Chapter 25
Paul’s Trial before Festus
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- Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
οὖν τρεῖς ἡμέρας μετὰ ἐπιβὰς τῇ ἐπαρχείᾳ Φῆστος ἀνέβη ἀπὸ Καισαρείας εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα oun treis hēmeras meta epibas tē eparcheia Phēstos anebē apo Kaisareias eis Hierosolyma — NA/TR · 1
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[where] the chief priests and vvv Jewish leaders presented their case… against Paul. They urged [Festus]
τε οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πρῶτοι ἐνεφάνισάν αὐτῷ κατὰ τοῦ Παύλου καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν te hoi archiereis kai hoi tōn Ioudaiōn prōtoi enephanisan autō kata tou Paulou kai parekaloun auton — NA/TR · 2
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to grant them a concession against [Paul] by summoning him to Jerusalem, [ because ] they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
αἰτούμενοι χάριν κατ’ αὐτοῦ ὅπως μεταπέμψηται αὐτὸν εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ ποιοῦντες ἐνέδραν ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὴν ὁδόν aitoumenoi charin kat’ autou hopōs metapempsētai auton eis Ierousalēm poiountes enedran anelein auton kata tēn hodon — NA/TR · 3
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But - Festus replied, “- Paul is being held in Caesarea, and [I myself] am going there vvv soon.
οὖν μὲν Ὁ Φῆστος ἀπεκρίθη τὸν Παῦλον τηρεῖσθαι εἰς Καισάρειαν δὲ ἑαυτὸν μέλλειν ἐκπορεύεσθαι ἐν τάχει oun men Ho Phēstos apekrithē ton Paulon tēreisthai eis Kaisareian de heauton mellein ekporeuesthai en tachei — NA/TR · 4
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- So if [this] man has done anything wrong, {let} some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him [there].
φησίν οὖν εἴ ἐν τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἐστιν τί ἄτοπον Οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν Δυνατοὶ συνκαταβάντες κατηγορείτωσαν αὐτοῦ phēsin oun ei en tō andri estin ti atopon Hoi en hymin Dynatoi synkatabantes katēgoreitōsan autou — NA/TR · 5
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[After] spending no more than eight or ten days with them, [Festus] went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat [and] ordered that Paul be brought in.
δὲ Διατρίψας οὐ πλείους ὀκτὼ ἢ δέκα ἡμέρας ἐν αὐτοῖς καταβὰς εἰς Καισάρειαν τῇ ἐπαύριον καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Παῦλον ἀχθῆναι de Diatripsas ou pleious oktō ē deka hēmeras en autois katabas eis Kaisareian tē epaurion kathisas epi tou bēmatos ekeleusen ton Paulon achthēnai — NA/TR · 6
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[When] [Paul] arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that vvv they could not prove.
δὲ αὐτοῦ παραγενομένου οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καταβεβηκότες ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων περιέστησαν αὐτὸν καταφέροντες πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα αἰτιώματα ἃ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀποδεῖξαι de autou paragenomenou hoi Ioudaioi katabebēkotes apo Hierosolymōn periestēsan auton katapherontes polla kai barea aitiōmata ha ouk ischyon apodeixai — NA/TR · 7
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[Then] Paul made his defense -: “I have committed no offense… against the law of the Jews [or] against the temple [or] against Caesar.
Τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου ὅτι ἥμαρτον τι Οὔτε εἰς τὸν νόμον τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὔτε εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν οὔτε εἰς Καίσαρά Tou Paulou apologoumenou hoti hēmarton ti Oute eis ton nomon tōn Ioudaiōn oute eis to hieron oute eis Kaisara — NA/TR · 8
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But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor…, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these [charges]?
δὲ Ὁ Φῆστος θέλων καταθέσθαι χάριν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ Παύλῳ Θέλεις ἀναβὰς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα κριθῆναι ἐπ’ ἐμοῦ ἐκεῖ περὶ τούτων de Ho Phēstos thelōn katathesthai charin tois Ioudaiois apokritheis eipen tō Paulō Theleis anabas eis Hierosolyma krithēnai ep’ emou ekei peri toutōn — NA/TR · 9
Paul Appeals to Caesar
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- Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong… to [the] Jews, as you [yourself] know very well.
δὲ ὁ Παῦλος Εἶπεν εἰμι Ἑστὼς ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος Καίσαρος οὗ με δεῖ κρίνεσθαι ἠδίκησα οὐδὲν Ἰουδαίους ὡς σὺ καὶ ἐπιγινώσκεις κάλλιον de ho Paulos Eipen eimi Hestōs epi tou bēmatos Kaisaros hou me dei krinesthai ēdikēsa ouden Ioudaious hōs sy kai epiginōskeis kallion — NA/TR · 10
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If, however…, I am guilty [of] anything worthy of death, vvv I do not refuse to die. But if there is no [truth] to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over… to them. I appeal to Caesar!
εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀδικῶ καὶ πέπραχά τι ἄξιον θανάτου οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν δὲ εἰ ἐστιν οὐδέν ὧν οὗτοι κατηγοροῦσίν μου οὐδείς δύναται χαρίσασθαι με αὐτοῖς ἐπικαλοῦμαι Καίσαρα ei men oun adikō kai pepracha ti axion thanatou ou paraitoumai to apothanein de ei estin ouden hōn houtoi katēgorousin mou oudeis dynatai charisasthai me autois epikaloumai Kaisara — NA/TR · 11
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Then Festus conferred with [his] council [and] replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!
Τότε ὁ Φῆστος συλλαλήσας μετὰ τοῦ συμβουλίου ἀπεκρίθη ἐπικέκλησαι Καίσαρα ἐπὶ Καίσαρα πορεύσῃ Tote ho Phēstos syllalēsas meta tou symbouliou apekrithē epikeklēsai Kaisara epi Kaisara poreusē — NA/TR · 12
Festus Consults Agrippa
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[After] several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
δὲ τινῶν Ἡμερῶν διαγενομένων ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀγρίππας καὶ Βερνίκη κατήντησαν εἰς Καισάρειαν ἀσπασάμενοι τὸν Φῆστον de tinōn Hēmerōn diagenomenōn ho basileus Agrippas kai Bernikē katēntēsan eis Kaisareian aspasamenoi ton Phēston — NA/TR · 13
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Since… they were staying… several days, Festus laid out vvv vvv vvv Paul’s case before the king -: “There is a certain man [whom] Felix left in prison.
δὲ ὡς διέτριβον ἐκεῖ πλείους ἡμέρας ὁ Φῆστος ἀνέθετο τὰ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγων ἐστιν τίς Ἀνήρ ὑπὸ Φήλικος καταλελειμμένος δέσμιος de hōs dietribon ekei pleious hēmeras ho Phēstos anetheto ta kata ton Paulon tō basilei legōn estin tis Anēr hypo Phēlikos kataleleimmenos desmios — NA/TR · 14
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While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case… [and] requested a judgment against him.
μου γενομένου εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐνεφάνισαν περὶ οὗ αἰτούμενοι καταδίκην κατ’ αὐτοῦ mou genomenou eis Hierosolyma hoi archiereis kai hoi presbyteroi tōn Ioudaiōn enephanisan peri hou aitoumenoi katadikēn kat’ autou — NA/TR · 15
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I told [them] that it is not [the] Roman custom… to hand a man {over} before [he]… has had [an] opportunity to face [his] accusers and defend himself against [their] charges.
ἀπεκρίθην πρὸς οὓς ὅτι ἔστιν οὐκ ἔθος Ῥωμαίοις χαρίζεσθαί τινα ἄνθρωπον πρὶν ἢ ὁ κατηγορούμενος ἔχοι λάβοι τόπον κατὰ πρόσωπον τοὺς κατηγόρους τε ἀπολογίας περὶ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος apekrithēn pros hous hoti estin ouk ethos Rhōmaiois charizesthai tina anthrōpon prin ē ho katēgoroumenos echoi laboi topon kata prosōpon tous katēgorous te apologias peri tou enklēmatos — NA/TR · 16
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So [when] they came here {with me}, I did not delay. The next [day] I sat on the judgment seat [and] ordered that the man be brought in.
οὖν αὐτῶν Συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε ποιησάμενος μηδεμίαν ἀναβολὴν τῇ ἑξῆς καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐκέλευσα τὸν ἄνδρα ἀχθῆναι oun autōn Synelthontōn enthade poiēsamenos mēdemian anabolēn tē hexēs kathisas epi tou bēmatos ekeleusa ton andra achthēnai — NA/TR · 17
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vvv [But when his] accusers rose to speak, vvv vvv they did not charge [him] with [any of the] crimes I had expected.
περὶ οὗ οἱ κατήγοροι σταθέντες ἔφερον οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν πονηρῶν ὧν ἐγὼ ὑπενόουν peri hou hoi katēgoroi stathentes epheron oudemian aitian ponērōn hōn egō hypenooun — NA/TR · 18
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vvv They only had some contentions with him regarding [their] own religion and a certain Jesus [who] had died, [but] whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
δέ εἶχον τινα ζητήματα πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ τῆς ἰδίας δεισιδαιμονίας καὶ περί τινος Ἰησοῦ τεθνηκότος ὃν ὁ Παῦλος ἔφασκεν ζῆν de eichon tina zētēmata pros auton peri tēs idias deisidaimonias kai peri tinos Iēsou tethnēkotos hon ho Paulos ephasken zēn — NA/TR · 19
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[Since] I was at a loss as to how to investigate these [matters], I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried {there} on these [charges].
