For if I be an offender
Against the law of Moses, or the temple at Jerusalem, or Caesar the Roman emperor:
or have committed anything worthy of death;
by the laws of the Romans, as sedition, murder
I refuse not to die;
signifying that he did not decline going to Jerusalem, either through any consciousness of guilt, or fear of death; for if anything could be proved against him, that was of a capital nature, he did not desire to escape death; he was ready to die for it; this was no subterfuge, or shift, to evade or defer justice:
but if there be none of these things;
to be found, or proved, and made to appear:
whereof these accuse me;
pointing to the Jews, that came down to be his accusers, and had laid many and grievous charges against him:
no man may deliver me unto them;
not justly, or according to the Roman laws; suggesting that Festus himself could not do it legally;
I appeal unto Caesar;
to this the apostle was induced, partly by the conduct of the governor, who seemed inclined to favour the Jews; and partly by the knowledge he might have of their intention to lie in wait for him, should he go up to Jerusalem; and chiefly by the vision he had had, which assured him that he must bear witness of Christ at Rome, ( Acts 23:11 ) .