1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and principal men of the Jews went unto him against Paul: and they besought him, 3 Requesting favour against him, that he would command him to be brought to Jerusalem, laying wait to kill him in the way. 4 But Festus answered: That Paul was kept in Caesarea: and that he himself would very shortly depart thither. 5 Let them, therefore, saith he, among you that are able, go down with me and accuse him, if there be any crime in the man. 6 And having tarried among them no more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought. 7 Who being brought, the Jews stood about him, who were come down from Jerusalem, objecting many and grievous causes, which they could not prove: 8 Paul making answer for himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any thing. 9 But Festus, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, answering Paul, said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me? 10 Then Paul said: I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no injury, as thou very well knowest. 11 For if I have injured them or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. 12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Hast thou appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shalt thou go.
13 And after some days, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, to salute Festus. 14 And as they tarried there many days, Festus told the king of Paul, saying: A certain man was left prisoner by Felix. 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the ancients of the Jews came unto me, desiring condemnation against him. 16 To whom I answered: it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present and have liberty to make his answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge. 17 When therefore they were come hither, without any delay, on the day following, sitting in the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought. 18 Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of this which I thought ill of: 19 But had certain questions of their own superstition against him, and of one Jesus deceased, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 I therefore being in a doubt of this manner of question, asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things. 21 But Paul, appealing to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar. 22 And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man, myself. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23 And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with great pomp and had entered into the hall of audience with the tribunes and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment, Paul was brought forth. 24 And Festus saith: King Agrippa and all ye men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me at Jerusalem, requesting and crying out that he ought not to live any longer. 25 Yet have I found nothing that he hath committed worthy of death. But forasmuch as he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. For which cause, I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, examination being made, I may have what to write. 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to signify the things laid to his charge.
Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899
1 Festus ergo cum venisset in provinciam, post triduum ascendit Jerosolymam a Cæsarea. 2 Adieruntque eum principes sacerdotum et primi Judæorum adversus Paulum: et rogabant eum, 3 postulantes gratiam adversus eum, ut juberet perduci eum in Jerusalem, insidias tendentes ut interficerent eum in via. 4 Festus autem respondit servari Paulum in Cæsarea: se autem maturius profecturum. 5 Qui ergo in vobis, ait, potentes sunt, descendentes simul, si quod est in viro crimen, accusent eum. 6 Demoratus autem inter eos dies non amplius quam octo aut decem, descendit Cæsaream, et altera die sedit pro tribunali, et jussit Paulum adduci. 7 Qui cum perductus esset, circumsteterunt eum, qui ab Jerosolyma descenderant Judæi, multas et graves causas objicientes, quas non poterant probare: 8 Paulo rationem reddente: Quoniam neque in legem Judæorum, neque in templum, neque in Cæsarem quidquam peccavi. 9 Festus autem volens gratiam præstare Judæis, respondens Paulo, dixit: Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me? 10 Dixit autem Paulus: Ad tribunal Cæsaris sto: ibi me oportet judicari: Judæis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti. 11 Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori: si vero nihil est eorum quæ hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Cæsarem appello. 12 Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit: Cæsarem appellasti? ad Cæsarem ibis.
13 Et cum dies aliquot transacti essent, Agrippa rex et Bernice descenderunt Cæsaream ad salutandum Festum. 14 Et cum dies plures ibi demorarentur, Festus regi indicavit de Paulo, dicens: Vir quidam est derelictus a Felice vinctus, 15 de quo cum essem Jerosolymis, adierunt me principes sacerdotum et seniores Judæorum, postulantes adversus illum damnationem. 16 Ad quos respondi: Quia non est Romanis consuetudo damnare aliquem hominem priusquam is qui accusatur præsentes habeat accusatores, locumque defendendi accipiat ad abluenda crimina. 17 Cum ergo huc convenissent sine ulla dilatione, sequenti die sedens pro tribunali, jussi adduci virum. 18 De quo, cum stetissent accusatores, nullam causam deferebant, de quibus ego suspicabar malum. 19 Quæstiones vero quasdam de sua superstitione habebant adversus eum, et de quodam Jesu defuncto, quem affirmabat Paulus vivere. 20 Hæsitans autem ego de hujusmodi quæstione, dicebam si vellet ire Jerosolymam, et ibi judicari de istis. 21 Paulo autem appellante ut servaretur ad Augusti cognitionem, jussi servari eum, donec mittam eum ad Cæsarem. 22 Agrippa autem dixit ad Festum: Volebam et ipse hominem audire. Cras, inquit, audies eum. 23 Altera autem die cum venisset Agrippa et Bernice cum multa ambitione, et introissent in auditorium cum tribunis et viris principalibus civitatis, jubente Festo, adductus est Paulus. 24 Et dicit Festus: Agrippa rex, et omnes qui simul adestis nobiscum viri, videtis hunc de quo omnis multitudo Judæorum interpellavit me Jerosolymis, petentes et acclamantes non oportere eum vivere amplius. 25 Ego vere comperi nihil dignum morte eum admisisse. Ipso autem hoc appellante ad Augustum, judicavi mittere. 26 De quo quid certum scribam domino, non habeo. Propter quod produxi eum ad vos, et maxime ad te, rex Agrippa, ut interrogatione facta habeam quid scribam. 27 Sine ratione enim mihi videtur mittere vinctum, et causas ejus non significare.
Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
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