Acts 25 NLT NIV Parallel

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◄ Acts 25 ►

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1Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem,

1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

2where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul.

2where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.

3They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way).

3They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

4But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon.

4Festus answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.

5So he said, “Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.”

5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there."

6About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in.

6After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.

7When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t prove.

7When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.

8Paul denied the charges. “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said.

8Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."

9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?”

9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?"

10But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews.

10Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.

11If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”

11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

12Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!”

12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"

13A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus.

13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

14During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix.

14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.

15When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him.

15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.

16I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves.

16"I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.

17“When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in.

17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.

18But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected.

18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

19Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.

19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.

20I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem.

20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.

21But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.”

21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."

22“I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!” Paul Speaks to Agrippa

22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." He replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him."

23So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.

23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

24Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem.

24Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

25But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.

26“But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write.

26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write.

27For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!”

27For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him."

New International Version (NIV)

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