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Festus stayed in Jerusalem another eight or ten days and then went back to Caesarea. The next day he told the soldiers to bring Paul before him. Festus was seated on the judge's seat
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when Paul came into the room. The Jewish people who had come from Jerusalem stood around him, making serious charges against him, which they could not prove.
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This is what Paul said to defend himself: "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law, against the Temple, or against Caesar."
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But Festus wanted to please the Jews. So he asked Paul, "Do you want to go to Jerusalem for me to judge you there on these charges?"
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Paul said, "I am standing at Caesar's judgment seat now, where I should be judged. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews; you know this is true.
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If I have done something wrong and the law says I must die, I do not ask to be saved from death. But if these charges are not true, then no one can give me to them. I want Caesar to hear my case!"
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Festus talked about this with his advisers. Then he said, "You have asked to see Caesar, so you will go to Caesar!"
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A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to visit Festus.
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They stayed there for some time, and Festus told the king about Paul's case. Festus said, "There is a man that Felix left in prison.
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When I went to Jerusalem, the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders there made charges against him, asking me to sentence him to death.
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But I answered, 'When a man is accused of a crime, Romans do not hand him over until he has been allowed to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.'