9. Then Festus, wanting to do a favor for the Jews, replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges? ”
10. But Paul said: “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well.
11. If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar! ”
12. After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go! ”
13. After some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus.
14. Since they stayed there many days, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There’s a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix.
15. When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked for a judgment against him.
16. I answered them that it’s not the Romans’ custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges.
17. Therefore, when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I sat at the judge’s bench and ordered the man to be brought in.
18. Concerning him, the accusers stood up and brought no charge of the sort I was expecting.
19. Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive.