1 FESTUS therefore coming into the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 And the chief priests and the first men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 asking favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, having provided an ambuscade to kill him on the way.
4 Then Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he would go down there shortly;
5 and then, he said, the principal men among you may go down with me; if there is any thing against this man they may prosecute him.
6 And staying with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day, sitting on the tribunal, commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and weighty accusations which they could not prove,
8 while Paul maintained in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I done any wrong.
9 But Festus wishing to gratify the Jews, answered Paul and said, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried by me for these things?
10 And Paul said, I stand at the tribunal of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have not injured the Jews, as you also know very well.
11 If indeed I have done wrong or committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if those things of which they accuse me are nothing, no man may give me up to them; I appeal to Caesar.
12 Then Festus having conferred with the council answered, You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.
13 But after some days king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had staid there many days, Festus proposed the case of Paul to the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,
15 concerning whom when I was at Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews gave me information, asking judgment against him;
16 to whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the accused has the accusers face to face, and is allowed an opportunity to defend himself against the accusation.
17 When therefore, they came here, making no delay, the next day I sat on the tribunal, and ordered the man to be brought;
18 concerning whom his accusers standing up brought no charge of such things as I supposed,
19 but had certain questions with him concerning their religion, and concerning one Jesus that was dead, who Paul said was alive.
20 Being in doubt on the question concerning these things, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried by me there on these charges.
21 But Paul appealing, to be kept for the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.
22 And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I should like to hear the man also myself. And he said, To-morrow you shall hear him.
23 On the next day, therefore, Agrippa and Bernice coming with great pomp, and entering into the place of hearing with chiliarchs and men of distinction in the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all the men present with us, you see this man, of whom all the multitude of the Jews besought me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live.
25 But finding that he had done nothing deserving death, and he having appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 But I have nothing certain to write to the sovereign concerning him, wherefore I have brought him before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that on examination I may have something to write;
27 for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to signify the charges against him.