1 So Festus, having come into that part of the country which was under his rule, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.2 And the chief priests and the chief men of the Jews made statements against Paul,3 Requesting Festus to give effect to their design against him, and send him to Jerusalem, when they would be waiting to put him to death on the way.4 But Festus, in answer, said that Paul was being kept in prison at Caesarea, and that in a short time he himself was going there.5 So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.6 And when he had been with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the day after, he took his place on the judge's seat, and sent for Paul.7 And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.8 Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.9 But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?10 And Paul said, I am before the seat of Caesar's authority where it is right for me to be judged: I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you are well able to see.11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and there is a cause of death in me, I am ready for death: if it is not as they say against me, no man may give me up to them. Let my cause come before Caesar.12 Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.13 Now when some days had gone by, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea and went to see Festus.14 And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix:15 Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him.16 To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him.17 So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat and sent for the man.18 But when they got up they said nothing about such crimes as I had in mind:19 But had certain questions against him in connection with their religion, and about one Jesus, now dead, who, Paul said, was living.20 And as I had not enough knowledge for the discussion of these things, I made the suggestion to him to go to Jerusalem and be judged there.21 But when Paul made a request that he might be judged by Caesar, I gave orders for him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.22 And Agrippa said to Festus, I have a desire to give the man a hearing myself. Tomorrow, he said, you may give him a hearing.23 So on the day after, when Agrippa and Bernice in great glory had come into the public place of hearing, with the chief of the army and the chief men of the town, at the order of Festus, Paul was sent for.24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer.25 But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him.26 But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to put in writing.27 For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.

1 Festus ergo cum venisset in provinciam, post triduum ascendit Jerosolymam a Csarea. 2 Adieruntque eum principes sacerdotum et primi Judorum adversus Paulum : et rogabant eum, 3 postulantes gratiam adversus eum, ut juberet perduci eum in Jerusalem, insidias tendentes ut interficerent eum in via. 4 Festus autem respondit servari Paulum in Csarea : se autem maturius profecturum. 5 Qui ergo in vobis, ait, potentes sunt, descendentes simul, si quod est in viro crimen, accusent eum. 6 Demoratus autem inter eos dies non amplius quam octo aut decem, descendit Csaream, et altera die sedit pro tribunali, et jussit Paulum adduci. 7 Qui cum perductus esset, circumsteterunt eum, qui ab Jerosolyma descenderant Judi, multas et graves causas objicientes, quas non poterant probare : 8 Paulo rationem reddente : Quoniam neque in legem Judorum, neque in templum, neque in Csarem quidquam peccavi. 9 Festus autem volens gratiam prstare Judis, respondens Paulo, dixit : Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me ? 10 Dixit autem Paulus : Ad tribunal Csaris sto : ibi me oportet judicari : Judis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti. 11 Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori : si vero nihil est eorum qu hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Csarem appello. 12 Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit : Csarem appellasti ? ad Csarem ibis.13 Et cum dies aliquot transacti essent, Agrippa rex et Bernice descenderunt Csaream ad salutandum Festum. 14 Et cum dies plures ibi demorarentur, Festus regi indicavit de Paulo, dicens : Vir quidam est derelictus a Felice vinctus, 15 de quo cum essem Jerosolymis, adierunt me principes sacerdotum et seniores Judorum, postulantes adversus illum damnationem. 16 Ad quos respondi : Quia non est Romanis consuetudo damnare aliquem hominem priusquam is qui accusatur prsentes habeat accusatores, locumque defendendi accipiat ad abluenda crimina. 17 Cum ergo huc convenissent sine ulla dilatione, sequenti die sedens pro tribunali, jussi adduci virum. 18 De quo, cum stetissent accusatores, nullam causam deferebant, de quibus ego suspicabar malum. 19 Qustiones vero quasdam de sua superstitione habebant adversus eum, et de quodam Jesu defuncto, quem affirmabat Paulus vivere. 20 Hsitans autem ego de hujusmodi qustione, dicebam si vellet ire Jerosolymam, et ibi judicari de istis. 21 Paulo autem appellante ut servaretur ad Augusti cognitionem, jussi servari eum, donec mittam eum ad Csarem. 22 Agrippa autem dixit ad Festum : Volebam et ipse hominem audire. Cras, inquit, audies eum. 23 Altera autem die cum venisset Agrippa et Bernice cum multa ambitione, et introissent in auditorium cum tribunis et viris principalibus civitatis, jubente Festo, adductus est Paulus. 24 Et dicit Festus : Agrippa rex, et omnes qui simul adestis nobiscum viri, videtis hunc de quo omnis multitudo Judorum interpellavit me Jerosolymis, petentes et acclamantes non oportere eum vivere amplius. 25 Ego vere comperi nihil dignum morte eum admisisse. Ipso autem hoc appellante ad Augustum, judicavi mittere. 26 De quo quid certum scribam domino, non habeo. Propter quod produxi eum ad vos, et maxime ad te, rex Agrippa, ut interrogatione facta habeam quid scribam. 27 Sine ratione enim mihi videtur mittere vinctum, et causas ejus non significare.