17 However, three days later he called together the principal men of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them: “Men, brothers, although I had done nothing contrary to the people or the customs of our forefathers,+ I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.+ 18 And after making an examination,+ they wanted to release me, for there were no grounds for putting me to death.+ 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar,+ but not because I had any accusation to make against my nation.