1Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 3asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way. 4However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. 5“Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
6When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 8while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”
9But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?”
10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
13Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14As he 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 a sentence against him. 16I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met 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 didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought. 18When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed; 19but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to 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 Caesar.”
22Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24Festus said, “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 when 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 no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write. 27For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
1Festus ergo cum venisset in provinciam, post triduum ascendit Jerosolymam a Cæsarea. 2Adieruntque eum principes sacerdotum et primi Judæorum adversus Paulum: et rogabant eum, 3postulantes gratiam adversus eum, ut juberet perduci eum in Jerusalem, insidias tendentes ut interficerent eum in via. 4Festus autem respondit servari Paulum in Cæsarea: se autem maturius profecturum. 5Qui ergo in vobis, ait, potentes sunt, descendentes simul, si quod est in viro crimen, accusent eum. 6Demoratus autem inter eos dies non amplius quam octo aut decem, descendit Cæsaream, et altera die sedit pro tribunali, et jussit Paulum adduci. 7Qui cum perductus esset, circumsteterunt eum, qui ab Jerosolyma descenderant Judæi, multas et graves causas objicientes, quas non poterant probare: 8Paulo rationem reddente: Quoniam neque in legem Judæorum, neque in templum, neque in Cæsarem quidquam peccavi. 9Festus autem volens gratiam præstare Judæis, respondens Paulo, dixit: Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me? 10Dixit autem Paulus: Ad tribunal Cæsaris sto: ibi me oportet judicari: Judæis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti. 11Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori: si vero nihil est eorum quæ hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Cæsarem appello. 12Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit: Cæsarem appellasti? ad Cæsarem ibis. 13Et cum dies aliquot transacti essent, Agrippa rex et Bernice descenderunt Cæsaream ad salutandum Festum. 14Et cum dies plures ibi demorarentur, Festus regi indicavit de Paulo, dicens: Vir quidam est derelictus a Felice vinctus, 15de quo cum essem Jerosolymis, adierunt me principes sacerdotum et seniores Judæorum, postulantes adversus illum damnationem. 16Ad quos respondi: Quia non est Romanis consuetudo damnare aliquem hominem priusquam is qui accusatur præsentes habeat accusatores, locumque defendendi accipiat ad abluenda crimina. 17Cum ergo huc convenissent sine ulla dilatione, sequenti die sedens pro tribunali, jussi adduci virum. 18De quo, cum stetissent accusatores, nullam causam deferebant, de quibus ego suspicabar malum. 19Quæstiones vero quasdam de sua superstitione habebant adversus eum, et de quodam Jesu defuncto, quem affirmabat Paulus vivere. 20Hæsitans autem ego de hujusmodi quæstione, dicebam si vellet ire Jerosolymam, et ibi judicari de istis. 21Paulo autem appellante ut servaretur ad Augusti cognitionem, jussi servari eum, donec mittam eum ad Cæsarem. 22Agrippa autem dixit ad Festum: Volebam et ipse hominem audire. Cras, inquit, audies eum. 23Altera autem die cum venisset Agrippa et Bernice cum multa ambitione, et introissent in auditorium cum tribunis et viris principalibus civitatis, jubente Festo, adductus est Paulus. 24Et dicit Festus: Agrippa rex, et omnes qui simul adestis nobiscum viri, videtis hunc de quo omnis multitudo Judæorum interpellavit me Jerosolymis, petentes et acclamantes non oportere eum vivere amplius. 25Ego vere comperi nihil dignum morte eum admisisse. Ipso autem hoc appellante ad Augustum, judicavi mittere. 26De quo quid certum scribam domino, non habeo. Propter quod produxi eum ad vos, et maxime ad te, rex Agrippa, ut interrogatione facta habeam quid scribam. 27Sine ratione enim mihi videtur mittere vinctum, et causas ejus non significare.