Acts 25

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

²And the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews brought a complaint before him against Paul, and besought him,

³asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, intending to place men in wait to kill him on the road.

⁴But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going thither shortly.

⁵Let those therefore, said he, who have authority among you, go down with me and accuse this man, if he is guilty of anything.

⁶And having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, ordered Paul to be brought.

⁷And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and heavy charges which they could not prove;

⁸while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offence.

⁹But Festus, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges before me?

¹⁰But Paul said, I stand at the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

¹¹If indeed I am an offender, and have done anything deserving death, I refuse not to die; but if there be nothing in the charges which they bring against me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

¹²Then Festus having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar; to Caesar shalt thou go.

¹³And after some days Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

¹⁴And while they were making a stay of some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix,

¹⁵against whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought a complaint, asking for judgment against him.

¹⁶To whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man on a charge, before the accused hath the accusers face to face, and hath opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

¹⁷When therefore they had come together here, without any delay I sat on the judgment-seat on the day after, and ordered the man to be brought forward.

¹⁸And his accusers standing around him brought no accusation of such things as I had conjectured,

¹⁹but had against him certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰And I being at a loss about such questions, asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be put on trial for these matters.

²¹But Paul having appealed to be kept in custody for the judgment of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept till I should send him up to Caesar.

²²Then Agrippa said to Festus, I should like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

²³Accordingly on the morrow Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, and at the order of Festus Paul was brought forward.

²⁴And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us! Ye see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live.

²⁵But having found that he had done nothing deserving death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him;

²⁶and as I have nothing certain to write about him to the emperor, I have brought him forward before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that when the examination hath been made, I may have something to write.

²⁷For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not signify the charges against him;

Acts 25

¹Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cesarea to Jerusalem.

²Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

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

⁴But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

⁵Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

⁶And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Cesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷And 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.

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

⁹But 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?

¹⁰Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

¹¹For 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 Cesar.

¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cesar? unto Cesar shalt thou go.

¹³And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cesarea to salute Festus.

¹⁴And 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:

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

¹⁶To 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.

¹⁷Therefore, 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.

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

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

²⁰And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

²¹But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cesar.

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

²³And 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.

²⁴And 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.

²⁵But 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.

²⁶Of 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.

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