring him in first thing in the morning and you'll hear it for yourself." ESV 23 So 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. MSG 23 The next day everybody who was anybody in Caesarea found his way to the Great Hall, along with the top military brass. Agrippa and Bernice made a flourishing grand entrance and took their places. Festus then ordered Paul brought in. ESV 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 in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. MSG 24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and distinguished guests, take a good look at this man. A bunch of Jews petitioned me first in Jerusalem, and later here, to do away with him. They have been most vehement in demanding his execution. ESV 25 But 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. MSG 25 I looked into it and decided that he had committed no crime. He requested a trial before Caesar and I agreed to send him to Rome. ESV 26 But 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. MSG 26 But what am I going to write to my master, Caesar? All the charges made by the Jews were fabrications, and I've uncovered nothing else. ESV 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him." MSG 27 For it seems to me silly to send a prisoner all that way for a trial and not be able to document what he did wrong."
MSG 1 Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take up his duties as governor, he went up to Jerusalem. MSG 2 The high priests and top leaders renewed their vendetta against Paul. MSG 3 They asked Festus if he wouldn't please do them a favor by sending Paul to Jerusalem to respond to their charges. A lie, of course - they had revived their old plot to set an ambush and kill him along the way. MSG 4 Festus answered that Caesarea was the proper jurisdiction for Paul, and that he himself was going back there in a few days. MSG 5 "You're perfectly welcome," he said, "to go back with me then and accuse him of whatever you think he's done wrong." MSG 6 About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. MSG 7 The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove. MSG 8 Then Paul took the stand and said simply, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period." MSG 9 Festus, though, wanted to get on the good side of the Jews and so said, "How would you like to go up to Jerusalem, and let me conduct your trial there?" MSG 10 Paul answered, "I'm standing at this moment before Caesar's bar of justice, where I have a perfect right to stand. And I'm going to keep standing here. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it as well as I do. MSG 11 If I've committed a crime and deserve death, name the day. I can face it. But if there's nothing to their accusations - and you know there isn't - nobody can force me to go along with their nonsense. We've fooled around here long enough. I appeal to Caesar." MSG 12 Festus huddled with his advisors briefly and then gave his verdict: "You've appealed to Caesar; you'll go to Caesar!" MSG 13 A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. MSG 14 After several days, Festus brought up Paul's case to the king. "I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. MSG 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. MSG 16 I told them that wasn't the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don't throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. MSG 17 So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand. MSG 18 "The accusers came at him from all sides, MSG 19 but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive. MSG 20 Since I'm a newcomer here and don't understand everything involved in cases like this, I asked if he'd be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. MSG 21 Paul refused and demanded a hearing before His Majesty in our highest court. So I ordered him returned to custody until I could send him to Caesar in Rome." MSG 22 Agrippa said, "I'd like to see this man and hear his story." "Good," said Festus. "We'll bring him in first thing in the morning and you'll hear it for yourself." MSG 23 The next day everybody who was anybody in Caesarea found his way to the Great Hall, along with the top military brass. Agrippa and Bernice made a flourishing grand entrance and took their places. Festus then ordered Paul brought in. MSG 24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and distinguished guests, take a good look at this man. A bunch of Jews petitioned me first in Jerusalem, and later here, to do away with him. They have been most vehement in demanding his execution. MSG 25 I looked into it and decided that he had committed no crime. He requested a trial before Caesar and I agreed to send him to Rome. MSG 26 But what am I going to write to my master, Caesar? All the charges made by the Jews were fabrications, and I've uncovered nothing else. MSG 27 For it seems to me silly to send a prisoner all that way for a trial and not be able to document what he did wrong."