Acts 25:13–27

Festus Consults King Agrippa

¹³A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea^w to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.^{x 15}When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him^y and asked that he be condemned.

¹⁶“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.^{z 17}When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.^{a 18}When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹Instead, they had some points of dispute^b with him about their own religion^c and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.^{d 21}But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”^e

²²Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”^f

Paul Before Agrippa

26:12–18pp—Ac 9:3–8; 22:6–11

²³The next day Agrippa and Bernice^g came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community^h has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.^{i 25}I found he had done nothing deserving of death,^j but because he made his appeal to the Emperor^k I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”