Acts:24-25

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* And after five days Ananias , the prince of the priests , descended with the elders and [with ] a certain orator [named ] Tertullus , who informed the governor against Paul . * And when he was called forth , Tertullus began to accuse [him ], saying , Seeing that by thee we enjoy great peace and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy prudence , * we accept [it ] always and in all places , most noble Felix , with all thankfulness . * Notwithstanding , that I be not further tedious unto thee , I pray thee that thou would hear us of thy clemency a few words . * For we have found this man [a ] pestilent [fellow ] and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and prince of the seditious sect of the Nazarenes , * who also has gone about to profane the temple , whom we took and would have judged according to our law . * But the tribunal Lysias came [upon us ], and with great violence took [him ] away out of our hands , * commanding his accusers to come unto thee ; by examining of whom thou may take knowledge of all these things , of which we accuse him . * And the Jews also assented , saying that these things were so . * Then Paul , after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak , answered , Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation , I do the more cheerfully answer for myself ; * because thou art able to understand that there have been but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship . * And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man , neither raising up the people , neither in the synagogues , nor in the city , * neither can they prove the things of which they now accuse me . * But this I confess unto thee , that after the way which they call [a ] sect , so worship I the God of my fathers , believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets , * and have hope toward God , which they themselves also allow , that there shall be a resurrection of the dead , both of the just and unjust . * And for this reason do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and [toward ] men . * Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings . * Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple , neither with multitude , nor with tumult , * who ought to have been here before thee and object if they had anything against me . * Or else let these same [here ] say if they have found any evil doing in me , while I stood before the council , * except it be for this one voice , that I cried out standing among them , Touching the resurrection of the dead , I am called in question by you this day . * And when Felix heard these things , he deferred them , saying , I shall have more information regarding [that ] way , when Lysias the tribunal shall come down , [Then ] I will know the uttermost of your matter . * And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let [him ] have liberty , and that he should forbid none of his own to minister or come unto him . * And after certain days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla , who was a Jewess , he sent for Paul and heard of him the faith which is in Christ . * And as he reasoned of righteousness , temperance , and judgment to come , Felix trembled and answered , Go away for this time ; when I have a convenient season , I will call for thee . * He hoped also that money should have been given him from Paul , that he might loose him ; therefore he sent for him many times and communed with him . * But after two years Felix received Porcius Festus as successor ; and Felix , wanting to win the grace of the Jews , left Paul bound .: * Now when Festus was come into the province , after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem . * Then the prince of the priests and the principals of the Jews informed him against Paul and besought him , * asking for grace against him , that he would send for him to Jerusalem , they placing an ambush in the way to kill him . * But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he himself would depart shortly [there ]. * Let them , therefore , said he , who among you are able , go down with [me ] and accuse this man , if there is anything in him . * And when he had tarried among them no more than ten days , he went down unto Caesarea and the next day , sitting on the judgement seat , commanded Paul to be brought . * And when he was come , the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood round about and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul , which they could not prove . * While he answered for himself , Neither against the law of the Jews , neither against the temple , nor yet against Caesar have I sinned [in ] anything at all . * But Festus , willing to ingratiate himself with the Jews , answered Paul and said , Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem , and there be judged of these things before me ? * Then said Paul , I stand at Caesar 's judgement seat , where I ought to be judged ; to the Jews I have done no wrong , as thou very well knowest . * For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death , I do not refuse to die ; but if there are none of these things of which these accuse me , no one may deliver me unto them . I appeal unto Caesar . * Then Festus , when he had conferred with the council , answered , Hast thou appealed unto Caesar ? unto Caesar shalt thou go . * And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus . * And when they had been there many days , Festus declared Paul 's cause unto the king , saying , There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix , * about whom , when I was at Jerusalem , the princes of the priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me ], desiring [to have ] vengeance against him . * To whom I answered , It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die , before the one who is accused is face to face with his accusers and is given license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him . * Therefore , when they were come here , without any delay on the next day I sat on the judgement seat and commanded the man to be brought forth . * Against whom when the accusers stood up , they brought no accusation of such things as I supposed , * but had certain questions against him of their own superstition , and of one Jesus , who was dead , whom Paul affirmed to be alive . * And because I doubted of such manner of questions , I asked [him ] whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters . * But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus , I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar . * Then Agrippa said unto Festus , I would also hear the man myself . Tomorrow , said he , thou shalt hear him . * And the next day when Agrippa was come and Bernice , with great pomp , and was entered into the place of hearing , with the tribunals and principal men of the city , at Festus ' commandment , Paul was brought forth . * Then Festus said , King Agrippa , and all men who are here present with us , ye see this man , about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me , both at Jerusalem and [also ] here , crying that he ought not to live any longer . * But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he himself has appealed to Augustus , I have determined to send him . * Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord . Therefore I have brought him forth before you , and specially before thee , O king Agrippa , that , after examination , I might have something to write . * For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner , and not to signify the crimes [laid ] against him .: * Then Agrippa said unto Paul , Thou art permitted to speak for thyself . Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered for himself :

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