To gain favor with is the same verb which appears in 24.27.

Inasmuch as the crime which Paul was accused of committing took place in Jerusalem, it was quite natural for Festus to ask Paul if he were willing to go there and be put on trial. Before me is emphatic in the Greek sentence structure. Be tried on these charges before me may be rendered as “have me judge these charges against you” or “have me judge if what they say against you is true.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .