Acts 25.11-12: “If then I am a wrong-doer 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. I appeal to Caesar.” (12) Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” (ESV)
After Paul defended himself before the Jewish Council in Jerusalem, and after Jesus appeared to him and told him that he would testify in Rome, Paul had to defend himself before Felix and then Festus, two Roman governors located in Caesarea.
Just prior to these legal hearings Paul had been rescued from a plot to assassinate him. Paul was protected by the Roman military and was delivered into the custody of Felix. During Paul’s trial the Jewish accusers, acting under the direction of the High Priest Ananias, brought charges against Paul that were not persuasive to the Roman court. These charges were regarding the Jewish religion and Felix vacillated and would not take action against Paul.
Paul’s legal testimony was in reality his testimony as a follower of Jesus. But Paul was in danger and he knew it. The Jews were relentless in their pursuit to have Paul killed and later when Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor and turn Paul over to them for trial in Jerusalem, Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed his case to Caesar.
This was a master stroke by Paul, under the duress of the moment, to get himself out of this dangerous court proceeding. Felix and Festus were indecisive, Felix even wanted a bribe from Paul, and there could be no certainty that Festus would not take a bribe and turn Paul over to them.
But Paul stood his ground and defended himself eloquently and with force. It appears that these proceedings were used by Jesus as the mechanism to get Paul to Rome so he could testify there also, just as Jesus told him in the vision. And even though Paul was in great danger while in Israel throughout all of this episode, he was untouched by harm coming from his enemies. And he did not retreat from the opposition.