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Acts 25

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Festus Assumes Office and Meets Jewish Leaders 1–5

1
Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Cæsarea. ​
2
And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him,
3
asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way. ​
4
Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Cæsarea, and that he himself was about to depart thither shortly. ​
5
Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

Paul's Trial Before Festus 6–12

6
And when he had tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7
And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove; ​
8
while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cæsar, have I sinned at all. ​
9
But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? ​
10
But Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest. ​
11
If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar. ​
12
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Cæsar: unto Cæsar shalt thou go. ​

Festus Consults King Agrippa 13–22

13
Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Cæsarea, and saluted Festus. ​
14
And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;
15
about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence against him.
16
To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him. ​
17
When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought.
18
Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed;
19
but had certain questions against him of their own religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ​
20
And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and there be judged of these matters.
21
But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Cæsar. ​
22
And Agrippa said unto Festus, I also could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him.

Paul Addresses Agrippa 23–27

23
So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in. ​
24
And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25
But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.
26
Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write. ​
27
For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 25

Verse 1

after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem — Festus 'came into Felix' room' after the two years of Acts 24:27, and went up to Jerusalem within three days of entering the province (eparchia, as in Acts 23:34). There 'the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul' (v.2), two years after the plot of Acts 23:12–15.

Verse 3

desired favour against him — Charis, favour, the word usually rendered 'grace', is the word for the 'pleasure' Felix wished to show the Jews (Acts 24:27) and for Festus's own in v.9. Enedra, 'laying wait', is an ambush: the request to send Paul to Jerusalem was a plan to kill him on the way.

Verse 4

Paul should be kept at Caesarea — 'Kept' is tereo, the verb of Acts 24:23, where Felix 'commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty'. Festus says he 'would depart shortly thither', and v.6 records that he stayed 'more than ten days' in Jerusalem before going down. He then sat on the judgment seat.

Verse 7

many and grievous complaints — Aitioma is a charge, found only here, and barys, 'grievous', is the word for the 'grievous wolves' of Acts 20:29. Paul had already said before Felix, 'Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me' (Acts 24:13). The charges put to Felix were sedition, leadership of the sect of the Nazarenes, and profaning the temple (Acts 24:5–6).

Verse 8

Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar — Three denials answer three charges: the law (Acts 21:28), the temple (Acts 24:6) and sedition (Acts 24:5). 'Answered for himself' is apologeomai, the verb behind the 'defence' of Acts 22:1. 'Offended' is hamartano, the ordinary verb 'to sin'.

Verse 9

willing to do the Jews a pleasure — The word is charis again, as in Acts 24:27 and v.3. Festus's offer, 'Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged', would put Paul again within reach of the men who, in v.3, wanted him sent to Jerusalem so that they could kill him on the way. 'Before me' keeps the judgment with Festus, and Paul answers in v.10.

Verse 10

I stand at Caesar's judgment seat — Bema, the judge's seat, is where Pilate sat (Matt 27:19) and where the Jews brought Paul before Gallio at Corinth (Acts 18:12). Festus sat on it for this hearing (v.6). Paul asks to be judged where Rome's authority sits, and adds 'to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest'.

Verse 11

no man may deliver me unto them — 'Deliver' is charizomai, to give as a favour, the verb related to charis in vv.3 and 9. Paul refuses to be given away for a favour. 'I appeal unto Caesar' uses epikaleomai, to call upon, found again in vv.12, 21, 25, Acts 26:32 and Acts 28:19, where he says he was 'constrained' to it.

Verse 12

when he had conferred with the council — Symboulion, counsel, is used in the Gospels of the councils against Christ (Matt 12:14) and here of the governor's advisers. 'Unto Caesar shalt thou go' brings the Lord's word of Acts 23:11 to pass, 'so must thou bear witness also at Rome'. Paul later wrote that his troubles had 'fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel' (Phil 1:12).

Verse 13

king Agrippa and Bernice — Agrippa is the 'king' (basileus) before whom Paul speaks in ch.26. Bernice is named only in Acts 25:13, 23 and 26:30. 'To salute' is aspazomai, a courtesy visit to the new governor. Paul says of Agrippa, 'I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews' (Acts 26:3).

Verse 16

It is not the manner of the Romans — 'Manner' is ethos, custom, the word of the 'customs' Paul was accused of overthrowing (Acts 21:21). The rule that the accuser meets the accused matches Moses: 'both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD' (Deut 19:17), and Prov 18:17, 'his neighbour cometh and searcheth him'.

Verse 19

one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive — Festus puts the whole case in one clause. 'Questions' is zetema, as in Acts 18:15 and 23:29, and 'affirmed' is phasko. It is the matter Paul had named himself: 'Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day' (Acts 24:21).

Verse 21

the hearing of Augustus — Sebastos, the Greek form of the title Augustus, is found only here, in v.25 and in Acts 27:1. Diagnosis, 'hearing', occurs only here. Festus 'commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar', and the voyage begins in Acts 27:1 when 'it was determined that we should sail into Italy'.

Verse 23

with great pomp — Phantasia, display, and akroaterion, 'place of hearing', each occur only here. The 'chief captains' are the chiliarchoi, commanders of a thousand, as in Acts 21:31. Paul stands before a king and a governor, as the Lord had said he would, 'to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings' (Acts 9:15).

Verse 26

no certain thing to write unto my lord — 'Certain' is asphales, as in Acts 21:34 and 22:30: Lysias, and now Festus, could find no certain charge. 'Lord' (kyrios) is here a title for the emperor, the same word that Peter used of Christ at Pentecost (Acts 2:36). 'Examination' is anakrisis, found only here.