24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about ^afaith ^bin Christ Jesus. 25 And as he reasoned ^cabout righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. ^dWhen I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 26 At the same time he hoped ^ethat money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.

27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius ^fFestus. And ^gdesiring to do the Jews a favor, ^hFelix left Paul in prison.

Paul Appeals to Caesar

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in ⁱthe province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews ^jlaid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul¹ that he summon him to Jerusalem—because ^kthey 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 ^lthe 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 ^mthat they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither ⁿagainst ^othe law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor ^pagainst Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, ^qwishing 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 ^rtribunal, 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. ^sI appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”