Acts 25:11-27

11If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I 1appeal to Caesar.” 12Then when Festus had conferred with 2his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

13Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in 3Caesarea, paying their respects to Festus. 14And while they were spending many days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man who was 4left as a prisoner by Felix; 15and when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews 5brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16I 6replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before 7the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on 8the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought. 18When the accusers stood up, they did not begin bringing any charges 9against him of crimes that I suspected, 19but they simply had some 10points of disagreement with him about their own 1112religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20And 13being at a loss how to investigate 14such matters, I 15asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these matters. 21But when Paul 16appealed to be held in custody for 17the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22Then 18Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

23So, on the next day when 19Agrippa and 20Bernice came amid great pomp and entered the auditorium, 21accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought before them. 24And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom 22all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that 23he ought not to live any longer. 25But I found that he had committed 24nothing deserving death; and since he himself 25appealed to 26the Emperor, I decided to send him. 2627Yet, I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore, I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”