Paul’s Trial before Festus 1 UDB Festus began to rule as governor of the province. Three days later, he left the city of Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2 UDB There, the chief priests and other Jewish leaders stood before Festus and said that Paul had done things that were very wrong. BSB BSB: where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
3 UDB They urgently asked Festus to bring Paul to trial in Jerusalem. But they were really planning to attack him on the road and kill him. BSB BSB: to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4 UDB Festus replied, "Paul is under guard in Caesarea; let him stay there. I myself will go down to Caesarea very soon." BSB BSB: But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
5 UDB "So," he said, "you should go there with me, those of you who are able to. If you have anything to accuse Paul of, you can do it there." BSB BSB: So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”
7 UDB After Paul was brought before the judge's seat, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem gathered around him to accuse him of many serious charges, but they were not able to prove any of them. BSB BSB: When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
8 UDB Then Paul spoke for himself. He said, "I have done nothing against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against the emperor." BSB BSB: Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9 UDB But Festus wanted to please the Jewish leaders, so he asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem so I can judge you there about these things?" BSB BSB: But 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?”
Paul Appeals to Caesar 10 UDB Paul replied, "No, I am now standing before you, who represent the emperor. This is where I ought to be judged. I have done nothing wrong to the Jewish people, as you know very well. BSB BSB: Paul 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.
11 UDB If I had done anything deserving of death, I would not refuse to die; but there is nothing that they accuse me of that deserves such a punishment. No one can condemn me just to satisfy them. I ask that Caesar himself judge me." BSB BSB: If, 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!”
12 UDB After Festus conferred with his advisors, he said, "You have appealed to Caesar, and so to Caesar you shall go!" BSB BSB: Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Festus Consults Agrippa 13 UDB After several days, King Herod Agrippa arrived at Caesarea, along with his sister Bernice. They had come to pay their respects to Festus. BSB BSB: After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
14 UDB King Agrippa and Bernice stayed many days in Caesarea. After some time had passed, Festus told Agrippa about Paul. He said, "There is a man here whom Felix kept in prison. BSB BSB: Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.
15 UDB When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders came before me and asked me to condemn him to death. BSB BSB: While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.
16 UDB But I told them that when someone has been accused of a serious crime, it is not a custom for Romans to condemn a person immediately. Instead, we allow the accused man to stand face to face with his accusers and defend himself against what they say about him. BSB BSB: I 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.
17 UDB So when those Jews came here to Caesarea, I did not delay the trial at all. The day after they arrived, I sat in the judge's seat and ordered the guard to bring in the prisoner. BSB BSB: So 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.
18 UDB But when the Jewish leaders told me what the prisoner had done wrong, I did not think that anything they said was serious. BSB BSB: But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
19 UDB Instead, what they argued with him about were things in their own religion and about a man whose name was Jesus who had died, but whom Paul said was alive. BSB BSB: They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 UDB I did not understand these matters, or how to find out the truth. So I asked Paul, 'Are you willing to go to Jerusalem, so I can judge you there about these things?' BSB BSB: Since 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.
21 UDB But Paul asked for Caesar himself to judge his case, so I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar." BSB BSB: But 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.”
22 UDB Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I myself would like to hear what this man has to say." Festus answered, "I will arrange for you to hear him tomorrow." BSB BSB: Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.
Paul before Agrippa and Bernice 23 UDB The next day Agrippa and Bernice entered the hall of judgment, and all the other people were honoring them. Some Roman commanders and important men in Caesarea came with them. Then Festus commanded that the guards bring Paul in. BSB BSB: The 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.
24 UDB After Paul entered, Festus said, "King Agrippa and all the rest of you who are here, you see this man! Many leaders of the Jews, both in Jerusalem and here, asked me not to let him live any longer. BSB BSB: Then 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.
25 UDB But I found nothing that he had done to deserve death. Even so, he has asked Caesar to judge his case, so I have decided to send him to Rome. BSB BSB: But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
26 UDB But I do not know exactly what I should write to the emperor about him. That is why I have brought him here to speak to you all, and especially to you, King Agrippa! I have done this so that you may question him. Then I may know what to write to the emperor. BSB BSB: I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign 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.
27 UDB I think that it would be unreasonable to send a prisoner to the emperor in Rome without telling exactly what were the wrong things people say that he has done." BSB BSB: For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.