When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in.(A) When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove.(B) Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law,(C) nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor,(D) replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?”

10 Paul replied, “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well. 11 If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (E)

12 Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

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He stayed with them for no more than eight or ten days, then went down to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat in the court and ordered that Paul be brought in. When he arrived, many Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him. They brought serious charges against him, but they couldn’t prove them. In his own defense, Paul said, “I’ve done nothing wrong against the Jewish Law, against the temple, or against Caesar.”

Festus, wanting to put the Jews in his debt, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me concerning these things?”

10 Paul replied, “I’m standing before Caesar’s court. I ought to be tried here. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you well know. 11 If I’m guilty and have done something that deserves death, then I won’t try to avoid death. But if there is nothing to their accusations against me, no one has the authority to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12 After Festus conferred with his advisors, he responded, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go.”

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