Festus, then, after arriving in ^athe province, went up to Jerusalem from ^bCaesarea three days later. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews ^abrought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with ¹Festus, 3 requesting a ¹concession against ²Paul, that he might ³have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, ^asetting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then ^aanswered that Paul ^bwas being kept in custody in ^cCaesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you ¹go there with me, and if there is anything wrong ²about the man, have them bring charges against him.”

6 After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to ^aCaesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on ^bthe tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. 7 After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing ^amany, and serious, charges against him ^bwhich they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “^aI have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, ^awanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “^bAre you willing to go up to Jerusalem and ¹stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^atribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^aappeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with ¹his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in ^aCaesarea, paying their respects to Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was ^aleft as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ^abrought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I ^areplied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before ^bthe accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^athe tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges ¹against him of crimes that I suspected, 19 but they simply had some ^apoints of disagreement with him about their own ^1breligion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 And ^abeing at a loss how to investigate ¹such matters, I ²asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. 21 But when Paul ^aappealed to be held in custody for ¹the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then ^aAgrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

23 So, on the next day when ^aAgrippa and ^bBernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, ¹accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom ^aall the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that ^bhe ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed ^anothing deserving death; and since he himself ^bappealed to ¹the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 ¹Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”

Festus then, having arrived in ^athe province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from ^bCaesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews ^abrought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with him, 3 requesting a favor against ¹Paul, that he might ²have him brought to Jerusalem (while they ^aset an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then ^aanswered that Paul ^bwas being kept in custody at ^cCaesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong ¹about the man, let them accuse him.”

6 And after he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to ^aCaesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on ^bthe judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 And after Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing ^amany and serious charges against him ^bwhich they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “^aI have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, ^awishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “^bAre you willing to go up to Jerusalem and to be tried before me on these matters?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^ajudgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I ^aappeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with ¹his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at ^aCaesarea ¹and greeted Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was ^aleft as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews ^abrought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I ^aanswered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before ^bthe accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^athe judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing any charges against him for the evil deeds I was expecting, 19 but they had some ^apoints of disagreement with him about their own ^1breligion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 ^aAnd being perplexed about how to investigate ¹such matters, I was asking whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be tried on these matters. 21 But when Paul ^aappealed to be held in custody for ¹the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then ^aAgrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”

23 So, on the next day when ^aAgrippa came ¹together with ^bBernice amid great pomp, and entered the hall ²accompanied by the ³commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom ^aall the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that ^bhe ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed ^anothing worthy of death, and since he himself ^bappealed to ¹the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 ¹Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”