- Three days after his arrival in the province , Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem ,
(where) the chief priests and - vvv Jewish leaders presented their case ... against - Paul. They urged (Festus)
to grant them a concession against (Paul) by summoning him to Jerusalem , ( because ) they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
But - - Festus replied , “ - Paul is being held in Caesarea , and (I myself) am going there vvv soon.
- So if - (this) man has done anything wrong , {let} some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him (there). ”
(After) spending no more than eight or ten days with them , (Festus) went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat (and) ordered that - Paul be brought in.
(When) (Paul) arrived , the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him , bringing many - serious charges that vvv they could not prove.
(Then) Paul made his defense - : “ I have committed no offense ... ... against the law of the Jews (or) against the temple (or) against Caesar. ”
But - Festus , wishing to do the Jews a favor ... ... ... , - said - to Paul , “ Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me - on these (charges) ? ”
- - Paul replied , “ I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar , where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong ... to (the) Jews , as you (yourself) know very well.
If , however ... , I am guilty - (of) anything worthy of death , vvv I do not refuse - to die. But if there is no (tRuth -) to their accusations against me , no one has the right to hand me over ... to them. I appeal to Caesar ! ”
Then - Festus conferred with (his) council (and) replied , “ You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go ! ”
(After) several days had passed , - King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects - to Festus.
Since ... they were staying ... several days , - Festus laid out vvv vvv vvv Paul’s case before the king - : “ There is a certain man (whom) Felix left in prison.
While I was in Jerusalem , the chief priests and - elders of the Jews presented their case ... ... (and) requested a judgment against him.
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.
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.
vvv (But when his) - accusers rose to speak , vvv vvv they did not charge (him) with (any of the) crimes - I had expected.
vvv 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.
(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).
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. ”
Then Agrippa (said) to - Festus , “ I would like - to hear (this) man myself. ” “ Tomorrow you will hear him , ” Festus declared.
- The next day - Agrippa and - Bernice came with great pomp and entered ... the auditorium , along with - (the) commanders and - vvv leading men of the city. And - Festus ordered that - Paul be brought in.
Then - Festus said , “ King Agrippa and all - (who) are present with us , you see this (man). The whole vvv Jewish community has petitioned me about (him) , both here and in Jerusalem , crying out - (that) he ought not to live (any) longer.
But I found he had done nothing worthy of death , (and) since he ... vvv has now appealed to the Emperor , I decided to send (him).
I have nothing ... definite to write to (our) sovereign one about (him). Therefore I have brought him before all of you , and especially before you , King Agrippa , so that after this inquiry ... I may have something to write -.
For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without ... specifying the charges against him. ”