Acts 25:13-22

English Standard Version

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

¹³ Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. ¹⁴ And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, ^(A)“There is a man left prisoner by Felix, ¹⁵ and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case ^(B)against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. ^16 (C)I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone ^(D)before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. ^17 (E)So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on ^(F)the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. ¹⁸ When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. ¹⁹ Rather they ^(G)had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about ^(H)a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰ Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I ^(I)asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. ²¹ But ^(J)when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of ^(K)the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” ²² Then ^(L)Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”