| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. | 1Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. |
| 2Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, | 2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, |
| 3asking him to do them a favor against Paul, that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing an ambush along the road to kill him. | 3asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. |
| 4However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly." | 4Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. |
| 5Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if there is any wrong in this man." | 5“So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.” |
| 6When he had spent not more than eight or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge's bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in. | 6After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. |
| 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, | 7When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. |
| 8while Paul made the defense that, "Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all." | 8Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” |
| 9Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews, replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?" | 9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” |
| 10But Paul said: "I am standing at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. | 10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. |
| 11If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" | 11If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” |
| 12After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!" | 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” |
| 13After some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus. | 13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. |
| 14Since they stayed there many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, "There's a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix. | 14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, |
| 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a judgment against him. | 15and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. |
| 16I answered them that it's not the Romans' custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges. | 16I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. |
| 17Therefore, when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I sat at the judge's bench and ordered the man to be brought in. | 17So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. |
| 18Concerning him, the accusers stood up and brought no charge of the sort I was expecting. | 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. |
| 19Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive. | 19Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. |
| 20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there concerning these matters. | 20Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. |
| 21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar." | 21But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” |
| 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear the man myself."" Tomorrow you will hear him," he replied. | 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” |
| 23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. | 23So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. |
| 24Then Festus said: "King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer. | 24And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. |
| 25Now I realized that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. | 25But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. |
| 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. | 26But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. |
| 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him." | 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” |
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