14. After they had been there several days, Festus explained Paul's situation to the king: “There is a man here who was left a prisoner by Felix;
15. and when I went to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and elders brought charges against him and asked me to condemn him.
16. But I told them that we Romans are not in the habit of handing over anyone accused of a crime before he has met his accusers face to face and has had the chance of defending himself against the accusation.
17. When they came here, then, I lost no time, but on the very next day I sat in the court and ordered the man to be brought in.
18. His opponents stood up, but they did not accuse him of any of the evil crimes that I thought they would.
19. All they had were some arguments with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus, who has died; but Paul claims that he is alive.
20. I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters, so I asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.
21. But Paul appealed; he asked to be kept under guard and to let the Emperor decide his case. So I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to the Emperor.”