1 Festus therefore having entered into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the high priest and the principal men of the Jews appeared to him against Paul, and urged him,
3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to kill him on the way.
4 Indeed therefore Festus answered to keep Paul in Caesarea, and he himself was going to go out quickly.
5 Therefore he says, Let the able men among you, after coming down together, accuse him if there is anything in this man.
6 And after remaining among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he arrived, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and serious accusations against Paul, which they could not prove,
8 while he was defending, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I transgressed anything.
9 But Festus, wanting to lay down a favor to the Jews, having answered Paul, said, Are thou willing, after going up to Jerusalem, to be judged there about these things before me?
10 But Paul said, I am standing at the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I did nothing wrong Jewish, as thou also very well know.
11 For if I am indeed wrong, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing of what these men accuse me, no man can give me to them freely. I appeal Caesar.
12 Then Festus, when he conferred with the council, answered, Thou have appealed Caesar, to Caesar thou will go.
13 Now some days having passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, greeting Festus.
14 And as he was remaining there more days, Festus declared to the King the things concerning Paul, saying, There is a certain man who was left behind a prisoner by Felix,
15 about whom, when I became in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews revealed, asking judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, that it is not a custom by Romans to give any man freely for destruction, before the man being accused has the accusers in person, and receives an occasion of defense about the accusation.
17 When therefore they assembled here, not having made one delay, next in order, having sat on the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.
18 About whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought not one cause of what I supposed,
19 but had certain issues against him about his own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who has died, whom Paul was claiming to be alive.
20 And I, being uncertain of the controversy about this man, asked whether he wants to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.
21 But when Paul appealed to be kept for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.
22 And Agrippa said to Festus, I also want to hear the man myself. And tomorrow, he says, thou will hear him.
23 Therefore on the morrow, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and having entered into the courtroom, and with the chief captains and the men of prominence who were of the city, and Festus who commanded, Paul was brought
24 And Festus says, King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, ye see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting he ought not to live any longer.
25 But I, having understood him to have done nothing worthy of death, and also him, this man, having appealed Augustus I decided to send him.
26 About whom I do not have anything certain to write to the lord. Therefore I brought him before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa, so that, an examination having occurred, I may have something to write.
27 For it seems to me unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to specify the causes against him.