The Appeal

Three days after Festus came into the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. The high priest and the principal men informed him against Paul and asked a favor, that he summon Paul to Jerusalem, intending to ambush and kill him on the way. Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea and invited their powerful men to come down and accuse him there.

After about ten days Festus took his seat on the judgment seat. Those who came down brought many grievous charges they could not prove. Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

Festus, desiring to gain favor, asked whether Paul would go up to Jerusalem to be judged before him. Paul said he stood before Caesar's judgment seat, where he ought to be tried, and had done no wrong, as Festus knew very well. If he had done anything worthy of death, he would not refuse to die, but if the accusations were untrue, no one could give him up to them. "I appeal to Caesar!" Festus, after conferring with the council, said, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

When King Agrippa and Bernice came to greet Festus, he laid Paul's case before the king. He said the accusers brought no charge of the evil he supposed, but questions about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Being perplexed, he had asked Paul about going to Jerusalem, but Paul appealed to the emperor. Agrippa wished to hear the man himself. The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great display, with officers and leading men, and Festus said it seemed unreasonable to send a prisoner without stating the charges.