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Handelingen 25
Het Boek
Handelingen 25
Het Boek
Paulus verschijnt voor Festus
25 Drie dagen nadat Festus in zijn gebied was aangekomen, ging hij van Caesarea naar Jeruzalem. 2 Daar kwamen de leidende priesters en leidende Joden bij hem met hun verhalen over Paulus. 3 Zij vroegen hem dringend Paulus naar Jeruzalem te laten overbrengen. Zij waren namelijk van plan hem onderweg vanuit een hinderlaag te vermoorden. 4 Festus antwoordde dat Paulus in Caesarea bleef en dat hij zelf binnenkort daar weer heen wilde gaan. 5 ‘Laten enkele van uw leiders met mij meereizen. Als die man iets verkeerds heeft gedaan, kunnen zij hem beschuldigen,’ zei hij.
6 Na een dag of negen ging Festus terug naar Caesarea. De volgende dag ging hij op zijn stoel in het gerechtshof zitten en liet Paulus voorleiden. 7 Meteen gingen de Joden uit Jeruzalem om Paulus heen staan en brachten vele zware beschuldigingen tegen hem in. Maar zij konden niets bewijzen. 8 Paulus verdedigde zich en zei: ‘Ik heb de Joodse wet niet overtreden, de tempel niet ontwijd en mij ook niet tegen het Romeinse bewind verzet.’ 9 ‘Hebt u er iets op tegen naar Jeruzalem te gaan,’ vroeg Festus, die de Joden een plezier wilde doen, ‘en daar voor mij terecht te staan?’ 10 ‘Ik sta voor de Romeinse rechtbank,’ antwoordde Paulus. ‘Dan moet mijn zaak daar ook worden behandeld! Zoals u wel weet, heb ik de Joden niets gedaan. 11 Als ik iets heb gedaan waarop de doodstraf staat, wil ik mij niet tegen mijn terechtstelling verzetten. Maar als hun beschuldigingen stuk voor stuk gelogen zijn, heeft niemand het recht mij aan hen uit te leveren. Ik ga in hoger beroep bij de keizer!’ 12 Na met zijn raadsheren te hebben gesproken, antwoordde Festus: ‘Nu u een beroep op de keizer hebt gedaan, zult u ook naar de keizer gaan.’
13 Kort daarop kwam koning Agrippa met zijn zuster Bernice in Caesarea aan voor een bezoek aan Festus. 14 Tijdens hun verblijf van enkele dagen sprak Festus met de koning over de zaak van Paulus. ‘Felix heeft hier een man in gevangenschap achtergelaten tegen wie de Joden een aanklacht hebben ingediend. 15 Toen ik in Jeruzalem was, hebben hun leidende priesters en leiders mij gevraagd hem terecht te stellen. 16 Ik wees hen erop dat het bij ons, Romeinen, niet de gewoonte is iemand te veroordelen omdat anderen dat vragen. Hij moet eerst de kans krijgen zich tegenover zijn aanklagers te verdedigen. 17 Die Joden kwamen met mij mee hier naartoe en ik heb de zaak de volgende dag meteen in behandeling genomen. Maar toen ik Paulus liet voorleiden, beschuldigden zij hem van iets heel anders dan ik had verwacht. 18 Er was geen sprake van een overtreding of een misdaad. 19 Het ging om kwesties van hun godsdienst en over een zekere Jezus, die al dood is, maar die volgens Paulus leeft! 20 Omdat ik niet wist wat ik ermee aan moest, stelde ik Paulus voor naar Jeruzalem te gaan en daar de rechtzaak voort te zetten. 21 Maar hij ging in hoger beroep. Hij wilde in voorarrest blijven tot de keizer in deze zaak uitspraak zou doen. Daarom heb ik bevel gegeven hem vast te houden, tot ik hem naar de keizer kan sturen.’ 22 Agrippa zei: ‘Ik zou die man ook wel eens willen horen.’ ‘Dat kan,’ antwoordde Festus. ‘Dat regelen we morgen.’
23 De volgende morgen stapten Agrippa en Bernice in vol ornaat de aula binnen. In hun gevolg waren hoge militairen en leden van het stadsbestuur. 24 Festus liet Paulus binnen en zei: ‘Koning Agrippa, geachte aanwezigen! Een groot aantal Joden, zowel hier in de stad als in Jeruzalem, heeft een zware aanklacht tegen deze man ingediend. 25 Zij hebben geroepen dat hij niet mag blijven leven. Mij is gebleken dat hij niets heeft gedaan, waarop de doodstraf staat. Maar omdat hij zich op de keizer beroepen heeft, moet ik hem wel naar Rome sturen. 26 Ik weet nu niet wat ik de keizer moet schrijven. Daarom heb ik de man hier laten voorleiden, in het bijzonder om door u, koning Agrippa, te worden gehoord. Misschien komt daar iets uit wat ik kan schrijven. 27 Want het lijkt mij onzinnig om een gevangene naar Rome te sturen zonder erbij te vermelden wat de aanklacht tegen hem is.’
Acts 25
New International Version
Acts 25
New International Version
Paul’s Trial Before Festus
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus(A) went up from Caesarea(B) to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.(C) 3 They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.(D) 4 Festus answered, “Paul is being held(E) at Caesarea,(F) and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”
6 After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court(G) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.(H) 7 When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,(I) but they could not prove them.(J)
8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple(K) or against Caesar.”
9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,(L) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”(M)
10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,(N) as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”(O)
12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Festus Consults King Agrippa
13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea(P) to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.(Q) 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him(R) and asked that he be condemned.
16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.(S) 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.(T) 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute(U) with him about their own religion(V) and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.(W) 21 But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”(X)
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”(Y)
Paul Before Agrippa(Z)
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice(AA) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community(AB) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.(AC) 25 I found he had done nothing deserving of death,(AD) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor(AE) I decided to send him to Rome. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27 For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”
Acts 25
English Standard Version
Acts 25
English Standard Version
Paul Appeals to Caesar
25 Now three days after Festus had arrived in (A)the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews (B)laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul[a] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because (C)they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”
6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on (D)the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him (E)that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither (F)against (G)the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor (H)against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, (I)wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's (J)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. (K)I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, (L)“There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case (M)against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 (N)I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone (O)before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 (P)So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on (Q)the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they (R)had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about (S)a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I (T)asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But (U)when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of (V)the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then (W)Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day (X)Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom (Y)the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, (Z)shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that (AA)he had done nothing deserving death. And (AB)as he himself appealed to (AC)the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
Footnotes
- Acts 25:3 Greek him
Acts 25
King James Version
Acts 25
King James Version
25 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.