δὲ ἐγὼ Ἀπορούμενος τὴν περὶ ζήτησιν τούτων ἔλεγον εἰ βούλοιτο πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα κἀκεῖ κρίνεσθαι περὶ τούτων de egō Aporoumenos tēn peri zētēsin toutōn elegon ei bouloito poreuesthai eis Hierosolyma kakei krinesthai peri toutōn — NA/TR · 20
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But [when] Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.
δὲ τοῦ Παύλου ἐπικαλεσαμένου αὐτὸν τηρηθῆναι εἰς τὴν διάγνωσιν τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ ἐκέλευσα αὐτὸν τηρεῖσθαι ἕως οὗ ἀναπέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς Καίσαρα de tou Paulou epikalesamenou auton tērēthēnai eis tēn diagnōsin tou Sebastou ekeleusa auton tēreisthai heōs hou anapempsō auton pros Kaisara — NA/TR · 21
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Then Agrippa [said] to Festus, “I would like to hear [this] man myself. “Tomorrow you will hear him, Festus declared.
δὲ Ἀγρίππας πρὸς τὸν Φῆστον Ἐβουλόμην καὶ ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου αὐτὸς Αὔριον Ἀκούσῃ αὐτοῦ φησίν de Agrippas pros ton Phēston Eboulomēn kai akousai tou anthrōpou autos Aurion Akousē autou phēsin — NA/TR · 22
Paul before Agrippa and Bernice
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- The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered… the auditorium, along with [the] commanders and vvv leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.
οὖν Τῇ ἐπαύριον τοῦ Ἀγρίππα καὶ τῆς Βερνίκης ἐλθόντος μετὰ πολλῆς φαντασίας καὶ εἰσελθόντων εἰς τὸ ἀκροατήριον σύν τε χιλιάρχοις καὶ τοῖς κατ’ ἐξοχὴν ἀνδράσιν τῆς πόλεως καὶ τοῦ Φήστου κελεύσαντος ὁ Παῦλος ἤχθη oun Tē epaurion tou Agrippa kai tēs Bernikēs elthontos meta pollēs phantasias kai eiselthontōn eis to akroatērion syn te chiliarchois kai tois kat’ exochēn andrasin tēs poleōs kai tou Phēstou keleusantos ho Paulos ēchthē — NA/TR · 23
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Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all [who] are present with us, you see this [man]. The whole vvv Jewish community has petitioned me about [him], both here and in Jerusalem, crying out [that] he ought not to live [any] longer.
Καί ὁ Φῆστος φησιν βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες συμπαρόντες ἡμῖν θεωρεῖτε τοῦτον τὸ ἅπαν τῶν Ἰουδαίων πλῆθος ἐνέτυχόν μοι περὶ οὗ τε ἐνθάδε καὶ ἔν Ἱεροσολύμοις βοῶντες αὐτὸν δεῖν μὴ ζῆν μηκέτι Kai ho Phēstos phēsin basileu Agrippa kai pantes hoi andres symparontes hēmin theōreite touton to hapan tōn Ioudaiōn plēthos enetychon moi peri hou te enthade kai en Hierosolymois boōntes auton dein mē zēn mēketi — NA/TR · 24
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But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, [and] since he… vvv has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send [him].
δὲ ἐγὼ κατελαβόμην αὐτὸν πεπραχέναι μηδὲν ἄξιον θανάτου τούτου αὐτοῦ δὲ ἐπικαλεσαμένου τὸν Σεβαστὸν ἔκρινα πέμπειν de egō katelabomēn auton peprachenai mēden axion thanatou toutou autou de epikalesamenou ton Sebaston ekrina pempein — NA/TR · 25
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I have nothing… definite to write to [our] sovereign about [him]. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry… I may have something to write -.
ἔχω οὐκ τι ἀσφαλές γράψαι τῷ κυρίῳ περὶ οὗ διὸ προήγαγον αὐτὸν ἐφ’ ὑμῶν καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ σοῦ βασιλεῦ Ἀγρίππα ὅπως ἀνακρίσεως γενομένης σχῶ τί γράψω τῆς echō ouk ti asphales grapsai tō kyriō peri hou dio proēgagon auton eph’ hymōn kai malista epi sou basileu Agrippa hopōs anakriseōs genomenēs schō ti grapsō tēs — NA/TR · 26
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For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without… specifying the charges against him.
γάρ δοκεῖ ἄλογον μοι πέμποντα δέσμιον μὴ καὶ σημᾶναι τὰς αἰτίας κατ’ αὐτοῦ gar dokei alogon moi pemponta desmion mē kai sēmanai tas aitias kat’ autou — NA/TR · 27