Acts 25 - J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

Felix’s successor begins his duties with vigour—

25 1-4 Three days after Festus had taken over his province he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. The chief priests and elders of the Jews informed him of the case against Paul and begged him as a special favour to have Paul sent to Jerusalem. They themselves had already made a plot to kill him on the way. But Festus replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.

5 “What you must do,” he told them, “is to provide some competent men of your own to go down with me and if there is anything wrong with the man they can present their charges against him.”

6-8 Festus spent not more than eight or ten days among them at Jerusalem and then went down to Caesarea. On the day after his arrival he took his seat on the bench and ordered Paul to be brought in. As soon as he arrived the Jews from Jerusalem stood up on all sides of him, bringing forward many serious accusations which they were quite unable to substantiate. Paul, in his defence, maintained, “I have committed no offence in any way against the Jewish Law, or against the Temple or against Caesar.”

—but is afraid of antagonising the Jews

9 But Festus, wishing to gain the goodwill of the Jews, spoke direct to Paul, “Are you prepared to go up to Jerusalem and stand your trial over these matters in my presence there?”

10-11 But Paul replied, “I am standing in Caesar’s court and that is where I should be judged. I have done the Jews no harm, as you very well know. It comes to this: if I were a criminal and had committed some crime which deserved the death penalty, I should not try to evade sentence of death. But as in fact there is no truth in the accusations these men have made, I am not prepared to be used as a means of gaining their favour—I appeal to Caesar!”.

12 Then Festus, after a conference with his advisers, replied to Paul, “You have appealed to Caesar—then to Caesar you shall go!”

Festus outlines Paul’s case to Agrippa

13-14 Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea on a state visit to Festus. They prolonged their stay for some days and this gave Festus an opportunity of laying Paul’s case before the king.

15-21 “I have a man,” he said, “who was left a prisoner by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and Jewish elders made allegations against him and demanded his conviction! I told them that the Romans were not in the habit of giving anybody up to please anyone, until the accused had had the chance of facing his accusers personally and been given the opportunity of defending himself on the charges made against him. Since these Jews came back here with me, I wasted no time but on the very next day I took my seat on the bench and ordered the man to be brought in. But when his accusers got up to speak they did not charge him with any such crimes as I had anticipated. Their differences with him were about their own religion and concerning a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul claimed to be still alive. I did not feel qualified to investigate such matters and so I asked the man if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and stand his trial over these matters there. But when he appealed to have his case reserved for the decision of the emperor himself, I ordered him to be kept in custody until such time as I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I have been wanting to hear this man myself” “Then you shall hear him tomorrow,” replied Festus.

Festus formally explains Paul’s case to Agrippa

23-27 When the next day came, Agrippa and Bernice proceeded to the audience chamber with great pomp and ceremony, with an escort of military officers and prominent townsmen. Festus ordered Paul to be brought in and then he spoke: “King Agrippa and all who are present, you see here the man about whom the whole Jewish people both at Jerusalem and in this city have petitioned me. They din it into my ears that he ought not to live any longer, but I for my part discovered nothing that he has done which deserves the death penalty. And since he has appealed to Caesar, I have decided to send him to Rome. Frankly, I have nothing specific to write to the emperor about him, and I have therefore brought him forward before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that from your examination of him there may emerge some charge which I may put in writing. For it seems ridiculous to me to send a prisoner before the emperor without indicating the charges against him.”

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Acts 25 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

25 Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea, 2 and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him, 3 asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusal...
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Acts 25 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

25 Therefore when Festus came into the province, after the third day he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the princes of priests, and the worthiest of the Jews went to him against Paul [And the prince of priests, and the first of Jews went to him against Paul], and prayed him, 3 and asked ...
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Acts 25 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

25 Three days after Festus came to the country, he went to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews told him what they had against Paul. 3 `Please do something for us,' they begged. `Send for Paul to come to Jerusalem.' They had made a secret plan to kill him on ...
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Acts 25 - World English Bible (WEB)

25 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill hi...
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Acts 25 - The Voice (VOICE)

There are rumors that a large sum of money is at Paul’s disposal—that is, the relief offering for the church in Jerusalem. But Paul does not choose to buy his freedom. Despite the corruption of the government, Paul understands that ultimately his justice is in the hands of God. In the near future, h...
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Acts 25 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Appeal to Caesar25 Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 There the ruling kohanim and the leading Judeans brought charges against Paul. They were urging him, 3 asking a favor—to have Paul sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the r...
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Acts 25 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Paul Appeals to the Emperor25 Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesare′a. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, plannin...
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Acts 25 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Paul Appeals to the Emperor25 Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesare′a. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, plannin...
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Acts 25 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

25 Three days after Festus had come into the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the High Priest and the chief of the Jews appeared before him against Paul. And they pleaded with him, 3 and asked (as a favor) if he would summon him to Jerusalem, so they could make an ambush and k...
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Acts 25 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

To Caesar You Shall Go25 So Festus arrived in the province, and after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 The high priests and the leading men of the Jews appeared before him, laying charges against Paul, and putting a request to him. 3 They wanted him to do a special favour for th...
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Acts 25 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Paul Appeals to the Emperor25 Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem 2 where the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews gave him a report against Paul. They appealed to him 3 and requested, as a favor to them against Paul,[a] to have him trans...
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Acts 25 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Paul Appeals to the Emperor25 Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem 2 where the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews gave him a report against Paul. They appealed to him 3 and requested, as a favour to them against Paul,[a] to have him tran...
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Acts 25 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Paul Appeals to the Emperor25 Three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews gave him a report against Paul. They appealed to him(A)3 and requested, as a favor to them against Paul,[a] to have him tran...
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Acts 25 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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Acts 25 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Acts 25 - New Life Version (NLV)

Paul Stands in Front of Festus25 Three days after Festus had become leader in the country, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 The head religious leaders and the leaders of the Jews told Festus what they had against Paul. 3 They asked Festus for a favor. They wanted Paul to be brough...
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Acts 25 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Paul Appeals to Caesar25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from (A)Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 (B)Then the [a]high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jer...
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