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25 Three days after Festus had come into the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

Then the High Priest and the chief of the Jews appeared before him against Paul. And they pleaded with him,

and asked (as a favor) if he would summon him to Jerusalem, so they could make an ambush and kill him along the way.

But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea. And that he himself would go there shortly.

“Therefore, let those among you who are able come down,” he said, “And if there is any fault in the man, let them accuse him."

Now, after he had stayed among them no more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day sat in the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

And when he had come, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem, stood around him and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul (of which they could present no plain proof),

to which he answered that he had not offended in anything - either against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.

Yet Festus, wanting to curry favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Will you go up to Jerusalem and be judged of these things before me there?”

10 Then Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.

11 “For if I have done wrong, or committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing in these things of which they accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

12 Then, when Festus had spoken with the Council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.”

13 And after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to greet Festus.

14 And when they had stayed there many days, Festus stated Paul’s cause to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left in prison by Felix.

15 “When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed me of him and asked for a judgment against him.

16 “To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to the death before the accused has faced his accusers and has a place to defend himself concerning the crime.

17 “Therefore, when they had come here, I sat on the judgment seat the following day (without delay) and commanded the man to be brought forth.

18 “When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such crimes as I suspected:

19 “But they had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about a certain Jesus (Who was dead, but Whom Paul affirmed to be alive).

20 “And because I was perplexed by such questions, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.

21 “But because Paul had appealed to be put under guard until the examination of Augustus, I commanded that he be jailed until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23 And the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come (with great pomp) and had entered into the Common Hall with the chief captains and chief men of the city, Paul was brought forth at Festus’ commandment.

24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have petitioned me (both at Jerusalem and here) crying that he ought not to live any longer.

25 “But, I have found nothing he has done to be worthy of death. And seeing that he has appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him.

26 “I have no certain thing to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore, I have brought him forth to you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that after examination, I might have something to write.

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

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus(A) went up from Caesarea(B) to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.(C) They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.(D) Festus answered, “Paul is being held(E) at Caesarea,(F) and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court(G) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.(H) When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,(I) but they could not prove them.(J)

Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple(K) or against Caesar.”

Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,(L) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”(M)

10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,(N) as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”(O)

12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Festus Consults King Agrippa

13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea(P) to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.(Q) 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him(R) and asked that he be condemned.

16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.(S) 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.(T) 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute(U) with him about their own religion(V) and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.(W) 21 But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”(X)

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”(Y)

Paul Before Agrippa(Z)

23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice(AA) came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community(AB) has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.(AC) 25 I found he had done nothing deserving of death,(AD) but because he made his appeal to the Emperor(AE) I decided to send him to Rome. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27 For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”