Acts 25:1-12

Three days after Festus assumed his duties in Caesarea, he made the journey to Jerusalem. Religious authorities and prominent leaders among the Jews brought formal charges against Paul before Festus. They came asking him for a favor—that he would transfer Paul from Caesarea to Jerusalem—all the while plotting to ambush and kill Paul along the way. Festus responded to their request by informing them that he planned to return to Caesarea shortly. He told them, “Your leaders can come with me to Caesarea. If this man has broken any laws, you can bring charges against him there.” After Festus had stayed in Jerusalem no more than eight to ten days, he left for Caesarea. The day after he arrived, he convened the court and took his seat on the bench as judge over the proceedings. After he ordered Paul brought into the courtroom, the Jewish leaders who came from Jerusalem encircled him and leveled against him many serious charges, which they were unable to substantiate. In his defense, Paul said by the Holy Spirit, “I have done nothing wrong. I’ve committed no offense against Jewish law, or against the temple, or against Caesar.” Festus, because he wanted to curry favor with the Jews, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go with me to Jerusalem and be tried for these charges?” Paul replied, “I am standing here before Caesar’s tribunal. This is where I should be tried. As you well know, I have done no harm to the Jews. If I have committed a crime worthy of death, I won’t seek to escape the death penalty. But if none of their charges are true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” After conferring with the members of his council, Festus replied, “Since you have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you will go!”

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