1Llegado pues Festo a la provincia, tres días después subió de Cesarea a Jerusalem.2Y los principales sacerdotes y los más importantes de los judíos, le presentaron demanda contra Pablo, y le rogaban,3pidiendo un favor contra él: que lo hiciera trasladar a Jerusalem (mientras preparaban una emboscada para eliminarlo en el camino).4Pero Festo respondió que Pablo estaba custodiado en Cesarea, adonde él mismo iba a partir en breve.5Entonces, les dijo, los que entre vosotros tengan autoridad, bajen conmigo y acúsenlo, si hay algo impropio en el hombre.6Y después de permanecer entre ellos no más de ocho o diez días, bajó a Cesarea, y al día siguiente se sentó en el tribunal y mandó que Pablo fuera traído.7Cuando él llegó, lo rodearon los judíos que habían bajado de Jerusalem, presentando muchas y graves acusaciones, las cuales no podían probar,8mientras Pablo decía en su defensa: Ni contra la ley de los judíos, ni contra el templo, ni contra César he pecado.9Pero Festo, queriendo congraciarse con los judíos, respondió a Pablo: ¿Quieres subir a Jerusalem y ser juzgado allí de estas cosas delante de mí?10Pablo entonces contestó: Estoy ante el tribunal del César, donde debo ser juzgado. Ningún agravio he hecho a los judíos, como tú sabes muy bien.11Por tanto, si soy culpable y he hecho algo digno de muerte, no rehúso morir; pero si nada hay de las cosas de que éstos me acusan, nadie puede entregarme a ellos: Apelo a César.12Entonces Festo, después de consultar con su consejo, respondió: A César has apelado, a César irás.
Pablo ante el rey Agripa
13Pasados algunos días, el rey Agripa y Berenice bajaron a Cesarea saludando a Festo.14Y como estuvieron allí muchos días, Festo expuso al rey el caso de Pablo, diciendo: Hay un hombre a quien Félix ha dejado preso,15acerca del cual, estando yo en Jerusalem, me presentaron acusaciones los principales sacerdotes y ancianos de los judíos, pidiendo sentencia condenatoria contra él.16A ellos respondí que no es costumbre de los romanos entregar a ningún hombre sin que antes el acusado tenga a los acusadores cara a cara y se le dé la oportunidad de defenderse de la acusación.17Así que, después que se reunieron aquí, sin más demora al día siguiente, me senté en el tribunal y ordené que trajeran al hombre.18Y levantándose los acusadores, ningún cargo presentaban de las cosas perversas que yo sospechaba,19sino que tenían contra él algunos puntos de desacuerdo respecto de su religión, y acerca de un tal Jesús, ya difunto, de quien Pablo afirmaba que está vivo.20Y estando yo perplejo sobre esta controversia, le pregunté si quería ir a Jerusalem y ser juzgado allá por estas cosas.21Pero como Pablo apeló que se lo reservara para la decisión imperial, ordené custodiarlo hasta que lo envíe a César.22Entonces Agripa dice a Festo: También yo querría oír a ese hombre. Le respondió: Mañana lo oirás.23Al día siguiente pues, llegaron Agripa y Berenice con mucha pompa, y después de entrar al salón de audiencia con los tribunos y los hombres prominentes de la ciudad, Festo ordenó que fuera traído Pablo.24Y dice Festo: Rey Agripa, y todos los varones presentes con nosotros: Ved a éste, acerca del cual todo el pueblo de los judíos ha acudido a mí, tanto en Jerusalem como aquí, pidiendo a gritos que no se le permita vivir más.25Pero yo he descubierto que nada digno de muerte ha hecho, y como él mismo apeló al Emperador, decidí enviárselo.26Respecto a él, no tengo nada concreto que escribir al soberano; por tanto, lo he traído ante vosotros, y especialmente ante ti, rey Agripa, para que, una vez celebrada la audiencia preliminar, tenga yo algo que escribir,27porque me parece ilógico enviar a un preso y no indicar los cargos que haya contra él.
1Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. (Hch 23:34)2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, (Hch 25:15)3asking as a favor against Paul[1] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. (Hch 9:24)4Festus 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.”6After 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 the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. (Mt 27:19; Hch 25:10; Hch 25:17)7When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. (Hch 24:13)8Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” (Jn 7:19; Jn 19:7; Jn 19:12; Hch 6:13; Hch 24:12; Hch 28:17)9But Festus, 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?” (Hch 24:27)10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. (Hch 25:6; Hch 25:17)11If 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. I appeal to Caesar.” (Hch 26:32; Hch 28:19)12Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, (Hch 24:27)15and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. (Hch 25:2)16I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. (Jn 7:51; Hch 23:30; Hch 25:4)17So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. (Hch 25:6; Hch 25:7; Hch 25:10; Hch 25:24)18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed.19Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. (Hch 17:18; Hch 18:15; Hch 23:29)20Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. (Hch 25:9)21But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” (Hch 25:11; Hch 25:25)22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” (Hch 9:15)23So on the next day 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. (Hch 25:13; Hch 26:30)24And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. (Hch 22:22; Hch 25:2; Hch 25:7)25But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. (Hch 23:29; Hch 25:11; Hch 25:21)26But 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.27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”