1Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
3to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
5So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”
6After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.
7When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
8Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
10Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”