Acts 25:2-13
English Standard Version
Chapter 25
2And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem — because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5"So," said he, "let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him."
6After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.
7When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.
8Paul argued in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense."
9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?"
10But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar 's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well.
11If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."
12Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go."
