Acts 25:1-12 ▼

1 Therefore Festus, having arrived in the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 And the chief priests and the chiefs of the Jews presented to him against Paul, and they were imploring him,

3 requesting a favor against him that he would summon him to Jerusalem, forming an ambush to kill him on the way.

4 Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself is about to go out in haste.

5 “Therefore those powerful among you?,” he says, “having gone down together, if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

6 And having spent with them no more than eight or ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the next day having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

7 And he having arrived, the Jews having come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and weighty charges, which they were not able to prove.

8 Paul made his defense: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned in anything.”

9 But Festus, wishing to lay a favor on the Jews, answering, said to Paul, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me there concerning these things?”

10 And Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I did nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

11 Therefore if indeed I am unrighteous and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which they can accuse me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!”