1Festusthen, having arrived in 1the province, threedayslaterwent up to Jerusalem from 2Caesarea.
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And the chiefpriests and the leadingmen of the Jews3broughtchargesagainstPaul, and they were urging him,
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requesting a concessionagainst Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, 4setting an ambush to kill him on the way ).
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Festusthen5answered that Paul6was being kept in custody at 7Caesarea and that he himself was about to leaveshortly.
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"Therefore," he said, "let the influentialmenamong you go there with me, and if there is anythingwrongabout the man, let them prosecute him."
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After he had spent not more than eightortendaysamong them, he wentdown to 8Caesarea, and on the nextday he took his seat on 9the tribunal and orderedPaul to be brought.
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After Paul arrived, the Jews who had comedown from Jerusalemstoodaround him, bringing10many and seriouschargesagainst him 11which they could not prove,
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while Paulsaid in his own defense, "12I have committednooffenseeitheragainst the Law of the Jewsoragainst the templeoragainstCaesar."
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But Festus, 13wishing to do the Jews a favor, answeredPaul and said, "14Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and standtrialbefore me on these charges?"
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But Paulsaid, "I amstandingbeforeCaesar's15tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have donenowrong to the Jews, as you alsoverywellknow.
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"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committedanythingworthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but ifnone of those things is true of whichthesemenaccuse me, noonecanhand me over to them. I 16appeal to Caesar."
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Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."
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Now when severaldays had elapsed, KingAgrippa and Bernicearrived at 17Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
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While they were spendingmanydaysthere, FestuslaidPaul'scase* before the king, saying, "There is a man who was 18left as a prisoner by Felix;
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and when I was at Jerusalem, the chiefpriests and the elders of the Jews19broughtchargesagainst him, asking for a sentence of condemnationagainst him.
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"I 20answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over anymanbefore21the accusedmeets his accusersface to face and has an opportunity to make his defenseagainst the charges.
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"So after they had assembledhere, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on 22the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.
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"When the accusersstood up, they began bringingchargesagainst him not of suchcrimes as I was expecting,
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but they simply hadsome23points of disagreement with him about their own24religion and about a deadman, Jesus, whomPaulasserted to be alive.
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"25Being at a losshow to investigatesuch matters, I askedwhether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and therestandtrial on these matters.
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"But when Paul26appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor'sdecision, I ordered him to be kept in custodyuntil I send him to Caesar."
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Then27Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the manmyself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."