Thematic Bible: His trial before governor festus


Thematic Bible



Festus then, three days after arriving in the province, went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews brought charges against Paul; and they urged him, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. read more.
Festus answered that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly. "Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him." After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. And when Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove. Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all." But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of the charges brought against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."