Acts Chapter 25… and then three days to go!

So Felix is out, and the new governor, Festus, is in, and almost immediately he has to go to Jerusalem. New leader, so the Jewish religious leaders try to get this new guy to deal with Paul their way. They want Festus to bring him to Jerusalem (so they can secretly kill Paul along the way… not very creative… get a new plan guys). Festus says, “Nope” and that he is going where Paul is… if they want to bring a case against him, they may go to Caesarea with Festus.

I always think this Festus from the old TV show.

In court with Festus this time… The Jewish leaders try to accuse Paul, and again they have no evidence. Festus tries to please them by offering to take Paul to Jerusalem. Paul says, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”

Festus agrees to send Paul to Caesar, but really he doesn’t know what the charges should be, so he asks for King Agrippa (who is there to welcome the new governor) what he thinks. These were not any of the crimes he expected to be trying in his court. They were all religious based, and about some dead man named Jesus (who Paul claims is alive). Agrippa gets his chance to examine Paul and his story… The Emperor will not want his time wasted if Paul goes to Rome. Festus has to get this right or face discipline.