¶ Now when Festus was come into¹ the province², after three days he³ ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

⁴Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

And desired⁵ favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying⁶ wait in the way to kill him.

But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

Let them⁷ therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if⁸ there be any wickedness in him.

And when he had tarried among them more than ten days⁹, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid¹⁰ many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

While he answered for himself, Neither¹¹ against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

But Festus, willing¹² to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

¶ Then said Paul, I stand¹³ at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou¹⁴ very well knowest.

For if I¹⁵ be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man¹⁶ may deliver me unto them. I appeal¹⁷ unto Caesar.

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt¹⁸ thou go.

¶ And after certain days king¹⁹ Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to²⁰ salute Festus.

And when they had been there²¹ many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

About whom, when²² I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

To whom I answered, It is not²³ the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have²⁴ licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

Therefore, when they were come hither, without²⁵ any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

But had certain²⁶ questions against him of their own superstition²⁷, and of one Jesus, which²⁸ was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

¶ And because I doubted of such manner of questions²⁹, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

But when Paul had³⁰ appealed to be reserved unto the hearing³¹ of Augustus, I commanded³² him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

³³Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with³⁴ great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at³⁵ Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

And Festus said, King Agrippa³⁶, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about³⁷ whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he³⁸ ought not to live any longer.

But when I found that he had committed³⁹ nothing worthy of death, and that⁴⁰ he himself hath appealed to Augustus⁴¹, I have determined to send him.

Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially⁴² before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

⁴³For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.