أعمال 25

١ 1 فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ فَسْتُوسُ إِلَى ٱلْوِلَايَةِ صَعِدَ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ قَيْصَرِيَّةَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ.

Now, Festus entered the province, and after three days, he went from Caesarea up to Jerusalem.

٢ 2 فَعَرَضَ لَهُ رَئِيسُ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ وَوُجُوهُ ٱلْيَهُودِ ضِدَّ بُولُسَ، وَٱلْتَمَسُوا مِنْهُ

The chief priest and the prominent Jews brought accusations against Paul, and they urged him

٣ 3 طَالِبِينَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَّةً، أَنْ يَسْتَحْضِرَهُ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَهُمْ صَانِعُونَ كَمِينًا لِيَقْتُلُوهُ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ.

and asked him for a favor that would put Paul in danger—that Festus might summon Paul to Jerusalem so that they could kill him along the way.

٤ 4 فَأَجَابَ فَسْتُوسُ أَنْ يُحْرَسَ بُولُسُ فِي قَيْصَرِيَّةَ، وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ يَنْطَلِقَ عَاجِلًا.

Festus answered that Paul was being held at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

٥ 5 وَقَالَ: «فَلْيَنْزِلْ مَعِي ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ مُقْتَدِرُونَ. وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي هَذَا ٱلرَّجُلِ شَيْءٌ فَلْيَشْتَكُوا عَلَيْهِ».

“Therefore, those who can,” he said, “should go there with us. If there is something wrong with the man, you should accuse him.”

٦ 6 وَبَعْدَ مَا صَرَفَ عِنْدَهُمْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ عَشَرَةِ أَيَّامٍ ٱنْحَدَرَ إِلَى قَيْصَرِيَّةَ. وَفِي ٱلْغَدِ جَلَسَ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ ٱلْوِلَايَةِ وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُؤْتَى بِبُولُسَ.

Festus stayed not more than eight or ten days and then he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought to him.

٧ 7 فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ، وَقَفَ حَوْلَهُ ٱلْيَهُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا قَدِ ٱنْحَدَرُوا مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَقَدَّمُوا عَلَى بُولُسَ دَعَاوِيَ كَثِيرَةً وَثَقِيلَةً لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا أَنْ يُبَرْهِنُوهَا.

When he arrived, the Jews from Jerusalem stood nearby, and they brought many serious charges which they could not prove.

٨ 8 إِذْ كَانَ هُوَ يَحْتَجُّ: «أَنِّي مَا أَخْطَأْتُ بِشَيْءٍ، لَا إِلَى نَامُوسِ ٱلْيَهُودِ وَلَا إِلَى ٱلْهَيْكَلِ وَلَا إِلَى قَيْصَرَ».

Paul defended himself and said, “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

٩ 9 وَلَكِنَّ فَسْتُوسَ إِذْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُودِعَ ٱلْيَهُودَ مِنَّةً، أَجَابَ بُولُسَ قَائِلًا: «أَتَشَاءُ أَنْ تَصْعَدَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ لِتُحَاكَمَ هُنَاكَ لَدَيَّ مِنْ جِهَةِ هَذِهِ ٱلْأُمُورِ؟».

But Festus wanted to gain the favor of the Jews, and so he answered Paul and said, “Do you want to go up to Jerusalem and to be judged by me about these things there?”

١٠ 10 فَقَالَ بُولُسُ: «أَنَا وَاقِفٌ لَدَى كُرْسِيِّ وِلَايَةِ قَيْصَرَ حَيْثُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أُحَاكَمَ. أَنَا لَمْ أَظْلِمِ ٱلْيَهُودَ بِشَيْءٍ، كَمَا تَعْلَمُ أَنْتَ أَيْضًا جَيِّدًا.

Paul said, “I stand before the judgment seat of Caesar where I must be judged. I have wronged no Jews, just as you also very well know.

١١ 11 لِأَنِّي إِنْ كُنْتُ آثِمًا، أَوْ صَنَعْتُ شَيْئًا يَسْتَحِقُّ ٱلْمَوْتَ، فَلَسْتُ أَسْتَعْفِي مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ. وَلَكِنْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا يَشْتَكِي عَلَيَّ بِهِ هَؤُلَاءِ، فَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَنِي لَهُمْ. إِلَى قَيْصَرَ أَنَا رَافِعٌ دَعْوَايَ!».

Though if I have done wrong and if I have done what is worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if their accusations are nothing, no one may hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

١٢ 12 حِينَئِذٍ تَكَلَّمَ فَسْتُوسُ مَعَ أَرْبَابِ ٱلْمَشُورَةِ، فَأَجَابَ: «إِلَى قَيْصَرَ رَفَعْتَ دَعْوَاكَ. إِلَى قَيْصَرَ تَذْهَبُ!».

After Festus talked with the council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

١٣ 13 وَبَعْدَمَا مَضَتْ أَيَّامٌ أَقْبَلَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ ٱلْمَلِكُ وَبَرْنِيكِي إِلَى قَيْصَرِيَّةَ لِيُسَلِّمَا عَلَى فَسْتُوسَ.

Now after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay an official visit to Festus.

١٤ 14 وَلَمَّا كَانَا يَصْرِفَانِ هُنَاكَ أَيَّامًا كَثِيرَةً، عَرَضَ فَسْتُوسُ عَلَى ٱلْمَلِكِ أَمْرَ بُولُسَ، قَائِلًا: «يُوجَدُ رَجُلٌ تَرَكَهُ فِيلِكْسُ أَسِيرًا،

After he had been there for many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king; he said, “A certain man was left behind here by Felix as a prisoner.

