7
When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,
8
while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."
9
But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?"
10
So Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.
11
For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar."
12
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!"
13
And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.
14
When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying: "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,
15
about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him.
16
To them I answered, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.'
17
Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.