25:6 After Festus 13 had stayed 14 not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, 15 and the next day he sat 16 on the judgment seat 17 and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, 18 bringing many serious 19 charges that they were not able to prove. 20 25:8 Paul said in his defense, 21 “I have committed no offense 22 against the Jewish law 23 or against the temple or against Caesar.” 24 25:9 But Festus, 25 wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried 26 before me there on these charges?” 27 25:10 Paul replied, 28 “I am standing before Caesar’s 29 judgment seat, 30 where I should be tried. 31 I have done nothing wrong 32 to the Jews, as you also know very well. 33 25:11 If then I am in the wrong 34 and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, 35 but if not one of their charges against me is true, 36 no one can hand me over to them. 37 I appeal to Caesar!” 38 25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, 39 Festus 40 replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; 41 to Caesar 42 you will go!” 43
25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa 44 and Bernice arrived at Caesarea 45 to pay their respects 46 to Festus. 47 25:14 While 48 they were staying there many days, Festus 49 explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, 50 saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, 51 the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed 52 me about him, 53 asking for a sentence of condemnation 54 against him. 25:16 I answered them 55 that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone 56 before the accused had met his accusers face to face 57 and had been given 58 an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. 59 25:17 So after they came back here with me, 60 I did not postpone the case, 61 but the next day I sat 62 on the judgment seat 63 and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge 64 him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. 65 25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement 66 with him about their own religion 67 and about a man named Jesus 68 who was dead, whom Paul claimed 69 to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss 70 how I could investigate these matters, 71 I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried 72 there on these charges. 73 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 74 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 75 25:22 Agrippa 76 said to Festus, 77 “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, 78 “you will hear him.”
25:23 So the next day Agrippa 79 and Bernice came with great pomp 80 and entered the audience hall, 81 along with the senior military officers 82 and the prominent men of the city. When Festus 83 gave the order, 84 Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus 85 said, “King Agrippa, 86 and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace 87 petitioned 88 me both in Jerusalem 89 and here, 90 shouting loudly 91 that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, 92 and when he appealed 93 to His Majesty the Emperor, 94 I decided to send him. 95 25:26 But I have nothing definite 96 to write to my lord 97 about him. 98 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 99 so that after this preliminary hearing 100 I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating 101 the charges against him.”