English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he 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 priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him,
2
where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.
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.
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 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly.
4
Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
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."
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 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.
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 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.
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 Paul argued in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense."
8
Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”
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?"
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 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.
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 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."
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, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go."
12
After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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