1. Three days after Festus had become governor, he went from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2. There the chief priests and some Jewish leaders told him about their charges against Paul. They also asked Festus
3. if he would be willing to bring Paul to Jerusalem. They begged him to do this because they were planning to attack and kill Paul on the way.
4. But Festus told them, “Paul will be kept in Caesarea, and I am soon going there myself.
5. If he has done anything wrong, let your leaders go with me and bring charges against him there.”
6. Festus stayed in Jerusalem for eight or ten more days before going to Caesarea. Then the next day he took his place as judge and had Paul brought into court.
7. As soon as Paul came in, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem crowded around him and said he was guilty of many serious crimes. But they could not prove anything.
8. Then Paul spoke in his own defence, “I have not broken the Law of my people. And I have not done anything against either the temple or the Emperor.”
9. Festus wanted to please the leaders. So he asked Paul, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried by me on these charges?”
10. Paul replied, “I am on trial in the Emperor's court, and that's where I should be tried. You know very well that I have not done anything to harm the Jewish nation.
11. If I had done something deserving death, I would not ask to escape the death penalty. But I am not guilty of any of these crimes, and no one has the right to hand me over to these people. I now ask to be tried by the Emperor himself.”
12. After Festus had talked this over with members of his council, he told Paul, “You have asked to be tried by the Emperor, and to the Emperor you will go!”
13. A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to visit Festus.
14. They had been there for several days, when Festus told the king about the charges against Paul. He said:Felix left a man here in jail,
15. and when I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish leaders came and asked me to find him guilty.
16. I told them that it isn't the Roman custom to hand a man over to people who are bringing charges against him. He must first have the chance to meet them face to face and to defend himself against their charges.
17. So when they came here with me, I wasted no time. On the very next day I took my place on the judge's bench and ordered him to be brought in.
18. But when the men stood up to make their charges against him, they did not accuse him of any of the crimes that I thought they would.