Acts 25:10-24

¹⁰But Paul said, “I am standing before the judicial bench of Caesar, by whom it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as also you know very well.

¹¹For if I am doing wrong, and have done anything worthy of death, I am not trying to escape a death sentence; but if there is nothing in these things of which these people are accusing me, no one is able to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

¹²Then Festus, having talked together with the council, answered, “Have you appealed to Caesar? Before Caesar you shall go!”

¹³And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and greeted Festus.

¹⁴And as he was spending many days there, Festus laid before the king the charges against Paul, saying: “There is a certain man who was left a prisoner by Felix,

¹⁵about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for punishment against him.

¹⁶To them I answered, ‘It is not a custom with Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the one being accused may meet his accusers face to face, and may receive an opportunity for defense concerning the charge.’

¹⁷Therefore when they had assembled here, having made no delay, on the next day I took my seat at the judicial bench, and I commanded the man to be brought in;

¹⁸concerning whom, when the accusers stood, they brought no accusation of the things which I was supposing,

¹⁹but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul professed to be alive.

²⁰And being uncertain as to the investigation concerning this, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these charges.

²¹But when Paul appealed that he be kept for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I may send him to Caesar.”

²²Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also was wishing to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

²³Therefore on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with all pomp, and had entered into the auditorium together with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, and when Festus had commanded, Paul was brought.

²⁴And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are with us, observe this man about whom the people of the Jews petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying against him that it is not fitting for him to live any longer.