4. However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.
5. “Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power amongst you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
6. When he had stayed amongst them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgement seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7. When he had come, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,
8. while he said in his defence, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”
9. But Festus, desiring to gain favour with the Judeans, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”
10. But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgement seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you also know very well.
11. For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up 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. Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.
14. As he stayed 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, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders informed me, asking for a sentence against him.
16. I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.