١٥ 15 وَعَرَضَ لِي عَنْهُ رُؤَسَاءُ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ وَمَشَايِخُ ٱلْيَهُودِ لَمَّا كُنْتُ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ طَالِبِينَ حُكْمًا عَلَيْهِ.

When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against this man to me, and they asked for a sentence of condemnation against him.

١٦ 16 فَأَجَبْتُهُمْ أَنْ لَيْسَ لِلرُّومَانِيِّينَ عَادَةٌ أَنْ يُسَلِّمُوا أَحَدًا لِلْمَوْتِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ ٱلْمَشْكُوُّ عَلَيْهِ مُواجَهَةً مَعَ ٱلْمُشْتَكِينَ، فَيَحْصُلُ عَلَى فُرْصَةٍ لِلِٱحْتِجَاجِ عَنِ ٱلشَّكْوَى.

I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had faced his accusers and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charges.

١٧ 17 فَلَمَّا ٱجْتَمَعُوا إِلَى هُنَا جَلَسْتُ مِنْ دُونِ إِمْهَالٍ فِي ٱلْغَدِ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ ٱلْوِلَايَةِ، وَأَمَرْتُ أَنْ يُؤْتَى بِٱلرَّجُلِ.

Therefore, when they came together here, I did not wait, but the next day I sat in the judgment seat and I ordered the man to be brought in.

١٨ 18 فَلَمَّا وَقَفَ ٱلْمُشْتَكُونَ حَوْلَهُ، لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِعِلَّةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مِمَّا كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ.

When the accusers stood up and accused him, I thought that none of the charges that they brought against him were serious.

١٩ 19 لَكِنْ كَانَ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَسَائِلُ مِنْ جِهَةِ دِيَانَتِهِمْ، وَعَنْ وَاحِدٍ ٱسْمُهُ يَسُوعُ قَدْ مَاتَ، وَكَانَ بُولُسُ يَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ حَيٌّ.

Instead, they had certain disputes with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claims to be alive.

٢٠ 20 وَإِذْ كُنْتُ مُرْتَابًا فِي ٱلْمَسْأَلَةِ عَنْ هَذَا قُلْتُ: أَلَعَلَّهُ يَشَاءُ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَيُحَاكَمَ هُنَاكَ مِنْ جِهَةِ هَذِهِ ٱلْأُمُورِ؟

I was not certain about how to investigate this matter, and so I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there about these charges.

٢١ 21 وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا رَفَعَ بُولُسُ دَعْوَاهُ لِكَيْ يُحْفَظَ لِفَحْصِ أُوغُسْطُسَ، أَمَرْتُ بِحِفْظِهِ إِلَى أَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ».

But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody while awaiting the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

٢٢ 22 فَقَالَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ لِفَسْتُوسَ: «كُنْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنَا أَيْضًا أَنْ أَسْمَعَ ٱلرَّجُلَ». فَقَالَ: «غَدًا تَسْمَعُهُ».

Agrippa spoke to Festus, “I would also like to listen to this man.” “Tomorrow,” Festus said, “you will hear him.”

٢٣ 23 فَفِي ٱلْغَدِ لَمَّا جَاءَ أَغْرِيبَاسُ وَبَرْنِيكِي فِي ٱحْتِفَالٍ عَظِيمٍ، وَدَخَلَا إِلَى دَارِ ٱلِٱسْتِمَاعِ مَعَ ٱلْأُمَرَاءِ وَرِجَالِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلْمُقَدَّمِينَ، أَمَرَ فَسْتُوسُ فَأُتِيَ بِبُولُسَ.

So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with much ceremony; they came into the hall with the military officers and with the prominent men of the city. When Festus spoke the command, Paul was brought to them.

٢٤ 24 فَقَالَ فَسْتُوسُ: «أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ وَٱلرِّجَالُ ٱلْحَاضِرُونَ مَعَنَا أَجْمَعُونَ، أَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ هَذَا ٱلَّذِي تَوَسَّلَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ كُلُّ جُمْهُورِ ٱلْيَهُودِ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ وَهُنَا، صَارِخِينَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَعِيشَ بَعْدُ.

Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you men who are here with us, you see this man; all the multitude of Jews consulted with me in Jerusalem and here also, and they shouted to me that he should no longer live.

٢٥ 25 وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَلَمَّا وَجَدْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ شَيْئًا يَسْتَحِقُّ ٱلْمَوْتَ، وَهُوَ قَدْ رَفَعَ دَعْوَاهُ إِلَى أُوغُسْطُسَ، عَزَمْتُ أَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ.

I learned that he had done nothing worthy of death; but because he appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

٢٦ 26 وَلَيْسَ لِي شَيْءٌ يَقِينٌ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ لِأَكْتُبَ إِلَى ٱلسَّيِّدِ. لِذَلِكَ أَتَيْتُ بِهِ لَدَيْكُمْ، وَلَا سِيَّمَا لَدَيْكَ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلِكُ أَغْرِيبَاسُ، حَتَّى إِذَا صَارَ ٱلْفَحْصُ يَكُونُ لِي شَيْءٌ لِأَكْتُبَ.

But I do not have something definite to write to the emperor. For this reason, I have brought him to you, especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I might have something more to write about the case.

٢٧ 27 لِأَنِّي أَرَى حَمَاقَةً أَنْ أُرْسِلَ أَسِيرًا وَلَا أُشِيرَ إِلَى ٱلدَّعَاوِي ٱلَّتِي عَلَيْهِ».

For it seems unreasonable for me to send a prisoner and to not also state the charges against him.”