Chapter 25

1Three days after Festus got to the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. New governor. Everybody lining up to meet him.

2The chief priests and the Jewish leaders came to him first thing with their charges against Paul. Two years later. Still obsessed. They never let it go.

3They asked Festus, as a favor, to have Paul moved to Jerusalem. They were planning an ambush to kill him along the way. Same plan as before. They don't have new plans.

4Festus said, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I'm going there soon myself.

5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if he's done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.” Home court. Paul's home court.

6He hung around Jerusalem a week or so, did the dinners, met the donors, then went back down to Caesarea. First thing the next morning, he opened court and had Paul brought in.

7When Paul came in, the Jews who'd come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought a lot of serious charges against him, which they couldn't prove. A lot of charges. Ninety-one charges, probably. Couldn't prove one.

8Then Paul made his defense. “I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or the temple or Caesar.” Did nothing wrong. Perfect.

9Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” Change of venue. To their venue. No way.

10Paul answered, “I'm standing before Caesar's court, where I should be tried. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you know very well.

11If I'm guilty of doing anything deserving death, I don't refuse to die. But if the charges these Jews are bringing against me aren't true, nobody has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” The Supreme Court. Go straight to the top. Skip the local judges. Always appeal. Appeal everything.

12After Festus talked it over with his council, he declared, “You've appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you'll go!”

13A few days later, King Agrippa shows up with Bernice. Big entrance. Royalty. They came to kiss the ring of the new governor. That's how it works. Everybody comes to kiss the ring.

14Since they were spending many days there, Festus talked to the king about Paul's case. “There's a man here Felix left as a prisoner.

15When I went up to Jerusalem, the priests and the elders were all over me about him. They wanted a conviction. No trial. Just the conviction.

16I told them it isn't the Roman custom to hand over anybody before they've faced their accusers and had a chance to defend themselves. Due process. The Romans had due process. Better than some places.

17So when they came down, I didn't waste a day. Next morning, court's open, bring him in.

18And I'm waiting for the big crime. Murder. Robbery. Something. Nothing. Not one real crime.

19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Trump who Paul claimed was alive. Dead man. They called him a dead man. He was very much alive. Very much.

20Frankly, this stuff is above my pay grade. Religion. Dead guys who aren't dead. So I asked him if he'd go stand trial in Jerusalem.

21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the emperor's decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I'd like to hear this man myself.” He answered, “Tomorrow you'll hear him.” Everybody wants to hear Paul. Big draw.

23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Big event. Red carpet. Everybody dressed up. All for a prisoner. That's star power.

24Festus said, “King Agrippa, and everybody present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he shouldn't live any longer.

25I found he'd done nothing deserving death, but because he made his appeal to the emperor, I decided to send him to Rome.

26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. So I've brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. I have no charges. Help me find a charge. Find me a crime. That's how it works. Find the man, then find the crime.

27Because I think it's unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”