Paul Appeals to Caesar

251 Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him, 3 asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way. 4 Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly. 5 Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him. 6 And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought. 7 And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove: 8 Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything. 9 But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things? 10 But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest. 11 If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar. 12 Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.

Paul Brought before Agrippa and Bernice

13 And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix, 15 concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him: 16 to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge. 17 When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought: 18 concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed; 19 but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living. 20 And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things? 21 But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar. 22 And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23 On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought. 24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him; 26 concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write: 27 for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.

A Lame Man Healed at the Gate of the Temple

31 And Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, [which is] the ninth [hour]; 2 and a certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they placed every day at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who were going into the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter, looking stedfastly upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, Silver and gold I have not; but what I have, this give I to thee: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean rise up and walk. 7 And having taken hold of him [by] the right hand he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones were made strong. 8 And leaping up he stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they recognised him, that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter's Address in Solomon's Porch

11 And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico which is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

12 And Peter, seeing it, answered the people, Men of Israel, why are ye astonished at this? or why do ye gaze on us as if we had by our own power or piety made him to walk? 13 The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he had judged that he should be let go. 14 But ye denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man [that was] a murderer should be granted to you; 15 but the originator of life ye slew, whom God raised from among [the] dead, whereof we are witnesses. 16 And, by faith in his name, his name has made this [man] strong whom ye behold and know; and the faith which is by him has given him this complete soundness in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brethren, I know that ye did it in ignorance, as also your rulers; 18 but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from [the] presence of the Lord, 20 and he may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you, 21 whom heaven indeed must receive till [the] times of [the] restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began. 22 Moses indeed said, A prophet shall [the] Lord your God raise up to you out of your brethren like me: him shall ye hear in everything whatsoever he shall say to you. 23 And it shall be that whatsoever soul shall not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 And indeed all the prophets from Samuel and those in succession after [him], as many as have spoken, have announced also these days. 25 Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God appointed to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 26 To you first God, having raised up his servant, has sent him, blessing you in turning each one [of you] from your wickedness.