1
Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,
2
and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews disclosed to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,
3
asking favor against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.
4
Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and is himself about to go forth speedily,
5
“Therefore those able among you,” he says, “having come down together, if there be anything in this man—let them accuse him”;
6
and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the next day having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought;
7
and he having come, there stood around 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
he making defense, [said,] “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
And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favor, answering Paul, said, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me there concerning these things?”
Paul Appeals to Caesar
10
And Paul said, “At the judgment seat of Caesar I am standing, where it is necessary for me to be judged; I did no unrighteousness to Jews, as you also very well know;
11
for if I am indeed unrighteous, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favor of me to them; I appeal to Caesar!”
12
Then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.”
Festus Consults Agrippa
13
And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea greeting Festus,
14
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
about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,
16
to whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favor of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defense in regard to the charge laid against [him].
17
They, therefore, having come together—I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat on the judgment seat, commanded 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
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
and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, asked if he was willing to go on to Jerusalem, and to be judged there concerning these things—
21
but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.”
22
And Agrippa said to Festus, “I was also intending to hear the man myself”; and he said, “Tomorrow you will hear him”;
Paul before Agrippa and Bernice
23
on the next day, 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
And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer;
25
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
concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, for what reason I brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;
27
for it seems to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not to also signify the charges against him.”
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA