1 Entrando, pois, Festo na província, subiu dali a três dias de Cesareia a Jerusalém. 2 E o sumo sacerdote e os principais dos judeus compareceram perante ele contra Paulo e lhe rogaram, 3 pedindo como favor, contra ele, que o fizesse vir a Jerusalém, armando ciladas para o matarem no caminho. 4 Mas Festo respondeu que Paulo estava guardado em Cesareia e que ele brevemente partiria para lá. 5 Os que, pois, disse, dentre vós têm poder desçam comigo e, se neste varão houver algum crime, acusem-no. 6 E, não se demorando entre eles mais de dez dias, desceu a Cesareia; e, no dia seguinte, assentando-se no tribunal, mandou que trouxessem Paulo. 7 Chegando ele, o rodearam os judeus que haviam descido de Jerusalém, trazendo contra Paulo muitas e graves acusações, que não podiam provar. 8 Mas ele, em sua defesa, disse: Eu não pequei em coisa alguma contra a lei dos judeus, nem contra o templo, nem contra César. 9 Todavia, Festo, querendo comprazer aos judeus, respondendo a Paulo, disse: Queres tu subir a Jerusalém e ser lá perante mim julgado acerca destas coisas? 10 Mas Paulo disse: Estou perante o tribunal de César, onde convém que seja julgado; não fiz agravo algum aos judeus, como tu muito bem sabes. 11 Se fiz algum agravo ou cometi alguma coisa digna de morte, não recuso morrer; mas, se nada há das coisas de que estes me acusam, ninguém me pode entregar a eles. Apelo para César. 12 Então, Festo, tendo falado com o conselho, respondeu: Apelaste para César? Para César irás.

13 Passados alguns dias, o rei Agripa e Berenice vieram a Cesareia, a saudar Festo. 14 E, como ali ficassem muitos dias, Festo contou ao rei os negócios de Paulo, dizendo: Um certo varão foi deixado por Félix aqui preso, 15 a respeito de quem os principais dos sacerdotes e os anciãos dos judeus, estando eu em Jerusalém, compareceram perante mim, pedindo sentença contra ele. 16 A eles respondi que não é costume dos romanos entregar algum homem à morte, sem que o acusado tenha presentes os seus acusadores e possa defender-se da acusação. 17 De sorte que, chegando eles aqui juntos, no dia seguinte, sem fazer dilação alguma, assentado no tribunal, mandei que trouxessem o homem.

18 Acerca dele, estando presentes os acusadores, nenhuma coisa apontaram daquelas que eu suspeitava. 19 Tinham, porém, contra ele algumas questões acerca de sua superstição e de um tal Jesus, defunto, que Paulo afirmava viver. 20 E, estando eu perplexo acerca da inquirição desta causa, perguntei se queria ir a Jerusalém e lá ser julgado acerca destas coisas. 21 Mas, apelando Paulo para que fosse reservado ao conhecimento de Augusto, mandei que o guardassem até que o envie a César. 22 Então, Agripa disse a Festo: Bem quisera eu ouvir também esse homem. E ele disse: Amanhã o ouvirás.

23 No dia seguinte, vindo Agripa e Berenice, com muito aparato, entraram no auditório com os tribunos e varões principais da cidade, sendo trazido Paulo por mandado de Festo. 24 E Festo disse: Rei Agripa e todos os varões que estais presentes conosco, aqui vedes um homem de quem toda a multidão dos judeus me tem falado, tanto em Jerusalém como aqui, clamando que não convém que viva mais. 25 Mas, achando eu que nenhuma coisa digna de morte fizera, e apelando ele mesmo também para Augusto, tenho determinado enviar-lho. 26 Dele, porém, não tenho coisa alguma certa que escreva ao meu senhor e, por isso, perante vós o trouxe, principalmente perante ti, ó rei Agripa, para que, depois de interrogado, tenha alguma coisa que escrever. 27 Porque me parece contra a razão enviar um preso e não notificar contra ele as acusações.

1 Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.2 The high priests and Jewish leaders informed him of their charges against Paul, urging3 and begging him as a favor to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. They were laying an ambush to kill him on the way.4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be going there soon.5 "Therefore," he said, "have your authorities come down with me and present their charges against him, if there is anything wrong with the man."6 Festus stayed with them no more than eight or ten days and then went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judge's seat and ordered Paul brought in.7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and began bringing a number of serious charges against him that they couldn't prove.8 Paul said in his defense, "I have in no way sinned against the law of the Jews or the temple or the emperor."9 Then Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried there before me on these charges?"10 But Paul said, "I am standing before the emperor's judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jews, as you know very well.11 If I am guilty and have done something that deserves death, I don't refuse to die. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to the emperor!"12 Festus talked it over with the council and then answered, "To the emperor you have appealed; to the emperor you will go!"13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to welcome Festus.14 Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.15 When I went to Jerusalem, the high priests and the Jewish elders informed me about him and asked me to condemn him.16 I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to hand over a man for punishment until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.17 "So they came here with me, and the next day without any delay I sat down in the judge's seat and ordered the man to be brought in.18 When his accusers stood up, they didn't accuse him of any of the crimes I was expecting.19 Instead, they had several arguments with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but whom Paul kept claiming was alive.20 I was puzzled how I should investigate such matters and asked if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be tried there in regard to these things.21 But Paul appealed his case and asked to be held in prison until the decision of his Majesty. So I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to the emperor."22 Agrippa told Festus, "I would like to hear the man.""Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him."23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived with much fanfare and went into the auditorium along with the tribunes and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.24 Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us! You see this man about whom the whole Jewish nation petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.25 I find that he has not done anything deserving of death. But since he has appealed to his Majesty, I have decided to send him.26 I have nothing reliable to write our Sovereign about him, so I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I will have something to write after he is cross-examined.27 For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."