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Therefore Festus, having entered the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Yerushalayim.
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And the chief kohenim and the leading ishim of the Yehudim presented their accusation against Paulos and appealed to him,
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asking as a favor against him that he summon him to Yerushalayim, while preparing an ambush to kill him along the road.
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Therefore Festus answered that Paulos was being kept in Caesarea and that he himself was about to depart there soon.
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“Therefore,” he said, “let those among you who are able go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the ish, let them accuse him.”
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And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And on the next day, sitting upon the judgment seat, he commanded Paulos to be brought.
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And when he came, the Yehudim who had come down from Yerushalayim stood around him, bringing many serious accusations which they were not able to prove.
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Paulos, making his defense, said: “Neither against the Torah of the Yehudim, nor against the House, nor against Caesar have I sinned in anything.”
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But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Yehudim, answered Paulos and said: “Do you desire to go up to Yerushalayim and there be judged before me concerning these things?”
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But Paulos said: “I stand before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I have wronged the Yehudim in nothing, as you also know very well.
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Therefore if I am indeed an offender and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing in the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to give me up to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar.”
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Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
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And after some days, King Agrippa and Bernike came to Caesarea and greeted Festus.
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And as they remained there many days, Festus laid the matter of Paulos before the king, saying: “There is a certain ish left as a prisoner by Felix,
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concerning whom, when I was in Yerushalayim, the chief kohenim and elders of the Yehudim presented charges, asking for judgment against him.
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To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any ish before the accused has his accusers face to face and receives an opportunity for defense concerning the accusation.
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Therefore when they came here together, without delay, on the next day I sat upon the judgment seat and commanded the ish to be brought.
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Concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no accusation of the evil things I had supposed,
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but had certain questions against him concerning their own worship and concerning a certain Yahushua, who had died, whom Paulos asserted to be alive.
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And being perplexed concerning the investigation of these things, I asked whether he desired to go to Yerushalayim and there be judged concerning them.
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But when Paulos appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I send him to Caesar.”
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And Agrippa said to Festus: “I myself also desire to hear the ish.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
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Therefore on the next day, Agrippa and Bernike came with great display and entered the hearing hall with the commanders and prominent ishim of the city. And at the command of Festus, Paulos was brought.
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And Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all ishim present with us, you see this one concerning whom the whole multitude of the Yehudim petitioned me both in Yerushalayim and here, crying that he ought to live no longer.
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But I found that he had done nothing worthy of death. And since he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.
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Concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my master. Therefore I brought him before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination I may have something to write.
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For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not also indicate the accusations against him.”