Paul
Festus, the charges against Paul and his appeal to the emperor
The new governor Festus meets the high priests' charges against Paul in Jerusalem and rejects their plan to have him transferred there. In Caesarea, the Jews bring many serious accusations without evidence, and Paul defends himself. When Festus suggests a trial in Jerusalem, Paul appeals his case to the emperor.
Actes 25,1-12
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.
6After staying among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the judgment bench and ordered Paul to be brought in.
Διατρίψας δὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡμέρας ⸂οὐ πλείους ὀκτὼ⸃ ἢ δέκα, καταβὰς εἰς Καισάρειαν, τῇ ἐπαύριον καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Παῦλον ἀχθῆναι.
7When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him that they could not prove.
παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ περιέστησαν ⸀αὐτὸν οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβεβηκότες Ἰουδαῖοι, πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα αἰτιώματα ⸀καταφέροντες ἃ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀποδεῖξαι,
8Paul made his defense: "I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar."
⸂τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου⸃ ὅτι Οὔτε εἰς τὸν νόμον τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὔτε εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν οὔτε εἰς Καίσαρά τι ἥμαρτον.
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.