Acts 24:27-25:12

New International Version

²⁷ When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,^(A) but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews,^(B) he left Paul in prison.^(C)

Paul’s Trial Before Festus

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus^(D) went up from Caesarea^(E) to Jerusalem, ² where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.^{(F) 3} They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.^{(G) 4} Festus answered, “Paul is being held^(H) at Caesarea,^(I) and I myself am going there soon. ⁵ Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

⁶ After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court^(J) and ordered that Paul be brought before him.^{(K) 7} When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,^(L) but they could not prove them.^(M)

⁸ Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple^(N) or against Caesar.”

⁹ Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,^(O) said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”^(P)

¹⁰ Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,^(Q) as you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”^(R)

¹² After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”