1 FESTO pues, entrado en la provincia, tres días después subió de Cesarea á Jerusalem.
2 Y vinieron á él los príncipes de los sacerdotes y los principales de los Judíos contra Pablo; y le rogaron,
3 Pidiendo gracia contra él, que le hiciese traer á Jerusalem, poniendo ellos asechanzas para matarle en el camino.
4 Mas Festo respondió, que Pablo estaba guardado en Cesarea, y que él mismo partiría presto.
5 Los que de vosotros pueden, dijo desciendan juntamente; y si hay algún crimen en este varón, acúsenle.
6 Y deteniéndose entre ellos no más de ocho ó diez días, venido á Cesarea, el siguiente día se sentó en el tribunal, y mandó que Pablo fuese traído.
7 El cual venido, le rodearon los Judíos que habían venido de Jerusalem, poniendo contra Pablo muchas y graves acusaciones, las cuales no podían probar;
8 Alegando él por su parte: Ni contra la ley de los Judíos, ni contra el templo, ni contra César he pecado en nada.
9 Mas Festo, queriendo congraciarse con los Judíos, respondiendo á Pablo, dijo: ¿Quieres subir á Jerusalem, y allá ser juzgado de estas cosas delante de mí?
10 Y Pablo dijo: Ante el tribunal de César estoy, donde conviene que sea juzgado. A los Judíos no he hecho injuria alguna, como tú sabes muy bien.
11 Porque si alguna injuria, ó cosa alguna digna de muerte he hecho, no rehuso morir; mas si nada hay de las cosas de que éstos me acusan, nadie puede darme á ellos. A César apelo.
12 Entonces Festo, habiendo hablado con el consejo, respondió: ¿A César has apelado? á César irás.
13 Y pasados algunos días, el rey Agripa y Bernice vinieron á Cesarea á saludar á Festo.
14 Y como estuvieron allí muchos días, Festo declaró la causa de Pablo al rey, diciendo: Un hombre ha sido dejado preso por Félix,
15 Sobre el cual, cuando fuí á Jerusalem, vinieron á mí los príncipes de los sacerdotes y los ancianos de los Judíos, pidiendo condenación contra él:
16 A los cuales respondí: no ser costumbre de los Romanos dar alguno á la muerte antes que el que es acusado tenga presentes sus acusadores, y haya lugar de defenderse de la acusación.
17 Así que, habiendo venido ellos juntos acá, sin ninguna dilación, al día siguiente, sentado en el tribunal, mandé traer al hombre;
18 Y estando presentes los acusadores, ningún cargo produjeron de los que yo sospechaba:
19 Solamente tenían contra él ciertas cuestiones acerca de su superstición, y de un cierto Jesús, difunto, el cual Pablo afirmaba que estaba vivo.
20 Y yo, dudando en cuestión semejante, dije, si quería ir á Jerusalem, y allá ser juzgado de estas cosas.
21 Mas apelando Pablo á ser guardado al conocimiento de Augusto, mandé que le guardasen hasta que le enviara á César.
22 Entonces Agripa dijo á Festo: Yo también quisiera oir á ese hombre. Y él dijo: Mañana le oirás.
23 Y al otro día, viniendo Agripa y Bernice con mucho aparato, y entrando en la audiencia con los tribunos y principales hombres de la ciudad, por mandato de Festo, fué traído Pablo.
24 Entonces Festo dijo: Rey Agripa, y todos los varones que estáis aquí juntos con nosotros: veis á éste, por el cual toda la multitud de los Judíos me ha demandado en Jerusalem y aquí, dando voces que no conviene que viva más;
25 Mas yo, hallando que ninguna cosa digna de muerte ha hecho, y él mismo apelando á Augusto, he determinado enviarle:
26 Del cual no tengo cosa cierta que escriba al señor; por lo que le he sacado á vosotros, y mayormente á tí, oh rey Agripa, para que hecha información, tenga yo qué escribir.
27 Porque fuera de razón me parece enviar un preso, y no informar de las causas.
1 So Festus, having come into that part of the country which was under his rule, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the chief priests and the chief men of the Jews made statements against Paul,
3 Requesting Festus to give effect to their design against him, and send him to Jerusalem, when they would be waiting to put him to death on the way.
4 But Festus, in answer, said that Paul was being kept in prison at Caesarea, and that in a short time he himself was going there.
5 So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.
6 And when he had been with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the day after, he took his place on the judge's seat, and sent for Paul.
7 And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.
8 Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.
9 But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?
10 And Paul said, I am before the seat of Caesar's authority where it is right for me to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you are well able to see.
11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and there is a cause of death in me, I am ready for death: if it is not as they say against me, no man may give me up to them. Let my cause come before Caesar.
12 Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.
13 Now when some days had gone by, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea and went to see Festus.
14 And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix:
15 Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him.
16 To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.
17 So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat and sent for the man.
18 But when they got up they said nothing about such crimes as I had in mind:
19 But had certain questions against him in connection with their religion, and about one Jesus, now dead, who, Paul said, was living.
20 And as I had not enough knowledge for the discussion of these things, I made the suggestion to him to go to Jerusalem and be judged there.
21 But when Paul made a request that he might be judged by Caesar, I gave orders for him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
22 And Agrippa said to Festus, I have a desire to give the man a hearing myself. Tomorrow, he said, you may give him a hearing.
23 So on the day after, when Agrippa and Bernice in great glory had come into the public place of hearing, with the chief of the army and the chief men of the town, at the order of Festus, Paul was sent for.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer.
25 But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him.
26 But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to put in writing.
27 For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.