Acts 25
1 Three days after Festus had arrived in his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.
φηστος ουν επιβας τη επαρχεια μετα τρεις ημερας ανεβη εις ιεροσολυμα απο καισαρειας
2 There the chief priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,
ενεφανισαν τε αυτω οι αρχιερεις και οι πρωτοι των ιουδαιων κατα του παυλου και παρεκαλουν αυτον
3 and asked a favour of him, to Paul’s injury – to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.
αιτουμενοι χαριν κατ αυτου οπως μεταπεμψηται αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ ενεδραν ποιουντες ανελειν αυτον κατα την οδον
4 But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.
ο μεν ουν φηστος απεκριθη τηρεισθαι τον παυλον εις καισαρειαν εαυτον δε μελλειν εν ταχει εκπορευεσθαι
5 ‘So let the influential men among you,’ he said, ‘go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it.’
οι ουν εν υμιν φησιν δυνατοι συγκαταβαντες ει τι εστιν εν τω ανδρι ατοπον κατηγορειτωσαν αυτου
6 After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.
διατριψας δε εν αυτοις ημερας ου πλειους οκτω η δεκα καταβας εις καισαρειαν τη επαυριον καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσεν τον παυλον αχθηναι
7 On Paul’s appearance, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.
παραγενομενου δε αυτου περιεστησαν αυτον οι απο ιεροσολυμων καταβεβηκοτες ιουδαιοι πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα καταφεροντες α ουκ ισχυον αποδειξαι
8 Paul’s answer to the charge was – “I have not committed any offence against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.”
του παυλου απολογουμενου οτι ουτε εις τον νομον των ιουδαιων ουτε εις το ιερον ουτε εις καισαρα τι ημαρτον
9 But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?’
ο φηστος δε θελων τοις ιουδαιοις χαριν καταθεσθαι αποκριθεις τω παυλω ειπεν θελεις εις ιεροσολυμα αναβας εκει περι τουτων κριθηναι επ εμου
10 ‘No,’ replied Paul, ‘I am standing at the Emperor’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware.
ειπεν δε ο παυλος {VAR1: εστως επι του βηματος καισαρος } {VAR2: επι του βηματος καισαρος εστως } ειμι ου με δει κρινεσθαι ιουδαιους ουδεν {VAR1: ηδικηκα } {VAR2: ηδικησα } ως και συ καλλιον επιγινωσκεις
11 If, however, I am breaking the law and have committed any offence deserving death, I do not ask to escape the penalty; but, if there is nothing in the accusations of these people, no one has the power to give me up to them. I appeal to the Emperor.’
ει μεν ουν αδικω και αξιον θανατου πεπραχα τι ου παραιτουμαι το αποθανειν ει δε ουδεν εστιν ων ουτοι κατηγορουσιν μου ουδεις με δυναται αυτοις χαρισασθαι καισαρα επικαλουμαι
12 Festus, after conferring with his Council, answered, ‘You have appealed to the Emperor; to the Emperor you will go.’
τοτε ο φηστος συλλαλησας μετα του συμβουλιου απεκριθη καισαρα επικεκλησαι επι καισαρα πορευση
13 Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, and paid a visit of congratulation to Festus;
ημερων δε διαγενομενων τινων αγριππας ο βασιλευς και βερνικη κατηντησαν εις καισαρειαν ασπασαμενοι τον φηστον
14 and, as they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. ‘There is a man here,’ he said, ‘left a prisoner by Felix,
ως δε πλειους ημερας διετριβον εκει ο φηστος τω βασιλει ανεθετο τα κατα τον παυλον λεγων ανηρ τις εστιν καταλελειμμενος υπο φηλικος δεσμιος
15 about whom, when I came to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priest and the elders laid an information, demanding judgment against him.
περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου καταδικην
16 My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up anyone to their accusers until the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against them.
προς ους απεκριθην οτι ουκ εστιν εθος ρωμαιοις χαριζεσθαι τινα ανθρωπον πριν η ο κατηγορουμενος κατα προσωπον εχοι τους κατηγορους τοπον τε απολογιας λαβοι περι του εγκληματος
17 So they met here, and without loss of time I took my seat on the Bench the very next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me.
συνελθοντων ουν {VAR2: [αυτων] } ενθαδε αναβολην μηδεμιαν ποιησαμενος τη εξης καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσα αχθηναι τον ανδρα
18 But, when his accusers came forward, they brought no charge of wrongdoing such as I had expected;
περι ου σταθεντες οι κατηγοροι ουδεμιαν αιτιαν εφερον ων εγω υπενοουν πονηρων
19 but I found that there were certain questions in dispute between them about their own religion, and about some dead man called Jesus, whom Paul declared to be alive.
ζητηματα δε τινα περι της ιδιας δεισιδαιμονιας ειχον προς αυτον και περι τινος ιησου τεθνηκοτος ον εφασκεν ο παυλος ζην
20 And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be put on trial there.
απορουμενος δε εγω την περι τουτων ζητησιν ελεγον ει βουλοιτο πορευεσθαι εις ιεροσολυμα κακει κρινεσθαι περι τουτων
21 Paul, however, appealed to have his case reserved for the consideration of his August Majesty, so I ordered him to be detained in custody, until I could send him to the Emperor.’
του δε παυλου επικαλεσαμενου τηρηθηναι αυτον εις την του σεβαστου διαγνωσιν εκελευσα τηρεισθαι αυτον εως ου αναπεμψω αυτον προς καισαρα
22 ‘I should like to hear this man myself,’ Agrippa said to Festus. ‘You will hear him tomorrow,’ Festus answered.
αγριππας δε προς τον φηστον εβουλομην και αυτος του ανθρωπου ακουσαι αυριον φησιν ακουση αυτου
23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.
τη ουν επαυριον ελθοντος του αγριππα και της βερνικης μετα πολλης φαντασιας και εισελθοντων εις το ακροατηριον συν τε χιλιαρχοις και ανδρασιν τοις κατ εξοχην της πολεως και κελευσαντος του φηστου ηχθη ο παυλος
24 Then Festus said, ‘King Agrippa, and all here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live.
και φησιν ο φηστος αγριππα βασιλευ και παντες οι συμπαροντες ημιν ανδρες θεωρειτε τουτον περι ου απαν το πληθος των ιουδαιων {VAR1: ενετυχεν } {VAR2: ενετυχον } μοι εν τε ιεροσολυμοις και ενθαδε βοωντες μη δειν αυτον ζην μηκετι
25 I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, I decided to send him.
εγω δε κατελαβομην μηδεν αξιον αυτον θανατου πεπραχεναι αυτου δε τουτου επικαλεσαμενου τον σεβαστον εκρινα πεμπειν
26 But I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.
περι ου ασφαλες τι γραψαι τω κυριω ουκ εχω διο προηγαγον αυτον εφ υμων και μαλιστα επι σου βασιλευ αγριππα οπως της ανακρισεως γενομενης σχω τι γραψω
27 For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner, without at the same time stating the charges made against him.’
αλογον γαρ μοι δοκει πεμποντα δεσμιον μη και τας κατ αυτου αιτιας σημαναι
