25
1 Festus
therefore, having
come into the
province, after
three days went
up to Jerusalem
from Caesarea.
2 Then
the high priest
and the principal
men of the
Jews informed him
against Paul, and
they begged him,
3 asking a
favor against him,
that he would
summon him to
Jerusalem, plotting to kill
him on the
way.
4 However
Festus answered that
Paul should be
kept in custody
at Caesarea, and
that he himself
was about to
depart shortly.
5 “Let
them therefore”,
he said, “that
are in power
among you go down
with me, and if
there is
anything wrong in
the man, let
them accuse him.”
6 When
he had stayed
among them more
than ten days,
he went down
to Caesarea, and
on the next
day he sat
on the judgment
seat, and
commanded Paul to
be brought.
7 When
he had come,
the Jews who
had come down
from Jerusalem
stood around him,
bringing against
him many
and grievous charges which
they could
not prove,
8 while
he said in
his defense, “Neither
against the law
of the Jews,
nor against the
temple, nor
against Caesar,
have I sinned at
all.”
9 But
Festus, desiring
to gain favor with
the Jews, answered
Paul and said, “Are
you willing to
go up to
Jerusalem and be
judged by me
there concerning
these things?”
10 But
Paul said, “I
am standing before
Caesar’s judgment seat,
where I ought
to be tried.
I have done
no wrong to the
Jews, as you
also know very
well.
11 For
if I have
done wrong and
have committed
anything worthy of
death, I don’t
refuse to die;
but if none
of those things
is true that
they accuse me
of, no one
can give me
up to them.
I appeal to
Caesar!”
12 Then
Festus, when he
had conferred with
the council, answered, “You
have appealed to
Caesar. To Caesar
you shall go.”
13 Now
when some days
had passed,
King Agrippa and Bernice
arrived at
Caesarea and greeted
Festus.
14 As
he stayed there
many days, Festus
laid Paul’s case
before the king,
saying, “There is
a certain man
left a prisoner
by Felix;
15 about
whom, when I
was at Jerusalem,
the chief priests
and the elders
of the Jews
informed me, asking
for a sentence
against him.
16 I answered
them that it
is not the
custom of the
Romans to give up
any man
to destruction before
the accused has met
the accusers face
to face and
has had
opportunity to
make his defense
concerning the
matter laid against
him.
17 When
therefore they had
come together here,
I didn’t delay,
but on the
next day sat
on the judgment
seat and commanded
the man to
be brought.
18 When
the accusers stood
up, they brought
no charges against
him of such
things as I
supposed;
19 but
had certain
questions against
him about their
own religion and
about one Jesus,
who was dead,
whom Paul affirmed
to be alive.
20 Being perplexed how
to inquire concerning
these things, I
asked whether he
was willing to
go to Jerusalem
and there be
judged concerning
these matters.
21 But
when Paul had
appealed to be
kept for the
decision of the
emperor, I
commanded him to
be kept until
I could send him
to Caesar.”
22 Agrippa
said to Festus, “I
also would like
to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you
shall hear him.”
23 So
on the next
day, when Agrippa
and Bernice had
come with great
pomp, and they
had entered into
the place of hearing
with the
commanding officers and
the principal men
of the city,
at the command
of Festus, Paul
was brought in.
24 Festus
said, “King Agrippa,
and all men
who are here
present with us,
you see this
man about whom
all the multitude
of the
Jews petitioned me,
both at Jerusalem
and here, crying
that he ought
not to live
any longer.
25 But
when I found
that he had
committed nothing worthy
of death, and
as he himself
appealed to the
emperor, I
determined to send
him,
26 of
whom I have
no certain thing
to write to
my lord. Therefore
I have brought
him out before
you, and
especially before
you, King Agrippa,
that, after examination
I may have
something to write.
27 For
it seems to
me unreasonable, in
sending a prisoner,
not to also specify
the charges against
him.”