Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.
14
And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying,
1“There is a man left prisoner by Felix,
15
and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case
2against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.
16
3I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone
4before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.
17
5So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on
6the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.
18
When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed.
19
Rather they
7had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about
8a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.
20
Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I
9asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them.
21
But
10when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of
11the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar. ”
22
Then
12Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself. ” “Tomorrow, ” said he, “you will hear him. ”
23
So on the next day
13Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24
And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom
14the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here,
15shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
25
But I found that
16he had done nothing deserving death. And
17as he himself appealed to
18the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him.
26
But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write.
27
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him. ”
