Acts 25
25
Appeal to Caesar
1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.#Ac 8:40; 23:34 2The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,#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.#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.#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.#Mk 15:3; Lk 23:2,10; Ac 24:5,13 8Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,#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,#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!” #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.#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.#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#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.#Ac 9:15; 25:9,11
Paul before Agrippa
23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice#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.#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.#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.”
Currently Selected:
Acts 25: CSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Acts 25
25
1 And so, when Festus had arrived in the province, after three days, he ascended to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the leaders of the priests, and those first among the Jews, went to him against Paul. And they were petitioning him,
3 asking 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.
4 But 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."
6 Then, 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.
7 And 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.
8 Paul offered this defense: "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any matter."
9 But 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?"
10 But 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.
11 For 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."
12 Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded: "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."
13 And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice descended to Caesarea, to greet Festus.
14 And 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.
15 When 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.
16 I 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.
17 Therefore, when they had arrived here, without any delay, on the following day, sitting in the judgment seat, I ordered the man to be brought.
18 But when the accusers had stood up, they did not present any accusation about him from which I would suspect evil.
19 Instead, 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.
20 Therefore, 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.
21 But 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."
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus: "I myself also want to hear the man." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."
23 And 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.
24 And 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.
25 Truly, 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.
26 But 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.
27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to indicate the accusations set against him."
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in