Acts 25:8-23

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.