Chapter 25 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended
from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul and
besought him, and desired favor against him, that he would send for him to
Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself
would depart shortly thither.
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me and accuse
this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea,
and the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, commanded Paul to be brought.
And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about,
and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews,
neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything
at all.
But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said,
Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged.
To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to
die.
But if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may
deliver me unto them.
I appeal unto Caesar.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed
unto Caesar?
Unto Caesar shalt thou go.
And after certain days, King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute
Festus.
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the
king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix, about whom,
when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me,
desiring to have judgment against him.
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die.
Before that, he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to
answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow,
I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such
things as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their own
superstition and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be
alive.
And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go
to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters.
But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded
him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself.
Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was
entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the
city, at Festus' commandment, Paul was brought forth.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with
us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me,
both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any
longer.
But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he
himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him,
of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my Lord.
Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee,
O King Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the
crimes laid against him.