1.
Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2.
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3.
And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
4.
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5.
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
5. “Let those who are influential among you coming down prefer charges, if there is anything criminal in the man.” In a few days Festus returns to Caesarea and the high priest, accompanied by his cohort of ecclesiastical notables, comes down from Jerusalem and stands up in prosecution of Paul, as on former occasions, utterly incompetent to bring against him a solitary charge, criminal in Roman law, but simply allegations of disharmony with the ecclesiasticism of which the Romans knew nothing and cared less. Pursuant to the persistent and vociferous clamors of the Jews, when Festus asked Paul if he was willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried by him there, he then appeals to Caesar, claiming his right as a Roman citizen to stand at the highest tribunal of the empire, protesting that no one shall take his life merely to gratify the Jews, whom he has in no way injured.
6.
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
7.
And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
9.
But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10.
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11.
For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
12.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
12. “Then Festus, speaking with the assembly [ i. e., privately taking council with them], responded, Thou hast appealed to Caesar; unto Caesar thou shalt go.” Here we have a finale of the aspirations, contemplations and prayers which had struggled in the bosom of Paul a quarter of a century. Now, behold! victory is in sight. The wrath and power of the empire are pledged to send Paul to Rome.
13.
And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
14.
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
15.
About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
16.
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
16. “To whom I responded that it is not a custom of the Romans to deliver up any man to death before that the accused may have his accuser face to face, and may receive an opportunity of defense concerning the charge.” Oh, what a noble law! how invaluable and appreciated here in America at the present day. It was adopted in England when the Barons rebelled against the tyranny of King John, and became the Magna Charta of English freedom. Thence transferred to America and adopted by the Colonial Congress, it became the battle-cry in the Revolutionary War, finally triumphing in the victories of Yorktown. It is this day the shibboleth of civil and religious liberty, without which martyrs’ blood would flow as in days of yore. Festus assures Agrippa that there was nothing against Paul except the superstitious clamors of the Jews charging him with disharmony in reference to their own religion, but nothing involving criminality in Roman law, there being a controversy over one “Jesus who is dead, whom Paul certifies incessantly that He liveth.” Agrippa, belonging to the celebrated Herodian family though a mixture of Idumean and Jewish blood, ranked as a Jew and claimed to be a loyal orthodox member of the Mosaic church. Hence we see Paul addresses him as a brother in the church, unlike Lysias, Felix and Festus, who were heathen Romans.
17.
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18.
Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
19.
But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20.
And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
21.
But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
22.
Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23.
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.
24.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25.
But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26.
Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
27.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.