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 25,7 Apg 25,7
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.
crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place.
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout {Greek: the inhabited earth.}the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
who moreover assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold: {Some ancient authorities insert and we would have judged him according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias came, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come before thee.}
Neither can they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me.
that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and {Or, separated}dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not {Or, meet for the king}for the king's profit to suffer them.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries:For false witnesses are risen up against me,And such as breathe out cruelty.
{Or, malicious See Exodus 23:1}Unrighteous witnesses rise up;They ask me of things that I know not.
Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But afterward came two,
and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the {Or, sanctuary: as in chapter 23:35; 27:5}temple of God, and to build it in three days.
And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
And the chief priests accused him of many things.
And Pilate again asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they accuse thee of.
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.
And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.
If ye are reproached {Greek: in.}for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters:
but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.