Festus therefore, {Or, having entered upon his province}having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea.
And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him,
asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way.
Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Cæsarea, and that he himself was about to depart thither shortly.
Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.
And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove;
while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar, have I sinned at all.
But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
But Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.
If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me, no man can {Greek: grant me by favor.}give me up unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Cæsar: unto Cæsar shalt thou go.
Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Cæsarea, {Or, having saluted}and saluted Festus.
And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the King, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;
about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence against him.
To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to {Greek: grant me by favor.}give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.
When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought.
Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed;
but had certain questions against him of their own {Or, superstition}religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters.
But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of {Greek: the Augustus.}the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Cæsar.
And Agrippa said unto Festus, I also {Or, was wishing}could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.
So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing with the {Or, military tribune Greek: chiliarch.}chief captains and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.
And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to {Greek: the Augustus.}the emperor I determined to send him.
Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.
Querverweise zu Apostelgeschichte 25,3 Apg 25,3
and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
And they were more than forty that made this conspiracy.
And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
Now therefore do ye with the council signify to the {Or, military tribune Greek: chiliarch}chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye would judge of his case more exactly: and we, before he comes near, are ready to slay him.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in {Or, Horesh}the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of {Or, Jeshimon}the desert?
Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had compassion on me.
I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
Then the princes said unto the king, Let this man, we pray thee, be put to death; forasmuch as he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
The wicked watcheth the righteous,And seeketh to slay him.
And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
Jehovah will not leave him in his hand,Nor condemn him when he is judged.
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some {Greek: sign.}miracle done by him.
And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.
And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate.
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
no, nor yet Herod: for {Many ancient authorities read I sent you to him.}he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.
I will therefore chastise him, and release him. {Many ancient authorities insert verse 17 Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner. Compare Matthew 27:15; Mark 15:6; John 18:39. Others add the same words after verse 19.}
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But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:—
one who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.
And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;
but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done.
Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers,From the {Or, throng}tumult of the workers of iniquity;
Who have whet their tongue like a sword,And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect:Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
They encourage themselves in an evil purpose;They commune of laying snares privily;They say, Who will see them?
They search out iniquities; {Or, as otherwise read. They have accomplished (or, have hidden)}We have accomplished, say they, a diligent search:And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man;Preserve me from the violent man:
Who devise mischiefs in their heart;Continually do they {Or, stir up wars}gather themselves together for war.
They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;Adders' poison is under their lips.[Selah
Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked;Preserve me from the violent man:Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords;They have spread a net by the wayside;They have set gins for me. [Selah
Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.