ACTS Chapter 25 - The Trial Before Festus

The Trial Before Festus

Three days after arriving in the Province,

Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

2 Where the chief Priests and the Jewish leaders

Appeared before him

And presented the Charges against Paul.

3 They Urgently 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.

4 Festus answered,

'Paul is being held at Caearea,

And I myself am going there soon.

5 Let some of your leaders come with me

And Press Charges against the man there,

If he has done anything wrong.'

6 After spending eight or ten days with them,

He went down to Caesarea,

And the next day he convened the Court

And ordered that Paul be brought before him.

7 When Paul appeared,

The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem

Stood around him,

Bringing many Serious Charges against him,

Which they could not prove.

8 Then Paul made his Defense:

'I HAVE DONE NOTHING AGAINST THE LAW OF THE JEWS

OR AGAINST THE TEMPLE OR AGAINST CAESAR.'

9 Festus, 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?'

10 Paul 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.

11 IF, HOWEVER, I AM GUILTY

OF DOING ANYTHNG DESEVING 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!'

After Festus had conferred with his Council,

He declared:

'YOU HAVE APPEALED TO CAESAR.

TO CAESAR YOU WILL GO!'

Festus Consults King Agrippa

13 A few day later King Agrippa and Bernice

Arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

14 Since 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.

15 When I went to Jerusalem,

The Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews

Brought Charges against him

And asked that he be Condemned.

16 'I told them that it is not the Roman Custom

To hand over any man before he has faced his accusers

And has had an opportunity

To defend himself against their charges.

17 When they came here with me,

I did not delay the Case,

But Convened the Court the next day

And ordered the man to be bought in.

18 When his Accusers got up to speak,

They did not Charge him

With any of the Crimes I had expected.

19 Instead, they had some Points of Dispute

With him about their own Religion

And about a dead man named Jesus

Who Paul claimed was alive.

20 I 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.

21 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 Then Agrippa said to Festus,

'I would like to hear this man myself.'

He replied,

'Tomorrow you will hear him.'

Paul Before Agrippa

23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice

Came with great Pomp

And entered the Audience Room

With the High Ranking men of the City.

At the Command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

24 Festus 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.

25 I found he had done nothing Deserving of Death,

But because he made his Appeal to the emperor

I decried to send him to Rome.

26 But I have nothing Definite

To write to His Majesty about him.

Therefore I have bought 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.

27 FOR IT IS UNREASONABLE

TO SEND ON A PRISONER

WITHOUT SPECIFYING THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.'

(Acts 25)