Apostelgeschichte 25

1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2And the chief priests, and principal men of the Jews, went unto him against Paul: and they besought him,

3Requesting favour against him, that he would command him to be brought to Jerusalem, laying wait to kill him in the way.

4But Festus answered: That Paul was kept in Caesarea, and that he himself would very shortly depart thither.

5Let them, therefore, saith he, among you that are able, go down with me, and accuse him, if there be any crime in the man.

6And having tarried among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat in the judgment seat; and commanded Paul to be brought.

7Who being brought, the Jews stood about him, who were come down from Jerusalem, objecting many and grievous causes, which they could not prove;

8Paul making answer for himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any thing.

9But Festus, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, answering Paul, said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

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

11For if I have injured them, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me to them: I appeal to Caesar.

12Then Festus having conferred with the council, answered: Hast thou appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shalt thou go.

13And after some days, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to salute Festus.

14And as they tarried there many days, Festus told the king of Paul, saying: A certain man was left prisoner by Felix.

15About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests, and the ancients of the Jews, came unto me, desiring condemnation against him.

16To whom I answered: It is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present, and have liberty to make his answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge.

17When therefore they were come hither, without any delay, on the day following, sitting in the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.

18Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of things which I thought ill of:

19But had certain questions of their own superstition against him, and of one Jesus deceased, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20I therefore being in a doubt of this manner of question, asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.

21But Paul appealing to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar.

22And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man, myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with great pomp, and had entered into the hall of audience, with the tribunes, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment, Paul was brought forth.

24And Festus saith: King Agrippa, and all ye men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me at Jerusalem, requesting and crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

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

26Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. For which cause I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that examination being made, I may have what to write.

27For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to signify the things laid to his charge.

1Festus ergo cum venisset in provinciam, post triduum ascendit Jerosolymam a Cæsarea.

2Adieruntque eum principes sacerdotum et primi Judæorum adversus Paulum: et rogabant eum,

3postulantes gratiam adversus eum, ut juberet perduci eum in Jerusalem, insidias tendentes ut interficerent eum in via.

4Festus autem respondit servari Paulum in Cæsarea: se autem maturius profecturum.

5Qui ergo in vobis, ait, potentes sunt, descendentes simul, si quod est in viro crimen, accusent eum.

6Demoratus autem inter eos dies non amplius quam octo aut decem, descendit Cæsaream, et altera die sedit pro tribunali, et jussit Paulum adduci.

7Qui cum perductus esset, circumsteterunt eum, qui ab Jerosolyma descenderant Judæi, multas et graves causas objicientes, quas non poterant probare:

8Paulo rationem reddente: Quoniam neque in legem Judæorum, neque in templum, neque in Cæsarem quidquam peccavi.

9Festus autem volens gratiam præstare Judæis, respondens Paulo, dixit: Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me?

10Dixit autem Paulus: Ad tribunal Cæsaris sto: ibi me oportet judicari: Judæis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti.

11Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori: si vero nihil est eorum quæ hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Cæsarem appello.

12Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit: Cæsarem appellasti? ad Cæsarem ibis.

13Et cum dies aliquot transacti essent, Agrippa rex et Bernice descenderunt Cæsaream ad salutandum Festum.

14Et cum dies plures ibi demorarentur, Festus regi indicavit de Paulo, dicens: Vir quidam est derelictus a Felice vinctus,

15de quo cum essem Jerosolymis, adierunt me principes sacerdotum et seniores Judæorum, postulantes adversus illum damnationem.

16Ad quos respondi: Quia non est Romanis consuetudo damnare aliquem hominem priusquam is qui accusatur præsentes habeat accusatores, locumque defendendi accipiat ad abluenda crimina.

17Cum ergo huc convenissent sine ulla dilatione, sequenti die sedens pro tribunali, jussi adduci virum.

18De quo, cum stetissent accusatores, nullam causam deferebant, de quibus ego suspicabar malum.

