After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to (A)Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on (B)the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought. After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing (C)many, and serious, charges against him (D)which they could not prove, while Paul said in his own defense, “(E)I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” But Festus, (F)wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul and said, “(G)Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and [a]stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s (H)tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, therefore, I am in the wrong and have committed something deserving death, I am not trying to avoid execution; but if there is nothing to the accusations which these men are bringing against me, no one can hand me over to them. I (I)appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [b]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:9 Lit be judged
  2. Acts 25:12 A different group from that mentioned in Acts 4:15 and 24:20

After he had stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. When he arrived, the Jews who had gone down from Jerusalem surrounded him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.(A) Paul said in his defense, “I have in no way committed an offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against the emperor.”(B) But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there before me on these charges?”(C) 10 Paul said, “I am standing before the emperor’s tribunal; this is where I should be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know. 11 Now if I am in the wrong and have committed something for which I deserve to die, I am not trying to escape death, but if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to the emperor.”(D) 12 Then Festus, after he had conferred with his council, replied, “You have appealed to the emperor; to the emperor you will go.”

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