25:1Festus, therefore, when he had come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 25:2And the chiefs of the priests and the first men of the Jews went to him against Paul: and they were asking him, requesting a favour against him, that he would order him to be brought to Jerusalem, laying an ambush to kill him on the way. 25:4But Festus answered that Paul was being kept in Caesarea: and that he himself would set out shortly. 25:5"Let those, therefore, among you," he said, "who are able, going down together, accuse him, if there is any crime in the man." 25:6And having stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the tribunal, and ordered Paul to be brought.
25:7Who, when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood round him, bringing many and grave charges, which they could not prove: Paul giving his account: "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in anything." 25:9But Festus, wishing to show favour to the Jews, answering Paul, said: "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged about these things before me?" 25:10And Paul said: "I stand at the tribunal of Caesar: there I ought to be judged: to the Jews I have done no harm, as you yourself know better. 25:11For if I have done harm, or have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die: but if there is nothing in the things of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them.
25:11I appeal to Caesar." 25:12Then Festus, having spoken with the council, answered: "You have appealed to Caesar? 25:12To Caesar you shall go." 25:13And when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to greet Festus. 25:14And when they were staying there many days, Festus laid before the king the matter of Paul, saying: "There is a certain man left behind by Felix as a prisoner, about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chiefs of the priests and the elders of the Jews came to me, asking for condemnation against him. 25:16To them I answered: 'It is not the custom for Romans to condemn any man before he who is accused has his accusers present, and receives the opportunity of defending himself to wash away the charges.' 25:17When therefore they had come together here without any delay, on the following day, sitting on the tribunal, I ordered the man to be brought.
25:18About whom, when the accusers had stood up, they brought no charge of the things of which I suspected evil. 25:19But they had certain questions against him about their own superstition, and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul was affirming to be alive. 25:20And I, being uncertain about a question of this kind, was asking whether he would be willing to go to Jerusalem, and there be judged about these things. 25:21But when Paul appealed to be kept for the hearing of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept, until I send him to Caesar." 25:22And Agrippa said to Festus: "I too was wishing to hear the man myself."
25:22"Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." 25:23And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with much pomp, and had gone into the audience hall with the tribunes and the principal men of the city, at Festus' order Paul was brought in. 25:24And Festus says: "King Agrippa, and all you men who are present together with us, you see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews petitioned me at Jerusalem, asking and crying out that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25I truly found that he had committed nothing worthy of death. 25:25But since he himself appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.
25:26About whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. 25:26For which reason I have brought him out before you, and most of all before you, King Agrippa, so that, an examination having been made, I may have something to write. 25:27For it seems to me without reason to send a prisoner, and not to signify the charges against him."