Acts 25:13-21

13Later King Agrippa and Bernice came to the city of Caesarea to welcome Festus.

14Since they were staying there for a number of days, Festus told the king about Paul’s case. Festus said, “Felix left a man here in prison.

15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish leaders brought me some information about him and asked me to condemn him.

16“I replied to them, ‘That’s not the Roman way of doing things. A person can’t be sentenced as a favor. Before he is sentenced, he must face his accusers and have a chance to defend himself against their accusation.’

17“So the Jewish leaders came to Caesarea with me. The next day I immediately convened court and summoned the man.

18When his accusers stood up, they didn’t accuse him of the crimes I was expecting.

19They were disputing with him about their own religion and about some man named Jesus who had died. But Paul claimed that Jesus is alive.

20Their debate about these things left me puzzled. So I asked Paul if he would like to go to Jerusalem to have his case heard there.

21But Paul appealed his case. He asked to be held in prison and to have His Majesty the Emperor decide his case. So I ordered him to be held in prison until I could send him to the emperor.”