1 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews made a statement to him against Paul; and they petitioned him,

3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.

4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.

5 Therefore, he said, let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, whatever there might be in him.

6 And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

7 And when he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around and brought many serious complaints against Paul, which they were not able to prove.

8 Defending himself he said, Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I trespassed in anything at all.

9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?

10 Then Paul said, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.

11 For if I have done wrong, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.

13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

14 And when they had been there many days, Festus set forth Paul’s case before the king, saying: There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,

15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him.

16 To them I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to make a defense concerning the charge against him.

17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.

18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed,

19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, I also would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, he said, you shall hear him.

23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was led out.

24 And Festus said: King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.

25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.

26 But I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.

27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.

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 E, 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 E, 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 Por cujo respeito os principais dos sacerdotes e os anciãos dos judeus estando eu em Jerusalém, compareceram perante mim, pedindo sentença contra ele. 16 Aos quais respondi não ser 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 do qual, 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, disse se queria ir a Jerusalém, e lá ser julgado acerca destas coisas. 21 E, 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 E, 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 que 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 Do qual 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.