After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to welcome Festus.

Agrippa told Festus, "I would like to hear the man." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him."

The next day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with much fanfare and went into the auditorium along with the tribunes and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us! You see this man about whom the whole Jewish nation petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

I have nothing reliable to write our Sovereign about him, so I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I will have something to write after he is cross-examined.

Then Agrippa told Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

"I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, that I can defend myself today against all the accusations of the Jewish leaders,

"And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!"

Agrippa asked Paul, "Can you so quickly persuade me to become a Christian?"

Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to the emperor."