The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 25 -

And so, when Festus had arrived in the province, after three days, he ascended to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

And the leaders of the priests, and those first among the Jews, went to him against Paul. And they were petitioning him,

asking for favor against him, so that he would order him to be led to Jerusalem, where they were maintaining an ambush in order to kill him along the way.

But Festus responded that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself would soon go there.

“Therefore,” he said, “let those among you who are able, descend at the same time, and if there is any guilt in the man, they may accuse him.”

Then, having stayed among them no more than eight or ten days, he descended to Caesarea. And on the next day, he sat in the judgment seat, and he ordered Paul to be led in.

And when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, throwing out many serious accusations, none of which they were able to prove.

Paul offered this defense: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any matter.”

But Festus, wanting to show greater favor to the Jews, responded to Paul by saying: “Are you willing to ascend to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things before me?”(a)

Paul Appeals to Caesar

But Paul said: “I stand in Caesar’s tribunal, which is where I ought to be judged. I have done no harm to the Jews, as you well know.

For if I have harmed them, or if I have done anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying. But if there is nothing to these things about which they accuse me, no one is able to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded: “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

Festus Consults Agrippa

And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice descended to Caesarea, to greet Festus.

And since they remained there for many days, Festus spoke to the king about Paul, saying: “A certain man was left behind as a prisoner by Felix.

When I was at Jerusalem, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the Jews came to me about him, asking for condemnation against him.

I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before he who is being accused has been confronted by his accusers and has received the opportunity to defend himself, so as to clear himself of the charges.

Therefore, when they had arrived here, without any delay, on the following day, sitting in the judgment seat, I ordered the man to be brought.

But when the accusers had stood up, they did not present any accusation about him from which I would suspect evil.

Instead, they brought against him certain disputes about their own superstition and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

Therefore, being in doubt about this kind of question, I asked him if he was willing go to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things.

But since Paul was appealing to be kept for a decision before Augustus, I ordered him to be kept, until I might send him to Caesar.”

Then Agrippa said to Festus: “I myself also want to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa and Bernice

And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had arrived with great ostentation and had entered into the auditorium with the tribunes and the principal men of the city, Paul was brought in, at the order of Festus.

And Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present together with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews disturbed me at Jerusalem, petitioning and clamoring that he should not be allowed to live any longer.

Truly, I have discovered nothing brought forth against him that is worthy of death. But since he himself has appealed to Augustus, it was my judgment to send him.(b)

But I have not determined what to write to the emperor about him. Because of this, I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, so that, once an inquiry has occurred, I may have something to write.

For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to indicate the accusations set against him.”

Footnotes

(a)25:9 The Romans tended to favor the Jews. This was partly because Claudius, a previous emperor, issued an edict giving the Jewish faith a protected status in the empire. It may also have been because the wives of many powerful Roman leaders either converted to Judaism or tended to show favor to the Jews.(Conte)

(b)25:25 The emperor referred to as Augustus is actually Nero; it was the custom for Roman emperors to name themselves according to various prior Caesars. Thus Nero called himself Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, after the emperors Augustus, and Claudius, and Julius Caesar, and the general Germanicus.(Conte)

Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way.

However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

“Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

Paul Appeals to Caesar

But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”

Festus Consults Agrippa

Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought.

When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed;

but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”

Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa and Bernice

So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him,

of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write.

For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”