Acts 25

New Matthew Bible

The Jews accuse Paul before Festus. Paul appeals to the Emperor and is sent to Rome.

25 When Festus had arrived in the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. ² Then the high priests and the chief men of the Jews made submissions to him about Paul. And they entreated him, ³ and requested his indulgence concerning Paul, that he would send for him to come to Jerusalem. And they planned to lay wait for him along the way, to kill him.

⁴ But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, but that he himself would shortly go there. ⁵ Therefore (said he), let those among you who are able to do it come down with us, and bring your case against him there, if there be any fault in the man.

⁶ When he had been in Jerusalem more than ten days, Festus departed to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat down in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought. ⁷ When he appeared, the Jews that had come from Jerusalem came about him and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul – which they could not prove, ⁸ as long as he answered for himself that he had not offended against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, in anything at all.

⁹ Festus, wanting to please the Jews, answered Paul and said, Will you go to Jerusalem and be judged there before me concerning these things? ¹⁰ Then Paul said, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no harm, as you very well know. ¹¹ If I have hurt them, or committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. If none of these things are so, of which they accuse me, no one ought to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar!

¹² Then Festus spoke with deliberation and answered, You have appealed to Caesar: to Caesar you shall go.

¹³ After some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ And when they had been there a good season, Festus described Paul’s case to the king, saying, There is a certain man left in prison by Felix, ¹⁵ against whom the high priests and elders of the Jews informed me when I went to Jerusalem, and asked to have judgment against him. ¹⁶ To whom I answered, It is not the practice of the Romans to deliver any man to die before he has his accusers before him, and has the opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge made against him. ¹⁷ When they came here, without delay I sat the next day to give judgment and commanded the man to be brought forth.

¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, ¹⁹ but had certain questions against him concerning their own superstition, and about one Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ²⁰ And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked him if he would go to Jerusalem and be judged there concerning these matters. ²¹ Then, when Paul appealed to be held for hearing by Caesar, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar. 

²² Agrippa said to Festus, I would also like to hear the man myself.

Tomorrow (said he) you shall hear him.

²³ And the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and had entered into the council house with the high captains and chief men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. ²⁴ And Festus said, King Agrippa, and everyone here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have been calling upon me, both at Jerusalem and also here, complaining that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ Yet I found nothing worthy of death committed by him. Nevertheless, seeing that he has appealed to Caesar, I have determined to send him. ²⁶ But I have nothing certain to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after examination I might have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the complaints that are laid against him.