^{1 Ref} So Festus, having come into that part of the country which was under his rule, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

^{2 Ref} And the chief priests and the chief men of the Jews made statements against Paul,

^{3 Ref} Requesting Festus to give effect to their design against him, and send him to Jerusalem, when they would be waiting to put him to death on the way.

^{4 Ref} But Festus, in answer, said that Paul was being kept in prison at Caesarea, and that in a short time he himself was going there.

^{5 Ref} So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.

^{6 Ref} And when he had been with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the day after, he took his place on the judge's seat, and sent for Paul.

^{7 Ref} And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.

^{8 Ref} Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.

^{9 Ref} But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?

^{10 Ref} And Paul said, I am before the seat of Caesar's authority where it is right for me to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you are well able to see.

^{11 Ref} If, then, I am a wrongdoer and there is a cause of death in me, I am ready for death: if it is not as they say against me, no man may give me up to them. Let my cause come before Caesar.

^{12 Ref} Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.

^{13 Ref} Now when some days had gone by, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea and went to see Festus.

^{14 Ref} And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix:

^{15 Ref} Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him.

^{16 Ref} To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.

^{17 Ref} So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat and sent for the man.

¹⁸ But when they got up they said nothing about such crimes as I had in mind:

^{19 Ref} But had certain questions against him in connection with their religion, and about one Jesus, now dead, who, Paul said, was living.

^{20 Ref} And as I had not enough knowledge for the discussion of these things, I made the suggestion to him to go to Jerusalem and be judged there.

^{21 Ref} But when Paul made a request that he might be judged by Caesar, I gave orders for him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

^{22 Ref} And Agrippa said to Festus, I have a desire to give the man a hearing myself. Tomorrow, he said, you may give him a hearing.

^{23 Ref} So on the day after, when Agrippa and Bernice in great glory had come into the public place of hearing, with the chief of the army and the chief men of the town, at the order of Festus, Paul was sent for.

^{24 Ref} And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer.

^{25 Ref} But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him.

^{26 Ref} But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to put in writing.

^{27 Ref} For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.

^{1 Ref} Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

^{2 Ref} Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

^{3 Ref} And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

^{4 Ref} But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

^{5 Ref} 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.

^{6 Ref} 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.

^{7 Ref} 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.

^{8 Ref} While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

^{9 Ref} 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?

^{10 Ref} 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.

^{11 Ref} For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing 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.

^{12 Ref} Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

^{13 Ref} And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

^{14 Ref} 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:

^{15 Ref} About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

^{16 Ref} 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 licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

^{17 Ref} 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.

¹⁸ Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

^{19 Ref} But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

^{20 Ref} 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.

^{21 Ref} 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.

^{22 Ref} Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

^{23 Ref} 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.

^{24 Ref} 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.

^{25 Ref} 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.

^{26 Ref} 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.

^{27 Ref} For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

^{1 Ref} Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

^{2 Ref} Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

^{3 Ref} asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

^{4 Ref} However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

^{5 Ref} "Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

^{6 Ref} When 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.

^{7 Ref} When 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,

^{8 Ref} while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

^{9 Ref} But 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?"

^{10 Ref} But 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.

^{11 Ref} For 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!"

^{12 Ref} Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

^{13 Ref} Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

^{14 Ref} As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

^{15 Ref} about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

^{16 Ref} To whom I answered 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.

^{17 Ref} When 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.

¹⁸ Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed;

^{19 Ref} but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

^{20 Ref} Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

^{21 Ref} But 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."

^{22 Ref} Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

^{23 Ref} So 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 principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

^{24 Ref} Festus 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.

^{25 Ref} But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

^{26 Ref} Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write.

^{27 Ref} For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him."