Acts 25:1–12

¹Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him, ³asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way. ⁴Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly. ⁵Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him. ⁶And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought. ⁷And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove: ⁸Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in anything. ⁹But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things? ¹⁰But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest. ¹¹If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse 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.