Act 25:1-12 | ESV | STEP | Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province , he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea .

Acts 25:1-12

Paul Appeals to Caesar

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in ^athe province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews ^blaid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul ^{▼▼Greek him} that he summon him to Jerusalem—because ^dthey were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on ^ethe tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him ^fthat they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither ^gagainst ^hthe law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor ⁱagainst Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, ^jwishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s ^ktribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. ^lI appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”