Paul Appeals to Caesar

Festus had just arrived in the province. After three days, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. There, the high priest and the leading men among the Jews brought their case against Paul. They begged Festus to have Paul brought to Jerusalem, while secretly planning to kill him on the way.

Festus replied that Paul was being kept in Caesarea and that he himself would be going there soon. He said the men with authority should come down with him. If Paul had truly done anything wrong, they could accuse him there.

After staying there more than ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgement seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. The Jews who had come from Jerusalem stood around Paul and made many serious charges, but they could not prove them.

Paul answered for himself. He said he had done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews, against the temple, or against Caesar. But Festus wanted to gain favour with the Jews, so he asked Paul whether he was willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged there before him.

Paul said he was standing before Caesar’s judgement seat, where he ought to be tried. He said he had done no wrong to the Jews. He added that if he had done something worthy of death, he would not refuse to die. But if the charges were not true, no one could hand him over to them. Then Paul appealed to Caesar. After conferring with the council, Festus answered that Paul would go to Caesar.