Parallel Bible results for "acts 25"

Acts 25

Third Millennium Bible TMB

1 Now when Festus had come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him,

3 desiring a favor against him: that he would have Paul brought to Jerusalem, so that they might lie in wait on the way to kill him.

4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

5 "Let those therefore," he said, "who among you are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him."

6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea. And the next day, sitting in the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

7 And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,

8 while Paul answered for himself: "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended any thing at all."

9 But Festus, desiring to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me?"

10 Then said Paul, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I should not refuse to die; but if there is nothing to these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar."

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar shalt thou go!"

13 Some days later, King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, "There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix,

15 about whom, when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

16 To them I answered, 'It is not in the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before he that is accused has the accusers face to face, and has license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.'

17 Therefore when they had come hither, without any delay on the morrow, I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought forth,

18 against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed,

19 but had certain questions against him concerning their own superstition and of one Jesus, who was dead and whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 And because I was in doubt as to this manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged on these matters.

21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for a hearing by Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar."

22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, "I would also hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," said he, "thou shalt hear him."

23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought forth.

24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all men who are here present with us, ye see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and also here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25 But when I found that he hath committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

26 Of him I have nothing certain to write unto my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O King Agrippa, that after we have examined him I might have something to write.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also to specify the crimes laid 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."