1NOW when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cæsarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all.
9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go.
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar.
22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

1Nowe when Festus was come into the prouince, after three dayes he ascended frō Cesarea to Hierusalem.

2Then the high Priest, and the chiefe of the Iewes informed him against Paul, and besought him,

3And desired fauour against him, that he would send for him to Hierusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

4But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cesarea, and that hee himselfe would depart shortly thither.

5Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go downe with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickednesse in him.

6And when hee had taried among them more then ten dayes, hee went downe vnto Cesarea, and the next day sitting in the iudgement seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

7And when hee was come, the Iewes which came downe from Hierusalem, stood round about, and laide many and grieuous complaints against Paul, which they could not proue,

8While hee answered for himselfe, Neither against the law of the Iewes, neither against the Temple, nor yet against Cesar, haue I offended any thing at all.

9But Festus willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these things before me?

10Then said Paul, I stand at Cesars iudgement seat, where I ought to bee iudged; to the Iewes haue I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

11For if I be an offender, or haue committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliuer me vnto them. I appeale vnto Cesar.

12Then Festus when he had conferred with the Councill, answered, Hast thou appealed vnto Cesar? vnto Cesar shalt thou goe.

13And after certaine dayes, king Agrippa and Bernice, came vnto Cesarea, to salute Festus.

14And when they had beene there many dayes, Festus declared Pauls cause vnto the king, saying, There is a certaine man left in bonds by Felix:

15About whom when I was at Hierusalem, the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the Iewes enformed me, desiring to haue iudgement against him.

16To whom I answered, It is not the maner of the Romanes to deliuer any man to die, before that he which is accused, haue the accusers face to face, and haue licence to answere for himselfe concerning the crime laid against him.

17Therefore when they were come hither, without any delay, on the morrow I sate on the iudgement seate, and cōmanded the man to be brought forth.

18Against whom when the accusers stood vp, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

19But had certaine questions against him of their owne superstition, and of one Iesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be aliue.

20And because I doubted of such maner of questions, I asked him whether he would goe to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these matters.

21But when Paul had appealed to bee reserued vnto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Cesar.

22Then Agrippa said vnto Festus, I would also heare the man my selfe. To morrow, said he, thou shalt heare him.

23And on the morrow when Agrippa was come and Bernice, with great pompe, and was entred into the place of hearing, with the chiefe captaines, and principall men of the citie; at Festus commaundement Paul was brought foorth.

24And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are heere present with vs, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Iewes haue dealt with me, both at Hierusalem, and also heere, crying that he ought not to liue any longer.

25But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himselfe hath appealed to Augustus, I haue determined to send him.

26Of whom I haue no certaine thing to write vnto my Lord: Wherefore I haue brought him foorth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that after examination had, I might haue somewhat to write.

27For it seemeth to me vnreasonable, to send a prisoner, and not withall to signifie the crimes laid against him.

 

1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem 2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented him their formal charges against Paul. They asked him 3 as a favor to have him sent to Jerusalem, for they were plotting to kill him along the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being held in custody in Caesarea and that he himself would be returning there shortly. 5 He said, "Let your authorities come down with me, and if this man has done something improper, let them accuse him." 6 After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the following day took his seat on the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought in. 7 When he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him, which they were unable to prove. 8 In defending himself Paul said, "I have committed no crime either against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar." 9 Then Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, said to Paul in reply, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there stand trial before me on these charges?" 10 Paul answered, "I am standing before the tribunal of Caesar; this is where I should be tried. I have committed no crime against the Jews, as you very well know. 11 If I have committed a crime or done anything deserving death, I do not seek to escape the death penalty; but if there is no substance to the charges they are bringing against me, then no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." 12 Then Festus, after conferring with his council, replied, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go." 13 When a few days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea on a visit to Festus. 14 Since they spent several days there, Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying, "There is a man here left in custody by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation. 16 I answered them that it was not Roman practice to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge. 17 So when (they) came together here, I made no delay; the next day I took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. 19 Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive. 20 Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these charges. 21 And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar." 22 Agrippa said to Festus, "I too should like to hear this man." He replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him." 23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great ceremony and entered the audience hall in the company of cohort commanders and the prominent men of the city and, by command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all you here present with us, look at this man about whom the whole Jewish populace petitioned me here and in Jerusalem, clamoring that he should live no longer. 25 I found, however, that he had done nothing deserving death, and so when he appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write about him to our sovereign; therefore I have brought him before all of you, and particularly before you, King Agrippa, so that I may have something to write as a result of this investigation. 27 For it seems senseless to me to send up a prisoner without indicating the charges against him."

v1 Felix was dismissed for his cruel handling of a Jew - Gentile controversy, and Festus, desiring to do a good job, paid a visit to Jerusalem.
v2,3. After two years the high priest is still scheming to kill Paul, illegally, since they knew they couldn’t do it legally.
v4-5. Either Festus was suspicious or by the providence of the Lord he didn’t want to be bothered about it away from his own court room.
v6,7. The Jews made sure they were at Caesarea to bring serious complaints against Paul, but again they could prove none of them.
v8. In all three listed points, Paul was totally guiltless.
v9. That should have ended the matter, but again politics enters in and Festus tries to seek favor of the Jews who were already upset over a controversy started by Agrippa. Agrippa had built his palace so he could see all going on in the temple courtyard. This Gentile intrusion on sacred privacy angered the Jews and they built another wall blocking his view. Festus’ suggestion was a ridiculous opposite to change of venue, and would be the equivalent of throwing Paul to the lions.
v10,11. This was proper for Paul to demand his rights of fair Roman trial, and it was not disrespectful to remind Festus that he knew Paul had done no wrong. The current Caesar was Nero. Paul’s petition was basically to be heard by a Roman court, whether in Rome or locally, instead of a Jewish tribunal.
v12. Festus could have and should have dismissed the case, but that would have angered the Jews. After conferring with the council that Paul’s appeal was admissible. he played into God’s plan for Paul to go to Rome. Had Paul not appealed, this case, already two years old, could have hung on indefinitely.
v13 This Agrippa 2 was the son of the one who beheaded James and the great grandson of the Herod the Great, who slaughtered the Bethlehem babies. He did not marry but was said to be living incestuously with his full sister Bernice, whose husband -uncle had died.
v14-21. After several days of Agrippa visiting, Festus brings up the unusual case of Paul. He had supposed there was some serious crime and was perplexed all the fuss was over Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul claimed was alive. Festus knew little about religion and cared less. Also told how Paul was being kept till he could be sent to Rome for trial. He was also aware that all the Herods were much more familiar with Jewish laws and customs. See Acts 12:1 notes.
v22. Agrippa had heard about Christians and the resurrection, was overcome with curiosity and wanted to hear Paul too.
v23. King Agrippa and Bernice were outfitted in their best and received a royal welcome. Five cohorts (1000 men each) were stationed there and their five commanders would have been some of those attending.
v24-27. Festus publicly informs the king that the Jews are calling for Paul’s life but he has obviously not done anything worthy of death. His desire is that Agrippa can figure out a proper charge to send along to Rome, under such circumstances.