Acts 24:27

24:27 After two years ¹  had passed, Porcius Festus ²  succeeded Felix, ³  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ⁴ 

Acts 25:9

25:9 But Festus, ⁵  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ⁶  before me there on these charges?” ⁷ 

[24:27]  ¹ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ² sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ³ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ⁴ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:9]  ⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ⁶ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ⁷ tn Grk “concerning these things.”