1. Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem
2. where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented him their formal charges against Paul. They asked him
3. as a favor to have him sent to Jerusalem, for they were plotting to kill him along the way.
4. Festus replied that Paul was being held in custody in Caesarea and that he himself would be returning there shortly.
5. He said, “Let your authorities come down with me, and if this man has done something improper, let them accuse him.”
6. After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the following day took his seat on the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought in.
7. When he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him, which they were unable to prove.
8. In defending himself Paul said, “I have committed no crime either against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9. Then Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, said to Paul in reply, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there stand trial before me on these charges?”
10. Paul answered, “I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar; this is where I should be tried. I have committed no crime against the Jews, as you very well know.
11. If I have committed a crime or done anything deserving death, I do not seek to escape the death penalty; but if there is no substance to the charges they are bringing against me, then no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12. Then Festus, after conferring with his council, replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go.”
13. When a few days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea on a visit to Festus.