Someone might ask, Why is it that when [Paul] heard ‘You must testify about me in Rome,’ he did this, as if he did not believe? God forbid! He did this not because he did not believe but because he believed very strongly, for it would have been the action of one who is tempting God to be bold on account of that declaration, to plunge himself into ten thousand dangers and to say, Let’s see if God can deliver me even so. Paul did not do this but made use of all that was in himself, entrusting everything to God.

[Paul] appealed to Caesar and hastened to Rome so that he could pursue [his] preaching longer, and from there, with many believers and crowned by all,^[1] he might go to Christ.

[Paul] did not say, I am not worthy of death, or I am worthy to be acquitted, but I am ready to stand trial before Caesar. At the same time, remembering the dream, he was all the more confident to appeal. . . . When he had conferred with his council, it says, [Festus] answered, ‘You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.’ Notice again how his trial is extended, how the plot against him becomes an occasion for preaching, so that with ease and security he is conveyed to Salem,^[1] with no plot against him. For it is one thing to simply be there and another to be there for this reason. For this is what made the Jews gather there. Again, [Festus] stays at Jerusalem for some time, to teach us that although time has passed, in no way do the plottings against him succeed, since God does not permit it.

See [Paul’s] enemies who unwittingly conspired in creating a large audience. Even Agrippa himself falls into a desire for a hearing—and not only does he listen, but he does so with intensity. And then, look at [his] defense. As Festus presents it, he exposes the cruelty of the Jewish leaders. Because when the governor says these things, he is beyond suspicion, resulting in the Jewish leaders being convicted by him. For, after he has exposed the truth about all these things, then God metes out punishment. Felix condemns them, Festus condemns them and, even though he was favorably inclined, Agrippa condemns them too.

Do you hear the appeal? Do you hear the plotting of the Jews? Do you hear the strife? All this spurred him on in his desire to hear Paul. Festus pleases him, and so Paul becomes more renowned. For such, as I said, were their designs. If it were not so, none of the rulers would have agreed to listen to him or to have listened with such peace and quiet. He seems to be teaching and defending himself; in fact, he is making a public speech in good order. Therefore let us not consider plots as something difficult to bear, as long as we are not plotting against ourselves. For no one will be able to plot against us; or rather, they will plot, but they will do no harm but instead help us greatly. For it is within our power both to suffer and not to suffer evil. Look, I testify and affirm with a loud voice, more piercing than even the trumpet—and if it were possible, I would not hesitate to ascend on high and shout it out, that none of the human beings who inhabit the earth can harm a Christian. But why do I say humans? Not even the demon himself, not the tyrant, not the devil could do this, unless the Christian were to wrong himself. Indeed, whatever anyone does to us, he does it in vain.

See what a great audience is gathered around Paul, With the prominent men, he says, of the city. The governor brought all the bodyguards, and the king and the tribunes were present.

The judge himself bears witness to him that he is innocent, and even so he did not free him, since the Lord had so arranged things that he made an appeal, and as a consequence of his appeal he was sent to Rome. In this way, what he had predicted, I must see Rome,^[1] might be fulfilled.