25 ¹³ After an interval of some days King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea on a courtesy visit to Festus. 25 ¹⁴ They spent several days there, and during this time Festus laid Paul's case before the king. 'We have a man', he said, 'left in custody by Felix; 25 ¹⁵ and when I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid an information against him, demanding his condemnation. 25 ¹⁶ I answered them, "It is not Roman practice to hand over any accused man before he is confronted with his accusers and given an opportunity of answering the charge." 25 ¹⁷ So when they had come here with me I lost no time; the very next day I took my seat in court and ordered the man to be brought up. 25 ¹⁸ But when his accusers rose to speak, they is brought none of the charges I was expecting; 25 ¹⁹ they merely had certain points of disagreement with him about their peculiar religion, and about someone called Jesus, a dead man whom Paul alleged to be alive. 25 ²⁰ Finding myself out of my depth in such discussions, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand his trial there on these issues. 25 ²¹ But Paul appealed to be remanded in custody for His Imperial Majesty's decision, and I ordered him to be detained until I could send him to the Emperor.' 25 ²² Agrippa said to Festus, 'I should rather like to hear the man myself.' 'Tomorrow', he answered, 'you shall hear him.'

25 ²³ So next day Agrippa and Bernice came in full state and entered the audience-chamber accompanied by high-ranking officers and prominent citizens; and on the orders of Festus Paul was brought up. 25 ²⁴ Then Festus said, 'King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man: the whole body of the Jews approached me both in Jerusalem and here, loudly insisting that he had no right to remain alive. 25 ²⁵ But it was clear to me that he had committed no capital crime, and when he himself appealed to His Imperial Majesty, I decided to send him. 25 ²⁶ But I, have nothing definite about him to put in writing for our Sovereign. Accordingly I have brought him up before you all and particularly before you. King Agrippa, so that as a result of this preliminary inquiry I may have something to report. 25 ²⁷ There is no sense, it seems to me, in sending on a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.'