Twentieth_Century(i)
1 Three days after Festus had entered upon his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.
2 There the Chief Priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,
3 And asked a favor of him, to Paul's injury--to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.
4 But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.
5 "So let the influential men among you," he said, "go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it."
6 After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.
7 On Paul's appearance, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.
8 Paul's answer to the charge was--'I have not committed any offence against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.'
9 But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question: "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?"
10 "No," replied Paul, "I am standing at the Emperor's Bar, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware.