Acts 25
1
Now when Festus had come to the province,
after three days he went up from Caesarea to
Jerusalem.
2
Then the high priest and the chief men of the
Jews informed him against Paul; and they
petitioned him,
3
asking a favor against him, that he would summon
him to Jerusalem—while they lay in
ambush along the road to kill him.
4
But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at
Caesarea, and that he himself was going
there shortly.
5
“Therefore,” he said, “let those who have
authority among you go down with me
and accuse this man, to see if there is any
fault in him.” 6
And when he had remained among them more than
ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next
day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded
Paul to be brought.
7
When he had come, the Jews who had come down
from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious
complaints against Paul, which they could not
prove,
8 while he answered for himself, “Neither
against the law of the Jews, nor against the
temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in
anything at all.”
9
But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,
answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go
up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me
concerning these things?”
10
So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment
seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I
have done no wrong, as you very well know.
11
For if I am an offender, or have committed
anything deserving of death, I do not object to
dying; but if there is nothing in these things
of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver
me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the
council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar?
To Caesar you shall go!”
13
And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice
came to Caesarea to greet Festus.
14
When they had been there many days, Festus laid
Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a
certain man left a prisoner by Felix,
15
about whom the chief priests and the elders of
the Jews informed me , when I was
in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him.
16
To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the
Romans to deliver any man to destruction before
the accused meets the accusers face to face, and
has opportunity to answer for himself concerning
the charge against him.’
17
Therefore when they had come together, without
any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment
seat and commanded the man to be brought in.
18
When the accusers stood up, they brought no
accusation against him of such things as I
supposed,
19
but had some questions against him about their
own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had
died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20
And because I was uncertain of such questions, I
asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem
and there be judged concerning these matters.
21
But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the
decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept
till I could send him to Caesar.”
22
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would
like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he
said, “you shall hear him.”
23
So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had
come with great pomp, and had entered the
auditorium with the commanders and the prominent
men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was
brought in.
24
And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men
who are here present with us, you see this man
about whom the whole assembly of the Jews
petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here,
crying out that he was not fit to live any
longer.
25 But when I found that he had committed
nothing deserving of death, and that he himself
had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.
26
I have nothing certain to write to my lord
concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out
before you, and especially before you, King
Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken
place I may have something to write.
27
For it seems to me unreasonable to send a
prisoner and not to specify the charges against
him.”
