Young's Literal Translation YLT
New International Version NIV
1 Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,
1
Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2 and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,
2
where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.
3 asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.
3
They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4 Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither,
4
Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
5 `Therefore those able among you -- saith he -- having come down together, if there be anything in this man -- let them accuse him;'
5
Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”
6 and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat upon the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought;
6
After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.
7 and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem -- many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,
7
When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.
8 he making defence -- `Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar -- did I commit any sin.'
8
Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9 And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favour, answering Paul, said, `Art thou willing, to Jerusalem having gone up, there concerning these things to be judged before me?'
9
Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”
10 and Paul said, `At the tribunal of Caesar I am standing, where it behoveth me to be judged; to Jews I did no unrighteousness, as thou dost also very well know;
10
Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
11 for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!'
11
If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, `To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.'
12
After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
13 And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea saluting Festus,
13
A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
14 and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, `There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,
14
Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.
15 about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,
15
When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16 unto whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favour of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defence in regard to the charge laid against [him].
16
“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.
17 `They, therefore, having come together -- I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat upon the tribunal, did command the man to be brought,
17
When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.
18 concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of,
18
When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
19 but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;
19
Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
20 and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things --
20
I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.
21 but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I did command him to be kept till I might send him unto Caesar.'
21
But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 And Agrippa said unto Festus, `I was wishing also myself to hear the man;' and he said, `To-morrow thou shalt hear him;'
22
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
23 on the morrow, therefore -- on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered -- Paul was brought forth.
23
The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 And Festus said, `King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, ye see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews did deal with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer;
24
Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
25 and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him,
25
I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.
26 concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;
26
But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write.
27 for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.'
27
For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.