Acts 24:24-25:12

English Standard Version

²⁴ After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^(A)faith ^(B)in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ And as he reasoned ^(C)about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. ^(D)When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” ²⁶ At the same time he hoped ^(E)that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. ²⁷ When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius ^(F)Festus. And ^(G)desiring to do the Jews a favor, ^(H)Felix left Paul in prison.

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25 Now three days after Festus had arrived in ^(I)the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. ² And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews ^(J)laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, ³ asking as a favor against Paul^[a] that he summon him to Jerusalem—because ^(K)they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. ⁴ Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. ⁵ “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

⁶ After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on ^(L)the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. ⁷ When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him ^(M)that they could not prove. ⁸ Paul argued in his defense, “Neither ^(N)against ^(O)the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor ^(P)against Caesar have I committed any offense.” ⁹ But Festus, ^(Q)wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” ¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's ^(R)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. ^(S)I appeal to Caesar.” ¹² Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”