Acts 25:1-12

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25¹ Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea, ² and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews made manifest to him 'the things' against Paul, and were calling on him, ³ asking favour against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way. ⁴ Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and himself is about speedily to go on thither, ⁵ 'Therefore those able among you—saith he—having come down together, if there be anything in this man—let them accuse him;' ⁶ and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat upon the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought; ⁷ and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem—many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove, ⁸ he making defence—'Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar—did I commit any sin.' ⁹ And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favour, answering Paul, said, 'Art thou willing, to Jerusalem having gone up, there concerning these things to be judged before me?' ¹⁰ and Paul said, 'At the tribunal of Caesar I am standing, where it behoveth me to be judged; to Jews I did no unrighteousness, as thou dost also very well know; ¹¹ for if indeed I am unrighteous, and anything worthy of death have done, I deprecate not to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favour of me to them; to Caesar I appeal!' ¹² then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, 'To Caesar thou hast appealed; to Caesar thou shalt go.'