1 Entrando, pois, Festo na província, subiu dali a três dias de Cesaréia a Jerusalém.
2 E o sumo sacerdote e os principais dos judeus compareceram perante ele contra Paulo, e lhe rogaram,
3 Pedindo como favor contra ele que o fizesse vir a Jerusalém, armando ciladas para o matarem no caminho.
4 Mas Festo respondeu que Paulo estava guardado em Cesaréia, e que ele brevemente partiria para lá.
5 Os que, pois, disse, dentre vós, têm poder, desçam comigo e, se neste homem houver algum crime, acusem-no.
6 E, havendo-se demorado entre eles mais de dez dias, desceu a Cesaréia; e no dia seguinte, assentando-se no tribunal, mandou que trouxessem Paulo.
7 E, chegando ele, rodearam-no os judeus que haviam descido de Jerusalém, trazendo contra Paulo muitas e graves acusações, que não podiam provar.
8 Mas ele, em sua defesa, disse: Eu não pequei em coisa alguma contra a lei dos judeus, nem contra o templo, nem contra César.
9 Todavia Festo, querendo comprazer aos judeus, respondendo a Paulo, disse: Queres tu subir a Jerusalém, e ser lá perante mim julgado acerca destas coisas?
10 Mas Paulo disse: Estou perante o tribunal de César, onde convém que seja julgado; não fiz agravo algum aos judeus, como tu muito bem sabes.
11 Se fiz algum agravo, ou cometi alguma coisa digna de morte, não recuso morrer; mas, se nada há das coisas de que estes me acusam, ninguém me pode entregar a eles; apelo para César.
12 Então Festo, tendo falado com o conselho, respondeu: Apelaste para César? para César irás.
13 E, passados alguns dias, o rei Agripa e Berenice vieram a Cesaréia, a saudar Festo.
14 E, como ali ficassem muitos dias, Festo contou ao rei os negócios de Paulo, dizendo: Um certo homem foi deixado por Félix aqui preso,
15 Por cujo respeito os principais dos sacerdotes e os anciãos dos judeus, estando eu em Jerusalém, compareceram perante mim, pedindo sentença contra ele.
16 Aos quais respondi não ser costume dos romanos entregar algum homem à morte, sem que o acusado tenha presentes os seus acusadores, e possa defender-se da acusação.
17 De sorte que, chegando eles aqui juntos, no dia seguinte, sem fazer dilação alguma, assentado no tribunal, mandei que trouxessem o homem.
18 Acerca do qual, estando presentes os acusadores, nenhuma coisa apontaram daquelas que eu suspeitava.
19 Tinham, porém, contra ele algumas questões acerca da sua superstição, e de um tal Jesus, morto, que Paulo afirmava viver.
20 E, estando eu perplexo acerca da inquirição desta causa, disse se queria ir a Jerusalém, e lá ser julgado acerca destas coisas.
21 E, apelando Paulo para que fosse reservado ao conhecimento de Augusto, mandei que o guardassem até que o envie a César.
22 Então Agripa disse a Festo: Bem quisera eu também ouvir esse homem. E ele disse: Amanhã o ouvirás.
23 E, no dia seguinte, vindo Agripa e Berenice, com muito aparato, entraram no auditório com os tribunos e homens principais da cidade, sendo trazido Paulo por mandado de Festo.
24 E Festo disse: Rei Agripa, e todos os senhores que estais presentes conosco; aqui vedes um homem de quem toda a multidão dos judeus me tem falado, tanto em Jerusalém como aqui, clamando que não convém que viva mais.
25 Mas, achando eu que nenhuma coisa digna de morte fizera, e apelando ele mesmo também para Augusto, tenho determinado enviar-lho.
26 Do qual não tenho coisa alguma certa que escreva ao meu senhor, e por isso perante vós o trouxe, principalmente perante ti, ó rei Agripa, para que, depois de interrogado, tenha alguma coisa que escrever.
27 Porque me parece contra a razão enviar um preso, e não notificar contra ele as acusações.
1 Festus therefore having entered into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the high priest and the principal men of the Jews appeared to him against Paul, and urged him,
3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to kill him on the way.
4 Indeed therefore Festus answered to keep Paul in Caesarea, and he himself was going to go out quickly.
5 Therefore he says, Let the able men among you, after coming down together, accuse him if there is anything in this man.
6 And after remaining among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he arrived, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and serious accusations against Paul, which they could not prove,
8 while he was defending, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I transgressed anything.
9 But Festus, wanting to lay down a favor to the Jews, having answered Paul, said, Are thou willing, after going up to Jerusalem, to be judged there about these things before me?
10 But Paul said, I am standing at the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I did nothing wrong Jewish, as thou also very well know.
11 For if I am indeed wrong, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing of what these men accuse me, no man can give me to them freely. I appeal Caesar.
12 Then Festus, when he conferred with the council, answered, Thou have appealed Caesar, to Caesar thou will go.
13 Now some days having passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, greeting Festus.
14 And as he was remaining there more days, Festus declared to the King the things concerning Paul, saying, There is a certain man who was left behind a prisoner by Felix,
15 about whom, when I became in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews revealed, asking judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, that it is not a custom by Romans to give any man freely for destruction, before the man being accused has the accusers in person, and receives an occasion of defense about the accusation.
17 When therefore they assembled here, not having made one delay, next in order, having sat on the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.
18 About whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought not one cause of what I supposed,
19 but had certain issues against him about his own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who has died, whom Paul was claiming to be alive.
20 And I, being uncertain of the controversy about this man, asked whether he wants to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.
21 But when Paul appealed to be kept for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.
22 And Agrippa said to Festus, I also want to hear the man myself. And tomorrow, he says, thou will hear him.
23 Therefore on the morrow, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and having entered into the courtroom, and with the chief captains and the men of prominence who were of the city, and Festus who commanded, Paul was brought
24 And Festus says, King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, ye see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting he ought not to live any longer.
25 But I, having understood him to have done nothing worthy of death, and also him, this man, having appealed Augustus I decided to send him.
26 About whom I do not have anything certain to write to the lord. Therefore I brought him before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa, so that, an examination having occurred, I may have something to write.
27 For it seems to me unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to specify the causes against him.