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

^{2 Ref} and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him `the things' against Paul, and were calling on him,

^{3 Ref} asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.

^{4 Ref} Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither,

^{5 Ref} `Therefore those able among you -- saith he -- having come down together, if there be anything in this man -- let them accuse him;'

^{6 Ref} and 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;

^{7 Ref} and 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,

^{8 Ref} he 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.'

^{9 Ref} And 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?'

^{10 Ref} and 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;

^{11 Ref} for 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!'

^{12 Ref} then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, `To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.'

^{13 Ref} And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea saluting Festus,

^{14 Ref} and 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,

^{15 Ref} about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,

^{16 Ref} unto 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 Ref} `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,

¹⁸ concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against `him' no accusation of the things I was thinking of,

^{19 Ref} but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;

^{20 Ref} and 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 --

^{21 Ref} but 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.'

^{22 Ref} And Agrippa said unto Festus, `I was wishing also myself to hear the man;' and he said, `To-morrow thou shalt hear him;'

^{23 Ref} on 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.

^{24 Ref} And 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;

^{25 Ref} and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him,

^{26 Ref} concerning 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;

^{27 Ref} for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.'