Paul's Trial Before Festus

1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,

2where the ³²⁵high priest and prominent Jewish men presented their case against Paul.

3Asking for a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

4But Festus replied that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.

5“So,” he said, “let those among you who are influential go down with me, and if there is ³²⁶any fault in this man, they can bring charges against him.”

6After staying among them for ³²⁷more than ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in.

7When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges ³²⁸against him that they could not prove.

8Then Paul said in his own defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”

9But Festus, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, responded to Paul, “Are yoʋ willing to go up to Jerusalem and ³²⁹stand trial before me there on these charges?”

10Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to stand trial. I have done the Jews no wrong, as yoʋ yoʋrself know very well.

11If I am in the wrong and have done something that deserves death, I do not seek to escape death. But if none of the things these men accuse me of is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

12After conferring with the council, Festus answered, “Yoʋ have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar yoʋ shall go.”

Festus Consults King Agrippa

13After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

14Since ³³⁰the king was staying there for several days, Festus presented Paul's case to him, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix.

15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a ³³¹judgment against him.

16I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand ³³²anyone over for destruction before the accused faces his accusers and has an opportunity to make his defense concerning the charges.

17So when they had assembled here, I did not postpone the case, but on the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought in.

18When his accusers stood up, they brought no charge against him of ³³³the sort I was expecting.

19Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, but whom Paul claimed was alive.

20Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate ³³⁴this matter, I asked if he might be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.

21But Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, so I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” Festus said, “Tomorrow yoʋ will hear him.”

Paul Brought Before King Agrippa

23So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium along with the military commanders and the distinguished men of the city. Then Festus gave the command, and Paul was brought in.

24Festus said, “King Agrippa and all you men who are present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the entire Jewish community has appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here in this place, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25But ³³⁵when I found that he had done nothing deserving death, and since he himself appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.

26Yet I have nothing definite to write to my lord about this man. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before yoʋ, King Agrippa, so that after we have had this preliminary hearing, I may have something to write.

27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”