Acts25
New International Version
1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.
3They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”
6After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.
7When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.
8Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”
10Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.
15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.
17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.
18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.
21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.
26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write.
27For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Acts 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Paul before Festus, he appeals to Caesar. (1–12). Festus confers with Agrippa respecting Paul. (13–27).
vv1-12
See how restless malice is. Persecutors deem it a peculiar favour to have their malice gratified. Preaching Christ, the end of the law, was no offence against the law. In suffering times the prudence of the Lord's people is tried, as well as their patience; they need wisdom. It becomes those who are innocent, to insist upon their innocence. Paul was willing to abide by the rules of the law, and to let that take its course. If he deserved death, he would accept the punishment. But if none of the things whereof they accused him were true, no man could deliver him unto them, with justice. Paul is neither released nor condemned. It is an instance of the slow steps which Providence takes; by which we are often made ashamed, both of our hopes and of our fears, and are kept waiting on God.
vv13-27
Agrippa had the government of Galilee. How many unjust and hasty judgments the Roman maxim, verse 16, condemn! This heathen, guided only by the light of nature, followed law and custom exactly, yet how many Christians will not follow the rules of truth, justice, and charity, in judging their brethren! The questions about God's worship, the way of salvation, and the truths of the gospel, may appear doubtful and without interest, to worldly men and mere politicians. See how slightly this Roman speaks of Christ, and of the great controversy between the Jews and the Christians. But the day is at hand when Festus and the whole world will see, that all the concerns of the Roman empire were but trifles and of no consequence, compared with this question of Christ's resurrection. Those who have had means of instruction, and have despised them, will be awfully convinced of their sin and folly. Here was a noble assembly brought together to hear the truths of the gospel, though they only meant to gratify their curiosity by attending to the defence of a prisoner. Many, even now, attend at the places of hearing the word of God with “great pomp,” and too often with no better motive than curiosity. And though ministers do not now stand as prisoners to make a defence for their lives, yet numbers affect to sit in judgment upon them, desirous to make them offenders for a word, rather than to learn from them the truth and will of God, for the salvation of their souls But the pomp of this appearance was outshone by the real glory of the poor prisoner at the bar. What was the honour of their fine appearance, compared with that of Paul's wisdom, and grace, and holiness; his courage and constancy in suffering for Christ! It is no small mercy to have God clear up our righteousness as the light, and our just dealing as the noon-day; to have nothing certain laid to our charge. And God makes even the enemies of his people to do them right.
Key Words
οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
τρεῖς (treîs): "three"
ἡμέρα (hēméra): day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context)
μετά (metá): properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 (ἀπό) or G1537 (ἐκ) and G1519 (εἰς) or G4314 (πρός); less intimate than G1722 (ἐν) and less close than G4862 (σύν))
Φῆστος (Phēstos): festal; Phestus (i.e. Festus), a Roman
ἐπιβαίνω (epibaínō): to walk upon, i.e. mount, ascend, embark, arrive
ἐπαρχία (eparchía): a special region of government, i.e. a Roman præfecture
ἀναβαίνω (anabaínō): to go up (literally or figuratively)
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
Ἱεροσόλυμα (Hierosólyma): Hierosolyma (i.e. Jerushalaim), the capitol of Palestine
Cross References
Acts 25Paul's explicit claim of his innocence and formal appeal to Caesar's judgment seat.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
The Jews' renewed plot to assassinate Paul in transit echoes their prior conspiracy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Like Felix before him, Festus seeks to curry political favor by compromising Paul's justice.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Paul's later defense in Rome explaining why he was constrained to appeal to Caesar.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
The same high priest and elders persist in their relentless accusations against Paul.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Agrippa and Festus conclude Paul could have been freed had he not appealed.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Providential realization of Jesus' promise that Paul must testify of Him in Rome.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
The judicial instruction to have accusers travel down to Caesarea to present their charges.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Paul's leverage of his Roman citizenship to demand proper, lawful trial procedures.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Roman requirement that accusers must be present face-to-face in a trial.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The core theological controversy regarding Jesus' death and bodily resurrection.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Festus summarizes the accusations made by the chief priests at Jerusalem.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Fulfillment of Christ's commission that Paul would bear His name before kings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The clamorous demand of the Jewish crowd that Paul is unfit to live.
Supported by JFB