Paul’s Trial before Festus

1Then Festus having entered upon his office, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem; 2and both the chief priests and the first men of the Jews appeared before him against Paul, and continued to entreat him, 3asking favor against him, in order that he might send him to Jerusalem, making a plot to kill him on the road. 4Then indeed Festus responded, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and himself was about to go away quickly: 5Then, says he, Let the influential ones among you, coming down, accuse him, if there is anything wrong in the man.

6And having tarried with them not more than eight or ten days, having come down to Caesarea, on the following day, sitting on the tribunal, he commanded that Paul should be brought forth. 7And he being present, the Jews having come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him charges many and heavy, which they were not able to prove. 8And Paul apologizing, that Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I done anything wrong. 9And Festus, wishing to confer a gratification on the Jews, responding to Paul, said, Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, there to be judged by me concerning these things?

Paul Appeals to Caesar

10And Paul said, I am standing at the tribunal of Caesar, where it behooves me to be judged. To the Jews I have done nothing wrong, as you indeed well know. 11If therefore I indeed am guilty of unrighteousness, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not ask not to die: but if nothing of these things of which they accuse me is true, no man is able to gratify them (by my death): I appeal unto Caesar. 12Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar; thou shalt go unto Caesar.

Festus Consults Agrippa

13And some days having passed away, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, saluting Festus. 14And while they were spending many days there, Festus expounded to the king the matters appertaining to Paul, saying, A certain man has been left a prisoner by Felix: 15concerning whom, I being in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews appeared before me, asking condemnation against him; 16to whom I responded, that it is not the customs to the Romans to slay any man gratuitously, before that the accused may have his accusers face to face, and receive a place of defence concerning the charge. 17Then they, having come together to this place, making no delay, immediately sitting on the judgment-seat, I commanded that the man should be led forth; 18concerning whom his accusers standing by, brought no evil charge of those things which I supposed: 19but they had certain questions against him concerning their own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who is dead, whom Paul was saying that He is alive. 20And I, being at a loss as to the question concerning these things, asked him if he is willing to go to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things. 21And Paul having demanded that he should be kept for the diagnosis of Augustus, I demanded that he should be kept until I shall send him to Caesar. 22And Agrippa said to Festus, I myself also would wish to hear the man. He says, To-morrow you shall hear him.

Paul before Agrippa and Bernice

23Then on the following day, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entering into the auditorium, along with the chiliarchs, and chief men of the city, and, Festus commanding, Paul was led forth. 24And Festus says, O king Agrippa, and all ye men present with us, you see this man, concerning whom the whole multitude of the Jews is besieging me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that it does not behoove him to live any longer. 25But I discovered that he had done nothing worthy of death, however he himself appealing to Caesar, I decided to send him. 26Concerning whom I have nothing definite to write to my lord; therefore I have led him to you, and especially to thee, O king Agrippa, in order that, there being an investigation, I may have something which I shall write; 27for it seems to me to be unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to signify charges against him.