The Attack

Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Then the chief priests and leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed, asking him to do them a favour against Paul, that he might summon him to Jerusalem. They were preparing to ambush him along the road to kill him. However, Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly. "Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go down with me and accuse him, if here is any wrong in this man."

When he had spent not more than 8 days or 10 days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the judge's bench, he commanded Paul to be brought in. When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove, while Paul made the defence that, "Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all."

Then Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favour, replied to Paul, "Are you willing to go to Jerusalem, there to be tried before me on these charges?"

But Paul said, "I am standing at Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you can see very well. If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what else men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!" Acts 25:1-12

After two years the Jews were still wanting Paul's blood, what crazy people! They stooped to lying and cheating to get the verdict they wanted and failing that they planned an ambush to kill Paul along the way. Where did murder fit in with the Law they loved and espoused.

Paul stood his ground and refused to go to Jerusalem, instead appealing to Caesar. All appeals to Caesar were not automatically granted but Festus wanted to off- load the responsibility of confronting the Jews.

Paul won, yet again. He knew his rights and even rebuked Festus for wanting to allow such a trial when even he could see the Jews were lying and fabricating the truth.