1 Now three days after his arrival Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2 and the high priests and the Jewish elders presented their charges against Paul,
3 and begged the governor as a favor to have Paul come to Jerusalem, because they were plotting an ambush to kill him on the way.
4 Festus answered that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.
5 "So have your influential men go down with me," said he, "and present charges against the man, if there is anything wrong with him."
6 After staying there not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day, after taking his seat on the judge's bench, he ordered Paul brought in.
7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and continued to bring a number of serious charges against him, none of which they could prove.
8 Paul continued to maintain, in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or temple or against the emperor."
9 Then Festus, as he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, said to Paul, "Will you go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?"
10 But Paul said, "I now am standing before the emperor's court where I ought to be tried. I have done the Jews no wrong, as you very well know.
11 If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I am not begging to keep from dying, but if there is nothing in the charges which these men make against me, no one can give me up as a favor to them. I appeal to the emperor."
12 Then Festus, after conferring with the council, answered, "To the emperor you have appealed, to the emperor you shall go!"
13 After the passing of a few days, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay official respects to Festus,
14 and as they stayed for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix,
15 and when I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish high priests and elders presented their case against him, and continued to ask for a judgment against him.
16 I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to give up anyone for punishment until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against their accusations.
17 So they came back here with me, and I made no delay to take my seat on the judge's bench, and ordered the man to be brought in.
18 But when his accusers appeared before me, they did not charge him with the crimes of which I had been suspecting him.
19 They merely had a quarrel with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died, but who Paul kept saying was still alive.
20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters and so asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.
21 But as Paul appealed to have his case kept for his Majesty's decision, I ordered him kept in custody until I could send him up to the emperor."
22 "I should like to hear the man myself," said Agrippa to Festus. "Tomorrow you shall hear him," said Festus.
23 So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with splendid pomp and went into the audience-room, attended by the colonels and the leading citizens of the town, and at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 Then Festus said: "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you now see this man about whom the whole Jewish nation made suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here, continuously clamoring that he ought not to live any longer.
25 But I found that he had not done anything for which he deserved to die; however, as he has himself appealed to his Majesty, I have decided to send him up.
26 Yet, I have nothing definite to write our Sovereign about him. So I have brought him before all of you, especially before you, King Agrippa, to get from your examination something to put in writing.
27 For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner up, without specifying the charges against him."