Acts 25

Thomson^{(i) 1} Therefore when Festus came to the government and three days after went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, ² the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid before him an information against Paul ³ and earnestly intreated him to favour them so far as to send for him to Jerusalem; [they having laid an ambush to kill him on the road.] ⁴ Whereupon Festus replied, that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would shortly set out thither. ⁵ Therefore, said he, Let the chief men among you go down with me; and if there be any thing criminal in the man, let them accuse him. ⁶ So when he had tarried among them more than ten days he went down to Caesarea, and on the morrow taking his seat on the tribunal he ordered Paul to be brought. ⁷ And when he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around and brought many heavy accusations against Paul, which they could not prove. ⁸ To which when Paul replied, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed any offence, ⁹ Festus willing to gratify the Jews addressed Paul saying, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and be judged there before me concerning these things? ¹⁰ Upon which Paul said, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou thyself well knowest. ¹¹ If indeed I am guilty, or have committed any capital crime, I do not deprecate death: but if the charges which they bring against me be groundless, no man can give me up to gratify them. I appeal to Caesar. ¹² Then Festus, having conferred with his council, replied, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar thou shall go. ¹³ Some days after, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus, ¹⁴ and as they spent many days there Festus stated Paul's case to the king, saying, There is a man who was left a prisoner by Felix, ¹⁵ concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid an information, soliciting judgment against him. ¹⁶ To whom I made answer that it is not customary with the Romans to give up any man to destruction, till he who is accused is confronted with his accusers, and hath an opportunity to make a defence respecting the charge: ¹⁷ therefore when they came hither, I without any delay ascended the tribunal the next day, and ordered the man to be brought up. ¹⁸ Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they advanced no charge of such things as I expected, ¹⁹ but objected against him some disputed points relative to their peculiar mode of worship, and respecting one Jesus who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ²⁰ And as I was at a loss how to decide in such a case, I asked him, if he would go to Jerusalem and be tried there respecting these matters. ²¹ But Paul having appealed that his cause should be referred to the cognisance of the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody, till I can send him to Caesar. ²² Upon which Agrippa said to Festus, I could wish myself to hear the man. Tomorrow then, said he, thou shalt hear him. ²³ On the morrow therefore, when Agrippa and Bernice were come with a numerous splendid retinue and had entered the hall of audience, with the commanders of cohorts and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought. ²⁴ And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all you who are here present with us, You see this man, about whom the whole body of the Jews have made application to me, both at Jerusalem and in this place, crying out that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ But as for me, finding that he had done nothing which deserved death, and he himself having appealed to the Emperor, I have determined to send him. ²⁶ Now as I have nothing certain to write to my master concerning him; I have therefore brought him out before you and especially before thee, king Agrippa, that after this examination, I may have something to write. ²⁷ For to me it seemeth absurd to send a prisoner without specifying the charge against him.