Search Tools

Acts 25:1

Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2

Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

3

And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

4

But ° Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart ° shortly thither.

5

Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

6

And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

7

And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

8

While he answered for himself, Neither ° against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

9

But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

10

Then said Paul, I stand ° at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as ° thou very well knowest.

11

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

12

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

13

And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

14

And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

15

About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

16

To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and ° have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

17

Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

18

Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

19

But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20

And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

21

But when Paul had appealed to be reserved ° unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

22

Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23

And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal ° men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

24

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

25

But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have 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, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

27

For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Acts 25:1

25:1 Festus. Festus served as governor of the province only two years before he died.

Acts 25:4

25:4 kept at Caesarea. Luke was apparently near Paul during the two years Paul was kept at Caesarea (Acts 24:27; 27:1). Many authorities believe that Luke wrote much of the book of Acts during this period, and probably also the Gospel of Luke.

Acts 25:10

25:10 at Caesar’s judgment seat. The Jews had blundered in accusing Paul of sedition and rebellion against the Roman empire. Paul, of course, denied this and there were no witnesses to prove any such charge. Nevertheless, this charge made it a Roman issue rather than one merely of the Jews’ religion, so Paul as a Roman citizen had the right to appeal to the highest tribunal, that is, the emperor (Acts 25:11).

Acts 25:13

25:13 Agrippa. Agrippa was actually Herod Agrippa II, son of Herod Agrippa I, and Bernice was his sister. He had been appointed king of the region around the sea of Galilee, adjacent to the province of Judaea, by the emperor Nero, who had recently acceded to the throne of the empire.

Acts 25:26

25:26 no certain thing to write. Governor Festus was at a complete loss as to what to report to the emperor. He could find no reason to continue to hold Paul, and neither would king Agrippa (Acts 26:32), yet the Jews had demanded Paul’s life, and Paul had appealed to Caesar. Festus could not even fathom the significance of the Jews’ complaint, though he seemed at least to understand the facts of the complaint (Acts 25:19). He was required, in his report, to specify the crimes of which the prisoner was accused, but he could not pinpoint any crimes (Acts 25:27).

Acts 25:26

25:26 before thee. Agrippa, with his family background and being part Jew himself, knew more about the Jews’ religion than Festus did, and indeed had made considerable study of it on his own (Acts 26:3). Festus therefore hoped Agrippa’s advice could somehow solve his dilemma.

The Institute for Creation Research

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

ICR Menu