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When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”

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Festus[a] stayed with them no more than eight or ten days and then went down to Caesarea. The next day, he sat on the judge’s seat and ordered Paul brought in. When Paul[b] arrived, the Jewish leaders[c] who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and began bringing a number of serious charges against him that they couldn’t prove. Paul said in his defense, “I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews, or of the Temple, or of the emperor.”

Then Festus, wanting to do the Jewish leaders[d] a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried there before me on these charges?”

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before the emperor’s judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jewish leaders,[e] as you know very well. 11 If I’m guilty and have done something that deserves death, I’m willing to die. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to the emperor!”

12 Festus talked it over with the council and then answered, “To the emperor you have appealed; to the emperor you will go!”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 25:6 Lit. He
  2. Acts 25:7 Lit. he
  3. Acts 25:7 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  4. Acts 25:9 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  5. Acts 25:10 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews