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Acts 25:17
ESV So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.
NIV When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.
NASB So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered that the man be brought.
CSB So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in.
NLT When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in.
KJV Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

What does Acts 25:17 mean?

Festus is asking King Agrippa II for help with an issue he discovered within a week of his assumption of the office of governor.

Shortly after he arrived in his new capital, Caesarea Maritima, he traveled to Jerusalem to meet with the Sanhedrin. The previous governor, Felix, had been a licentious man and a cruel leader, and Festus wanted to start on the right foot with his new residents. The Sanhedrin mentioned a man, Paul, whom Felix had kept in custody for the past two years after dismissing their concerns about his gross offenses against Roman and Jewish law. They asked Festus to please bring Paul to Jerusalem so they could complete a more thorough trial. Festus may not have known the Sanhedrin planned to kill Paul on the road, but he couldn't release Paul into their custody because Paul was a Roman citizen and must meet with his accusers in a place of his choosing. The Sanhedrin agreed to a hearing in Caesarea (Acts 25:1–5).

The day after Festus returned to Caesarea, he took his seat at the tribunal—illustrating this was an official trial and his findings would be legally binding. The Jews preceded to present their charges against Paul, all of which were unfounded, unwitnessed, and unproveable. Not wishing to give offense to the Sanhedrin, Festus asked Paul if he would mind moving the trial to Jerusalem, anyway (Acts 25:6–9).

Paul assumed his legal rights. By sitting at the tribunal, Festus had indicated he had the authority to oversee the trial and make a judgment. Festus knew that as a Roman citizen, Paul could choose whether to have the trial in Jerusalem, Caesarea, or Paul's hometown of Tarsus; Paul had obviously chosen Caesarea and he would not go back to Jerusalem. If Festus had doubts about Paul's guilt, he needed to dismiss the charges. But since Festus didn't seem to be able to complete the responsibilities of his office, Paul demanded to be tried in front of someone who would: a higher court, referred to as an "appeal to Caesar" (Acts 25:10–12).

Now, Festus has to send Paul to Rome but has no charges to explain why this is happening. He asks for Agrippa's help, hoping a king with much more experience with the culture can tell him what Paul did wrong.
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