Paul's Trial Before Festus

1Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea, 2and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him, 3asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way. 4Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither, 5‘Therefore those able among you — saith he — having come down together, if there be anything in this man — let them accuse him;’

6and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat upon the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought; 7and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem — many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove, 8he making defence — ‘Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar — did I commit any sin.’ 9And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favour, answering Paul, said, ‘Art thou willing, to Jerusalem having gone up, there concerning these things to be judged before me?’

Paul Appeals to Caesar

10and Paul said, ‘At the tribunal of Caesar I am standing, where it behoveth me to be judged; to Jews I did no unrighteousness, as thou dost also very well know; 11for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!’ 12then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, ‘To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.’

Festus Consults King Agrippa

13And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea saluting Festus, 14and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, ‘There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner, 15about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him, 16unto whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favour of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defence in regard to the charge laid against [him]. 17‘They, therefore, having come together — I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat upon the tribunal, did command the man to be brought, 18concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of, 19but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive; 20and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, said, If he would wish to go on to Jerusalem, and there to be judged concerning these things — 21but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I did command him to be kept till I might send him unto Caesar.’ 22And Agrippa said unto Festus, ‘I was wishing also myself to hear the man;’ and he said, ‘To-morrow thou shalt hear him;’

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

23on the morrow, therefore — on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered — Paul was brought forth. 24And Festus said, ‘King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, ye see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews did deal with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer; 25and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him, 26concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write; 27for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.’