25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa 1 and Bernice arrived at Caesarea 2 to pay their respects 3 to Festus. 4 25:14 While 5 they were staying there many days, Festus 6 explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, 7 saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, 8 the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed 9 me about him, 10 asking for a sentence of condemnation 11 against him. 25:16 I answered them 12 that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone 13 before the accused had met his accusers face to face 14 and had been given 15 an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. 16 25:17 So after they came back here with me, 17 I did not postpone the case, 18 but the next day I sat 19 on the judgment seat 20 and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge 21 him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. 22 25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement 23 with him about their own religion 24 and about a man named Jesus 25 who was dead, whom Paul claimed 26 to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss 27 how I could investigate these matters, 28 I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried 29 there on these charges. 30 25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 31 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 32 25:22 Agrippa 33 said to Festus, 34 “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, 35 “you will hear him.”
25:23 So the next day Agrippa 36 and Bernice came with great pomp 37 and entered the audience hall, 38 along with the senior military officers 39 and the prominent men of the city. When Festus 40 gave the order, 41 Paul was brought in. 25:24 Then Festus 42 said, “King Agrippa, 43 and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace 44 petitioned 45 me both in Jerusalem 46 and here, 47 shouting loudly 48 that he ought not to live any longer. 25:25 But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, 49 and when he appealed 50 to His Majesty the Emperor, 51 I decided to send him. 52 25:26 But I have nothing definite 53 to write to my lord 54 about him. 55 Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, 56 so that after this preliminary hearing 57 I may have something to write. 25:27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating 58 the charges against him.”