Paul's Trial Before Festus

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea, 2 where the [fn]high priest and prominent Jewish men presented their case against Paul. 3 Asking for a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 But Festus replied that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. 5 “So,” he said, “let those among you who are influential go down with me, and if there is [fn]any fault in this man, they can bring charges against him.”

6 After staying among them for [fn]more than ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. 7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges [fn]against him that they could not prove. 8 Then Paul said in his own defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, responded to Paul, “Are yoʋ willing to go up to Jerusalem and [fn]stand trial before me there on these charges?” 10 Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to stand trial. I have done the Jews no wrong, as yoʋ yoʋrself know very well. 11 If I am in the wrong and have done something that deserves death, I do not seek to escape death. But if none of the things these men accuse me of is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 After conferring with the council, Festus answered, “Yoʋ have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar yoʋ shall go.”