Acts 25:1–12

Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him, ³asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. ⁴Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart thither shortly. ⁵Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

⁶And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. ⁷And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove; ⁸while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all. ⁹But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? ¹⁰But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest. ¹¹If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. ¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go.