Acts 25

Appeal to Caesar

1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. # 25:1 Ac 8:40; 23:34 2The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, # 25:2 Ac 24:1; 25:15 3asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. 4Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. # 25:3–4 Ac 9:24; 24:23 5“Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”

6When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in. # 25:6 Mt 27:19; Ac 25:10,17 7When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove. # 25:7 Mk 15:3; Lk 23:2,10; Ac 24:5,13 8Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law, # 25:8 Ac 6:13; 24:12; 28:17 nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, # 25:9 Ac 24:27; 25:20 replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges? ”

10Paul replied, “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. 11If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar! ” # 25:11 Ac 25:21,25; 26:32; 28:19

12Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus

13Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. 14Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There’s a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned. # 25:14–15 Ac 24:27; 25:2 16I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up # 25:16 Other mss add to destruction before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges. # 25:16 Ac 23:30; 24:4–5 17So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils I was expecting. 19Instead they had some disagreements # 25:19 Ac 18:15; 23:29 with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. 20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters. 21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, # 25:21 Lit his majesty, also in v. 25 I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

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

“Tomorrow you will hear him,” he replied. # 25:20–22 Ac 9:15; 25:9,11

Paul before Agrippa

23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice # 25:23 Ac 25:13; 26:30 came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. 24Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer. # 25:24 Ac 22:22; 25:2,7 25I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. # 25:25 Ac 23:29; 25:11–12 26I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write. 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”

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Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 25

1Therefore Festus, having arrived in the Province, after shloshah yamim went up from Caesarea to Yerushalayim, 2Where the Rashei Hakohanim and manhigim of the Yehudim explained to Festus the charges keneged Rav Sha'ul, and they were begging him, 3Asking a favor from him, that Festus might summon Rav Sha'ul to Yerushalayim, while at the same time they were forming a kesher to kill him along the way. 4Festus answered that Rav Sha'ul was to be kept in Caesarea and that Festus himself intended quickly to go there. 5Therefore, those in authority among you, Festus says, should come down with me, and if there is anything in the wrong about Rav Sha'ul, then let them bring charges against him.

6And having stayed with them no more than shmonah or asarah yamim, Festus went down to Caesarea; the next day he sat on the Kes HaMishpat and ordered Rav Sha'ul to be brought in. 7When Rav Sha'ul came in, the Judeans who had come down from Yerushalayim stood around him and brought serious charges keneged (against) him, which they were not able to prove. 8Rav Sha'ul defended himself, saying, Neither keneged the Torah nor keneged the Beis Hamikdash nor keneged Caesar have I done anything wrong. 9But Festus, wishing to grant the Judeans a favor, said in reply to Rav Sha'ul, Do you want to go up to Yerushalayim to be judged by me there concerning these things? 10And Rav Sha'ul said, I am standing before the Kes HaMishpat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be tried. I have done no wrong to my Jewish people, as you also have da'as very well. 11Now if I have done wrong and am worthy of mavet, I am not trying to escape the penalty. But if there is nothing to the charges these bring against me, no one is able to hand me over to them. Therefore, I appeal to Caesar. 12Then Festus, having talked with his council, answered, To Caesar you have appealed, to Caesar you will go.

13After several yamim had passed, Agrippa HaMelech and Bernice arrived in Caesarea, having paid their respects to Festus. 14And while they were spending many yamim there, Festus laid out to the Melech the things with respect to Rav Sha'ul, saying, There is a man here who was left behind in the beis hasohar by Felix. 15When I went to Yerushalayim, the Rashei Hakohanim and the Zekenim of the Yehudim informed me about this man, requesting keneged him a sentence of condemnation. 16I answered them that it violated Roman law to hand over any man before the accused met face to face with his accusers and had an opportunity for a hitstaddekut (defense) concerning the accusation. 17Therefore, they were assembled here; I allowed no delay, and on the next day, I sat down on the Kes HaMishpat and ordered the man brought in. 18But when the accusers stood up, no charge were they bringing of any crimes I was expecting. 19Instead it was an internal matter having to do with questions regarding Orthodox Judaism, and certain disagreements they had with Rav Sha'ul, and regarding a certain Yehoshua who was deceased, but whom Rav Sha'ul asserted was alive. 20Since I was not qualified to investigate these religious questions, I was saying he might wish to go to Yerushalayim and there to be judged concerning these things. 21But Rav Sha'ul appealed that he be kept in custody for the decision of Caesar, so I ordered him to be kept until I send him to Caesar. 22And Agrippa said to Festus, I was desiring also myself to hear Rav Sha'ul. Then Festus says, Tomorrow you will hear him.

23Then on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered into the auditorium along with both the military tribunes and the chashuve anashim of Caesarea. And Festus the Moshel gave orders to have Rav Sha'ul brought in. 24And Festus says, Agrippa HaMelech and all here present with us, you see this man about whom K'lal Yisroel has petitioned me, both in Yerushalayim and here, shouting that he is no longer fit to live. 25But I found he has done nothing worthy of mavet, and when he appealed to Caesar, I decided to send him. 26But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign; therefore, I especially brought him before you, O Agrippa HaMelech, so that, after you have examined him, I may have something I may write. 27For it seems unreasonable to me sending a prisoner and not having charges to report against him.

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