Festus Consults Agrippa

13 [After] several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man [whom] Felix left in prison. 15 While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case [and] requested a judgment against him. 16 I told [them] that it is not [the] Roman custom to hand a man {over} before [he] has had [an] opportunity to face [his] accusers and defend himself against [their] charges.

17 So [when] they came here {with me}, I did not delay. The next [day] I sat on the judgment seat [and] ordered that the man be brought in. 18 [But when his] accusers rose to speak, they did not charge [him] with [any of the] crimes I had expected. 19 They only had some contentions with him regarding [their] own religion and a certain Jesus [who] had died, [but] whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 [Since] I was at a loss as to how to investigate these [matters], I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried {there} on these [charges]. 21 But [when] Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

22 Then Agrippa [said] to Festus, “I would like to hear [this] man myself.”

“Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.