1And when Festus came to Caesarea, after three days he came up to Jerusalem. 2And The Chief Priests and the Rulers of the Jews informed him concerning Paulus and they were inquiring of him, 3When they asked him this favor: to send to bring him to Jerusalem, as they were making an ambush by the road to kill him. 4And Festus returned the answer: “Paulus is kept in Caesarea, and I am in a hurry to travel.” 5“Those therefore among you who are able and have the accusations with them, let them go down with us; let them accuse the man.”

6And when he was there eight or 10 days, he went down to Caesarea and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and commanded to bring Paulus. 7And when he came, the Jews that descended from Jerusalem surrounded him and many Leaders had brought hard things against him, things that they were unable to demonstrate. 8And when Paulus rendered a defense that he had not violated anything, not the law of the Jews, neither of The Temple, neither Caesar, 9Festus, because he wanted to confer a favor on the Jews, said to Paulus, “Will you go up to Jerusalem and be judged there of these things before me?”

10Paulus answered and said, “I stand at the judgment seat of Caesar. It is right for me to be judged here. I have not sinned against the Jews, as you also know.” 11“If any offense was done by me or anything worthy of death, I do not excuse myself from death, but if there is nothing to these things of which they accuse me, no man may give me to them as a gift. I call for an appeal to Caesar.” 12And Festus spoke with his Counselors and he said, “You have called for an appeal to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

13And when some days passed, Agrippa The King and Bernice came down to Caesarea to inquire the welfare of Festus. 14And when they were with him some days, Festus related to The King the case of Paulus, when he said, “One man is a prisoner left from the hands of Felix.” 15“When I was in Jerusalem, The Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews informed me of him and requested that I make a judgment of him for them.” 16“And I said to them, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to give a man for slaughter as a favor until his adversary at law shall come and blame him to his face and he shall be given an opportunity to render a defense concerning that of which he is accused.” 17“And when I had come here, without delay the next day I sat on the judgment seat and I ordered them to bring the man to me.” 18“And his accusers stood with him and they could not demonstrate any evil indictment against him like that which I had supposed.” 19“But they had inquiries of one thing or another about their religion and about Yeshua, a man who had died, who Paulus was saying is alive.” 20Because I was not certain about such inquiries, I said to Paulus, “Do you wish to go to Jerusalem, and be judged on these things there?” 21“But he requested to be kept for the judgment of Caesar, and I ordered that he be kept until I send him to Caesar.” 22And Agrippa said, “I would like to hear this man.” And Festus said, “You will hear him tomorrow.”

23And the next day Agrippa came and Bernice, and they entered the court with great pomp with the Chiliarch and the Leaders of the city, and Festus commanded, and Paulus came. 24And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all of you men who are with us concerning this man, whom you see: all the people of the Jews complained to me in Jerusalem and here, while shouting that this man ought not to live any longer, 25And I have found nothing worthy of death that has been done by him, and because he has asked to be kept for the judgment of Caesar, I have commanded that he be sent.” 26“And I do not know what to write to Caesar about him, therefore I decided to bring him before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that when his case is examined, I may find what to write.” 27For it is not right that when we send a man as a prisoner that we do not write his offense.