Acts 25:1–12

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25Now when^* Festus set foot in the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ²And the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought charges against Paul to him, and were urging him, ³asking for a favor against him, that he summon him to Jerusalem, because they^* were preparing an ambush to do away with him along the way. ⁴Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself was about to go there^* in a short time. ⁵So he said, “Let those among you who are prominent go down with me,^* and^* if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him.”

⁶And after he^* had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and^* gave orders for Paul to be brought. ⁷And when^* he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges that they were not able to prove, ⁸while^* Paul said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!” ⁹But Festus, because he^* wanted to do a favor for the Jews, answered and^* said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there concerning these things?” ¹⁰But Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. ¹¹If then I am doing wrong^a and have done anything deserving death, I am not trying to avoid^* dying. But if there is nothing true of the things which these people are accusing me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” ¹²Then Festus, after^* discussing this^* with his^* council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar—to Caesar you will go!”