19Quæstiones vero quasdam de sua superstitione habebant adversus eum, et de quodam Jesu defuncto, quem affirmabat Paulus vivere.

20Hæsitans autem ego de hujusmodi quæstione, dicebam si vellet ire Jerosolymam, et ibi judicari de istis.

21Paulo autem appellante ut servaretur ad Augusti cognitionem, jussi servari eum, donec mittam eum ad Cæsarem.

22Agrippa autem dixit ad Festum: Volebam et ipse hominem audire. Cras, inquit, audies eum.

23Altera autem die cum venisset Agrippa et Bernice cum multa ambitione, et introissent in auditorium cum tribunis et viris principalibus civitatis, jubente Festo, adductus est Paulus.

24Et dicit Festus: Agrippa rex, et omnes qui simul adestis nobiscum viri, videtis hunc de quo omnis multitudo Judæorum interpellavit me Jerosolymis, petentes et acclamantes non oportere eum vivere amplius.

25Ego vere comperi nihil dignum morte eum admisisse. Ipso autem hoc appellante ad Augustum, judicavi mittere.

26De quo quid certum scribam domino, non habeo. Propter quod produxi eum ad vos, et maxime ad te, rex Agrippa, ut interrogatione facta habeam quid scribam.

27Sine ratione enim mihi videtur mittere vinctum, et causas ejus non significare.

1And so, when Festus had arrived in the province, after three days, he ascended to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2And the leaders of the priests, and those first among the Jews, went to him against Paul. And they were petitioning him,

3asking for favor against him, so that he would order him to be led to Jerusalem, where they were maintaining an ambush in order to kill him along the way.

4But Festus responded that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself would soon go there.

5“Therefore,” he said, “let those among you who are able, descend at the same time, and if there is any guilt in the man, they may accuse him.”

6Then, having stayed among them no more than eight or ten days, he descended to Caesarea. And on the next day, he sat in the judgment seat, and he ordered Paul to be led in.

7And when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, throwing out many serious accusations, none of which they were able to prove.

8Paul offered this defense: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any matter.”

9But Festus, wanting to show greater favor to the Jews, responded to Paul by saying: “Are you willing to ascend to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things before me?”

10But Paul said: “I stand in Caesar’s tribunal, which is where I ought to be judged. I have done no harm to the Jews, as you well know.

11For if I have harmed them, or if I have done anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying. But if there is nothing to these things about which they accuse me, no one is able to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

12Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded: “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

13And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice descended to Caesarea, to greet Festus.

14And since they remained there for many days, Festus spoke to the king about Paul, saying: “A certain man was left behind as a prisoner by Felix.

15When I was at Jerusalem, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the Jews came to me about him, asking for condemnation against him.

16I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before he who is being accused has been confronted by his accusers and has received the opportunity to defend himself, so as to clear himself of the charges.

17Therefore, when they had arrived here, without any delay, on the following day, sitting in the judgment seat, I ordered the man to be brought.

18But when the accusers had stood up, they did not present any accusation about him from which I would suspect evil.

19Instead, they brought against him certain disputes about their own superstition and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

20Therefore, being in doubt about this kind of question, I asked him if he was willing go to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things.

21But since Paul was appealing to be kept for a decision before Augustus, I ordered him to be kept, until I might send him to Caesar.”

22Then Agrippa said to Festus: “I myself also want to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had arrived with great ostentation and had entered into the auditorium with the tribunes and the principal men of the city, Paul was brought in, at the order of Festus.

24And Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present together with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews disturbed me at Jerusalem, petitioning and clamoring that he should not be allowed to live any longer.

25Truly, I have discovered nothing brought forth against him that is worthy of death. But since he himself has appealed to Augustus, it was my judgment to send him.

26But I have not determined what to write to the emperor about him. Because of this, I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, so that, once an inquiry has occurred, I may have something to write.

27For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to indicate the accusations set against him.”