Festus (procurator)
Procurator of the Roman Empire in Judea
Porcius Festus was the Roman procurator who succeeded Felix in Judea. He inherited Paul's case from his predecessor and arranged the famous trial where Paul defended himself before King Agrippa II, which ultimately led to Paul being sent to Rome to stand trial before the emperor.
Hechos clave
Succeeds Felix as procurator
Festus took over the office of procurator in Judea after Felix and thus inherited the unresolved case against Paul.
27When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and because he wanted to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.
Διετίας δὲ πληρωθείσης ἔλαβεν διάδοχον ὁ Φῆλιξ Πόρκιον Φῆστον· θέλων τε ⸀χάριτα καταθέσθαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὁ Φῆλιξ κατέλιπε τὸν Παῦλον δεδεμένον.
The Jews bring charges against Paul
Shortly after his arrival, Festus went to Jerusalem, where the Jewish leaders presented their accusations against Paul and asked for him to be transferred there.
1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
Φῆστος οὖν ἐπιβὰς τῇ ἐπαρχείᾳ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀνέβη εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀπὸ Καισαρείας,
2There the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul. They kept urging him,
ἐνεφάνισάν ⸀τε αὐτῷ ⸂οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς⸃ καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν Ἰουδαίων κατὰ τοῦ Παύλου, καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν
3asking as a favor that he have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
αἰτούμενοι χάριν κατʼ αὐτοῦ ὅπως μεταπέμψηται αὐτὸν εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ, ἐνέδραν ποιοῦντες ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὴν ὁδόν.
4Festus answered that Paul was being held in Caesarea and that he himself intended to leave for there shortly.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Φῆστος ἀπεκρίθη τηρεῖσθαι τὸν Παῦλον ⸂εἰς Καισάρειαν⸃, ἑαυτὸν δὲ μέλλειν ἐν τάχει ἐκπορεύεσθαι·
5"So let your leading men come down with me," he said, "and if there is anything wrong with the man, let them bring their charges against him."
Οἱ οὖν ⸂ἐν ὑμῖν, φησίν, δυνατοὶ⸃ συγκαταβάντες εἴ τί ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ἀνδρὶ ⸀ἄτοπον κατηγορείτωσαν αὐτοῦ.
Paul appeals to Caesar
When Festus suggested that Paul should be tried in Jerusalem, Paul used his right as a Roman citizen to appeal directly to the emperor in Rome.
9But Festus, wanting 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?"
ὁ Φῆστος δὲ ⸂θέλων τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις⸃ χάριν καταθέσθαι ἀποκριθεὶς τῷ Παύλῳ εἶπεν· Θέλεις εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀναβὰς ἐκεῖ περὶ τούτων ⸀κριθῆναι ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ;
10Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done the Jews no wrong, as you yourself know very well.
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Παῦλος· ⸂Ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος Καίσαρος ἑστώς⸃ εἰμι, οὗ με δεῖ κρίνεσθαι. Ἰουδαίους οὐδὲν ⸀ἠδίκησα, ὡς καὶ σὺ κάλλιον ἐπιγινώσκεις.
11If then I am guilty of wrongdoing and have done anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing to the charges these men bring against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."
εἰ μὲν ⸀οὖν ἀδικῶ καὶ ἄξιον θανάτου πέπραχά τι, οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν· εἰ δὲ οὐδέν ἐστιν ὧν οὗτοι κατηγοροῦσίν μου, οὐδείς με δύναται αὐτοῖς χαρίσασθαι· Καίσαρα ἐπικαλοῦμαι.
12Then Festus, after conferring with his council, answered: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go."
τότε ὁ Φῆστος συλλαλήσας μετὰ τοῦ συμβουλίου ἀπεκρίθη· Καίσαρα ἐπικέκλησαι, ἐπὶ Καίσαρα πορεύσῃ.
Consulting with King Agrippa
Festus presented Paul's case to King Agrippa II and his sister Berenice during their visit, as he was unsure what to write to the emperor.
13Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
Ἡμερῶν δὲ διαγενομένων τινῶν Ἀγρίππας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ Βερνίκη κατήντησαν εἰς Καισάρειαν ἀσπασάμενοι τὸν Φῆστον.
14Since they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix left behind as a prisoner.
ὡς δὲ πλείους ἡμέρας ⸀διέτριβον ἐκεῖ, ὁ Φῆστος τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀνέθετο τὰ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον λέγων· Ἀνήρ τίς ἐστιν καταλελειμμένος ὑπὸ Φήλικος δέσμιος,
15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked for a sentence of condemnation.
περὶ οὗ γενομένου μου εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐνεφάνισαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων, αἰτούμενοι κατʼ αὐτοῦ ⸀καταδίκην·
16I told them it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before the accused has met his accusers face to face and has had a chance to defend himself against the charge.
πρὸς οὓς ἀπεκρίθην ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἔθος Ῥωμαίοις χαρίζεσθαί τινα ⸀ἄνθρωπον πρὶν ἢ ὁ κατηγορούμενος κατὰ πρόσωπον ἔχοι τοὺς κατηγόρους τόπον τε ἀπολογίας λάβοι περὶ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος.
17So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The very next day I took my seat on the judgment bench and ordered the man brought in.
συνελθόντων ⸀οὖν ἐνθάδε ἀναβολὴν μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος τῇ ἑξῆς καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐκέλευσα ἀχθῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα·
18When his accusers stood up, they brought no charge of the crimes I had suspected.
περὶ οὗ σταθέντες οἱ κατήγοροι οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν ⸀ἔφερον ὧν ⸂ἐγὼ ὑπενόουν⸃ ⸀πονηρῶν,
19Instead, they had certain disputes with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died, who Paul kept insisting was alive.
ζητήματα δέ τινα περὶ τῆς ἰδίας δεισιδαιμονίας εἶχον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ περί τινος Ἰησοῦ τεθνηκότος, ὃν ἔφασκεν ὁ Παῦλος ζῆν.
20Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.
ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ ⸀τούτων ζήτησιν ἔλεγον εἰ βούλοιτο πορεύεσθαι εἰς ⸀Ἱεροσόλυμα κἀκεῖ κρίνεσθαι περὶ τούτων.
21But when Paul appealed to be held for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar."
τοῦ δὲ Παύλου ἐπικαλεσαμένου τηρηθῆναι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ διάγνωσιν, ἐκέλευσα τηρεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἕως οὗ ⸀ἀναπέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς Καίσαρα.
22Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." "Tomorrow," he answered, "you will hear him."
Ἀγρίππας δὲ πρὸς τὸν ⸀Φῆστον· Ἐβουλόμην καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀκοῦσαι. ⸀Αὔριον, φησίν, ἀκούσῃ αὐτοῦ.
Declares that Paul is mad
During Paul's defense speech, Festus interrupted him loudly and declared that his extensive learning had driven him mad, which Paul calmly refuted.
24While Paul was making this defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane."
Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογουμένου ὁ Φῆστος μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ⸀φησιν· Μαίνῃ, Παῦλε· τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει.
25"I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and sensible.
ὁ δὲ ⸀Παῦλος· Οὐ μαίνομαι, φησίν, κράτιστε Φῆστε, ἀλλὰ ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι.
Acknowledges Paul's innocence
After the hearing, Festus and Agrippa concluded that Paul had done nothing deserving of death or imprisonment, but must be sent to Rome since he had appealed.
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those seated with them.
⸀Ἀνέστη ⸀τε ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἥ τε Βερνίκη καὶ οἱ συγκαθήμενοι αὐτοῖς,
31As they withdrew, they said to one another, "This man has done nothing deserving death or imprisonment."
καὶ ἀναχωρήσαντες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους λέγοντες ὅτι Οὐδὲν θανάτου ⸂ἢ δεσμῶν ἄξιον⸃ ⸀τι πράσσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος.
32And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
Ἀγρίππας δὲ τῷ Φήστῳ ἔφη· Ἀπολελύσθαι ἐδύνατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος εἰ μὴ ἐπεκέκλητο Καίσαρα.