| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. | 1Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, |
| 2So the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul to him. | 2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus |
| 3Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him along the way. | 3to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. |
| 4Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there shortly. | 4But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. |
| 5"So," he said, "let your leaders go down there with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, they may bring charges against him." | 5So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.” |
| 6After Festus had stayed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. | 6After 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. |
| 7When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to prove. | 7When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove. |
| 8Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar." | 8Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” |
| 9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there on these charges?" | 9But 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?” |
| 10Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. | 10Paul 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. |
| 11If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" | 11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, 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!” |
| 12Then, after conferring with his council, Festus replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!" | 12Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” |
| 13After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. | 13After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. |
| 14While they were staying there many days, Festus explained Paul's case to the king to get his opinion, saying, "There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. | 14Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison. |
| 15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. | 15While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him. |
| 16I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met his accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. | 16I 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. |
| 17So after they came back here with me, I did not postpone the case, but the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought. | 17So 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. |
| 18When his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. | 18But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. |
| 19Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive. | 19They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive. |
| 20Because I was at a loss how I could investigate these matters, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. | 20Since 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. |
| 21But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar." | 21But 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.” |
| 22Agrippa said to Festus, "I would also like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he replied, "you will hear him." | 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared. |
| 23So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall, along with the senior military officers and the prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in. | 23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. |
| 24Then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting loudly that he ought not to live any longer. | 24Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer. |
| 25But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, and when he appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him. | 25But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. |
| 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 this preliminary hearing I may have something to write. | 26I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign one 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. |
| 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him." | 27For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.” |
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