Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went
up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the
principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and
they urged him, asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him
to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on
the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and
that he himself intended to go there shortly. “So,” said he, “let
the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is
anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”
After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he
went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the
tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. When he had arrived, the
Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing
many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.
Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews,
nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any
offense.” But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul,
“Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these
charges before me?” But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's
tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no
wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and
have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek
to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against
me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then
Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To
Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice
arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. And as they stayed there
many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There
is a man left prisoner by Felix, and when I was at Jerusalem, the
chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case
against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. I
answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up
anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had
opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against
him. So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the
next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be
brought. When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his
case of such evils as I supposed. Rather they had certain points of
dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain
Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. Being at a
loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted
to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. But when Paul
had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor,
I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” Then
Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and
they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the
prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was
brought in. And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present
with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people
petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought
not to live any longer. But I found that he had done nothing
deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I
decided to go ahead and send him. But I have nothing definite to
write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you
all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we
have examined him, I may have something to write. For it seems to
me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges
against him.”
