AC-25:1  Now when Festus was come into the province, after three

days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

AC-25:2  Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed

him

against Paul, and besought him,

AC-25:3  And desired favour against him, that he would send for

him

to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

AC-25:4  But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at

Caesarea,

and that he himself would depart shortly [thither].

AC-25:5  Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able,

go

down with [me], and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness

in

him.

AC-25:6  And when he had tarried among them more than ten days,

he

went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment

seat commanded Paul to be brought.

AC-25:7  And when he was come, the Jews which came down from

Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous

complaints

against Paul, which they could not prove.

AC-25:8  While he answered for himself, Neither against the law

of

the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar,

have I

offended any thing at all.

AC-25:9  But Festus, willing 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?

AC-25:10  Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat,

where I

ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou

very

well knowest.

AC-25:11  For if I 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 man may deliver me unto them.

I

appeal unto Caesar.

AC-25:12  Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council,

answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou

go.

AC-25:13  And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came

unto

Caesarea to salute Festus.

AC-25:14  And when they had been there many days, Festus declared

Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left

in

bonds by Felix:

AC-25:15  About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests

and

the elders of the Jews informed [me], desiring [to have] judgment

against him.

AC-25:16  To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans

to

deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the

accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself

concerning the crime laid against him.

AC-25:17  Therefore, when they were come hither, without any

delay

on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man

to

be brought forth.

AC-25:18  Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought

none

accusation of such things as I supposed:

AC-25:19  But had certain questions against him of their own

superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul

affirmed

to be alive.

AC-25:20  And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I

asked

[him] whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of

these

matters.

AC-25:21  But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the

hearing

of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to

Caesar.

AC-25:22  Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the

man

myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

AC-25:23  And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice,

with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with

the

chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus'

commandment Paul was brought forth.

AC-25:24  And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are

here

present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of

the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and [also] here,

crying that he ought not to live any longer.

AC-25:25  But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy

of

death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have

determined to send him.

AC-25:26  Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord.

Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially

before

thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have

somewhat to write.

AC-25:27  For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner,

and

not withal to signify the crimes [laid] against him.

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