1Festus therefore , having come into the province , after three days went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea . 2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul ; and they besought him , 3asking a favor against him , that he would send for him to Jerusalem ; laying a plot to kill him on the way . 4Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Cæsarea , and that he himself was about to depart thither shortly . 5Let them therefore , saith he , that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man , let them accuse him . 6And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days , he went down unto Cæsarea ; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought . 7And when he was come , the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him , bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove; 8while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews , nor against the temple , nor against Cæsar , have I sinned at all . 9But Festus , desiring to gain favor with the Jews , answered Paul and said , Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem , and there be judged of these things before me ? 10But Paul said , I am standing before Cæsar ’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged : to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest . 11If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death , I refuse not to die ; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me , no man can give me up unto them . I appeal unto Cæsar . 12Then Festus , when he had conferred with the council , answered, Thou hast appealed unto Cæsar : unto Cæsar shalt thou go .
Festus and Agrippa
13Now when certain days were passed , Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Cæsarea , and saluted Festus . 14And as they tarried there many days , Festus laid Paul ’s case before the king , saying , There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix ; 15about whom , when I was at Jerusalem , the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me , asking for sentence against him . 16To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man , before that the accused have the accusers face to face , and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him . 17When therefore they were come together here , I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought. 18Concerning whom , when the accusers stood up , they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed ; 19but had certain questions against him of their own religion , and of one Jesus , who was dead , whom Paul affirmed to be alive . 20And I , being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things , asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters. 21But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor , I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Cæsar . 22And Agrippa said unto Festus , I also could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he , thou shalt hear him . 23So on the morrow , when Agrippa was come , and Bernice, with great pomp , and they were entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and the principal men of the city , at the command of Festus Paul was brought in . 24And Festus saith , King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us , ye behold this man , about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me , both at Jerusalem and here , crying that he ought not to live any longer . 25But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death : and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him . 26Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord . Wherefore I have brought him forth before you , and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that , after examination had , I may have somewhat to write . 27For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner , not withal to signify the charges against him .