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 he was staying[fn] 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} to die[fn] 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 anything[fn] 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 this matter,[fn] 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.