Paul Appeals to Caesar

1 Now whenFestus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him,

3 asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because theywere preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way.

4 Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go therein a short time.

5 So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,andif there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”

6 And after hehad stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat andgave orders for Paul to be brought.

7 And whenhe arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove,

8 whilePaul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!”

9 But Festus, because hewanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered andsaid to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?”

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

11 If then I am doing wrongand have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoiddying. But if there is nothing true of the things which these people are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12 Then Festus, afterdiscussing thiswith hiscouncil, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

13 Now aftersome days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus.

14 And while they were staying there many days, Festus laid out the case against Paul to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left behind by Felix as a prisoner,

15 concerning whom whenI was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented evidence, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.

16 To themI replied that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the one who had been accused met hisaccusers face to face and received an opportunity for a defense concerning the accusation.

17 Therefore, whenthey had assembled here, I madeno delay; on the next day I sat down on the judgment seat andgave orders for the man to be brought.

18 When theystood up, hisaccusers began bringingno charge concerning himof the evil deeds that I was suspecting,

19 but they had some issues with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive.

20 And becauseI was at a loss with regard to the investigation concerning these things, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and to be judged there concerning these things.

21 But whenPaul appealed that he be kept under guard for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 So Agrippa said to Festus, “I want to hear the man myself also.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.”

23 So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pageantry and entered into the audience hall, along with military tribunes and the most prominent men of the city. And whenFestus gave the order, Paul was brought in.

24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole population of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he must not live any longer.

25 But I understood that he had done nothing deserving death himself, and whenthis man appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.

26 I do not have anything definite to write to mylord about him.Therefore I have brought him before you all—and especially before you, King Agrippa—so that afterthis preliminary hearing has taken place, I may have something to write.

27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/38/32k/ACT/25-e71e6ab71d3dd06927c0171bfe3e82dc.mp3?version_id=90—