“But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him, of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before you, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write.”
On the other hand he, Festus, had found that Paul had committed nothing worthy of death. However, the man, as a Roman citizen, had appealed to Caesar, and he had therefore determined to send him. The trouble was that he did not know what to charge him with. So this assembly had been gathered together, especially having the expert on the Jews, Agrippa II in mind, so as to determine what should be included in the charge put before Caesar.
‘My lord.' This is a unique use in Acts of this term by itself as referring to the emperor. It may indicate Festus' reaction to the constant use in his presence of ‘the Lord' as indicating Jesus. As far as he was concerned his lord was the emperor.