Acts, Chapter 25

1. Now when Festus came into the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.    2. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and pleaded with him,    3. And desired a favor against him, that he would send him to Jerusalem, lying in wait on the way to kill him.    4. But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly to go there.    5. Let them therefore, said he, who among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness 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 commanded Paul to be brought.    7. And when he came, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and brought many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.    8. While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all.    9. But Festus, desiring to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things before me?    10. Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as you very well know.    11. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die: but if there are none of these things of which these accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.    12. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Have you appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.    13. And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.    14. And when they had been there many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:    15. About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have a judgment against him.    16. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before he who is accused meets the accusers face to face, and has liberty to answer for himself concerning the crime held against him.    17. Therefore, when they came here, without any delay on the next day I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought out.    18. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed:    19. But had certain questions against him about their own superstition, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.    20. And because I was uncertain concerning such kinds of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged about these matters.    21. But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.    22. Then Agrippa said to Festus, I would also like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, you shall hear him.    23. And on the next day, when Agrippa had come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and had entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought out.    24. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have appeared before me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.    25. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself has appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him,    26. Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, that, after examination, I might have something to write.    27. For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also to indicate the crimes held against him.