1Festusthen,having arrivedin the province,threedayslaterwentup to Jerusalemfrom Caesarea.2And the chief priestsand the leading menof the Jewsbrought chargesagainstPaul,and they were urginghim,3requestinga concessionagainstPaul, that he might have him broughtto Jerusalem([at the same time], settingan ambushto killhim on the way).4Festusthenansweredthat Paulwas being kept in custodyat Caesareaand that he himselfwas aboutto leaveshortly.5"Therefore,"he said,"let the influential menamongyou gothere with me, and ifthere is anythingwrongaboutthe man,let them prosecutehim."
6After he had spentnot morethan eightortendaysamongthem, he went downto Caesarea,and on the next dayhe took his seaton the tribunaland orderedPaulto be brought.7After Paul arrived,the Jewswho had come downfrom Jerusalemstood aroundhim, bringingmanyand seriouschargesagainsthim whichthey couldnot prove,8while Paulsaid in his own defense,"I have committednooffenseeitheragainstthe Lawof the Jewsoragainstthe templeoragainstCaesar."9But Festus,wishingto dothe Jewsa favor,answeredPauland said,"Are you willingto goup to Jerusalemand stand trialbeforeme on these[charges]?"10But Paulsaid,"I amstandingbeforeCaesar'stribunal,whereI oughtto be tried.I have donenowrongto [the] Jews,as you alsovery wellknow.11"If,then,I am a wrongdoerand have committedanythingworthyof death,I do not refuseto die;but ifnoneof those things is [true] of whichthese menaccuseme, no onecanhandme over to them. I appealto Caesar."12Thenwhen Festushad conferredwith his council,he answered,"You have appealedto Caesar,to Caesaryou shall go."
13Nowwhen severaldayshad elapsed,KingAgrippaand Bernicearrivedat Caesareaand paid their respectsto Festus.14Whilethey were spendingmanydaysthere,FestuslaidPaul'scasebefore the king,saying,"There is a manwho was leftas a prisonerby Felix;15and when I was at Jerusalem,the chief priestsand the eldersof the Jewsbrought chargesagainsthim, askingfor a sentence of condemnationagainsthim.16"I answeredthem that it is not the customof the Romansto handover anymanbeforethe accusedmeetshis accusersface to faceand hasan opportunityto make his defenseagainstthe charges.17"Soafter they had assembledhere,I did not delay,but on the nextday took my seaton the tribunaland orderedthe manto be broughtbefore me.18"When the accusersstoodup, they [began] bringingchargesagainsthim not of suchcrimesas I was expecting,19but they [simply] hadsomepoints of disagreementwith him abouttheir ownreligionand abouta deadman,Jesus,whomPaulassertedto be alive.20"Being at a losshow to investigatesuchmatters, I askedwhetherhe was willingto goto Jerusalemand therestand trialon thesematters.21"But when Paulappealedto be heldin custodyfor the Emperor'sdecision,I orderedhim to be kept in custodyuntilI sendhim to Caesar."22ThenAgrippa[said] to Festus,"I alsowould liketo hearthe manmyself.""Tomorrow,"he said,"you shall hearhim."
23So,on the next daywhen Agrippacametogetherwith Berniceamidgreatpomp,and enteredthe auditoriumaccompaniedby the commandersand the prominentmenof the city,at the commandof Festus,Paulwas broughtin.24Festussaid,"KingAgrippa,and allyou gentlemenhere presentwith us, you seethis manaboutwhomallthe peopleof the Jewsappealedto me, bothat Jerusalemand here,loudly declaringthat he oughtnot to liveany longer.25"But I foundthat he had committednothingworthyof death;and since he himselfappealedto the Emperor,I decidedto sendhim.26"Yet I havenothingdefiniteabouthim to writeto my lord.ThereforeI have brought him beforeyou [all] and especiallybeforeyou, KingAgrippa,sothat after the investigationhas taken place,I may havesomethingto write.27"For it seemsabsurdto me in sendinga prisoner,not to indicatealsothe chargesagainsthim."
