Acts 24:27
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
Paul remained a prisoner at Caesarea for two years with no further action taken in his case. At the end of that time Porcius Festus succeeded Felix as governor, marking the change of rule and the end of Felix's reign. On leaving, Felix left Paul bound in order to please the Jews, win their favor and conciliate them, serving their malice in an attempt to regain their confidence, while fear of offending them and self-interest kept him from giving full justice. Felix did this though he knew, believed and respected that Paul was innocent and had committed no crime, withholding justice from him, and he stands among the Roman and heathen magistrates who recognized Paul's innocence, while Jewish tribunals condemned Paul without proving his guilt.
During the imprisonment Felix visited Paul several times and listened attentively, but his apparent friendliness was motivated by desire for gain, suggesting Paul could secure release by paying a large sum of money. Paul would not free himself by bribery because he was too noble to stoop to it, he was innocent of all crime and would not evade the law, he was too poor to pay such a ransom and would not appeal to his converts for sympathy and generosity to pay it, and he felt himself in the hands of God and would not interfere with God's purposes for him. Brought in bonds before Felix, Paul confronted Felix with a final choice, and Felix trembled under conviction yet did not repent, bade the divine messenger depart, and shut the Spirit of God from his heart and home, thereby casting his lot with the workers of iniquity rather than becoming a child of God and an heir of heaven. Felix acted to please the Jews before departing for Rome, where he had been summoned because of his serious wrongs against them, and his attempt to regain their confidence failed, for he was removed from office in disgrace.
His holding Paul by caprice for years is an example of how a corrupt Roman judge could hold an accused person in custody with little regard for the rights of the accused, either to gratify popular prejudice or in hope of getting a bribe. Such judges were answerable to a higher tribunal, which restrained them in some measure, unlike the emperor whose authority was virtually unlimited. Festus was a far more honorable ruler than Felix, with a higher sense of the responsibility of his position, conscious of his responsibility and endeavoring to administer justice. Unlike Felix, he would not sacrifice justice to gain popularity or accept bribes, and he refused the Jews' request to have Paul sent to Jerusalem, helping preserve Paul's life. Paul's continued imprisonment under Roman authority forms part of the setting in which he used his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar and avoid being handed over to his enemies.