6. Festus stayed in Jerusalem another eight or ten days. Then he went back to Caesarea. The next day he told the soldiers to bring Paul before him. Festus was seated on the judge’s seat
7. when Paul came into the room. The Jews who had come from Jerusalem stood around him. They started making serious charges against Paul. But they could not prove any of them.
8. This is what Paul said to defend himself: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law, against the Temple, or against Caesar!”
9. But Festus wanted to please the Jews. So he asked Paul, “Do you want to go to Jerusalem? Do you want me to judge you there on these charges?”
10. Paul said, “I am standing at Caesar’s judgment seat now. This is where I should be judged! I have done nothing wrong to the Jews; you know this is true.
11. 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. No! I want Caesar to hear my case!”
12. Festus talked about this with the people who advised him. Then he said, “You have asked to see Caesar; so you will go to Caesar!”
13. A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to visit Festus.
14. 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.
15. When I went to Jerusalem, the leading priests and the Jewish elders there made charges against him. They wanted me to sentence him to death.
16. But I answered, ‘When a man is accused of a crime, Romans do not hand him over just to please someone. The man must be allowed to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.’
17. So these Jews came here to Caesarea for the trial. And I did not waste time. The next day I sat on the judge’s seat and commanded that the man be brought in.