1Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea. 2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him, 3asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. 4However, Festus answered that Paul was kept in custody at Cæsarea, and that he himself was about to depart there shortly. 5Let them therefore, he says, who are in authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him. 6And when he had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Cæsarea; and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7And when he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and serious charges which they could not prove; 8while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the Torah of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar, have I sinned at all. 9But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things before me? 10But Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews I have done no wrong, as you also very well know. 11If 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 accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Cæsar. 12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, You have appealed to Cæsar: to Cæsar shall you go. 13Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Cæsarea, and greeted Festus. 14And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 15about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence against him. 16To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before the accused has the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 17When therefore they had come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. 18Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed; 19but had some questions against him about their own religion, and about one Yeshua, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Cæsar. 22And Agrippa said to Festus, I also would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, he says, you shall hear him. 23So on the next day, when Agrippa had come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanders and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in. 24And Festus says, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. 26Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, king Agrippa, that, after examination has been made, I may have something to write. 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not also to indicate the charges against him.