Acts 25:1-21

Paul Appeals to Caesar

25:1 Now ¹  three days after Festus ²  arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem ³  from Caesarea. ⁴  25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ⁵  of the Jews brought formal charges ⁶  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ⁷  they urged Festus ⁸  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ⁹  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ¹⁰  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ¹¹  and he himself intended to go there ¹²  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ¹³  go down there ¹⁴  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ¹⁵  they may bring charges ¹⁶  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ¹⁷  had stayed ¹⁸  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ¹⁹  and the next day he sat ²⁰  on the judgment seat ²¹  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ²²  bringing many serious ²³  charges that they were not able to prove. ²⁴  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ²⁵  “I have committed no offense ²⁶  against the Jewish law ²⁷  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ²⁸  25:9 But Festus, ²⁹  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ³⁰  before me there on these charges?” ³¹  25:10 Paul replied, ³²  “I am standing before Caesar’s ³³  judgment seat, ³⁴  where I should be tried. ³⁵  I have done nothing wrong ³⁶  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ³⁷  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ³⁸  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ³⁹  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ⁴⁰  no one can hand me over to them. ⁴¹  I appeal to Caesar!” ⁴²  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ⁴³  Festus ⁴⁴  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ⁴⁵  to Caesar ⁴⁶  you will go!” ⁴⁷ 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ⁴⁸  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ⁴⁹  to pay their respects ⁵⁰  to Festus. ⁵¹  25:14 While ⁵²  they were staying there many days, Festus ⁵³  explained Paul’s case to the king to get his opinion, ⁵⁴  saying, “There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix. 25:15 When I was in Jerusalem, ⁵⁵  the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed ⁵⁶  me about him, ⁵⁷  asking for a sentence of condemnation ⁵⁸  against him. 25:16 I answered them ⁵⁹  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ⁶⁰  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ⁶¹  and had been given ⁶²  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ⁶³  25:17 So after they came back here with me, ⁶⁴  I did not postpone the case, ⁶⁵  but the next day I sat ⁶⁶  on the judgment seat ⁶⁷  and ordered the man to be brought. 25:18 When his accusers stood up, they did not charge ⁶⁸  him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected. ⁶⁹  25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ⁷⁰  with him about their own religion ⁷¹  and about a man named Jesus ⁷²  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ⁷³  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ⁷⁴  how I could investigate these matters, ⁷⁵  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ⁷⁶  there on these charges. ⁷⁷  25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, ⁷⁸  I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” ⁷⁹ 

[25:1]  ¹ tn BDAG 736-37 s.v. οὖν 2.b states, “οὖν serves to indicate a transition to someth. new…now, then, well…Ac 25:1.”

[25:1]  ² sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:1]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:1]  ⁴ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a journey of 65 mi (just over 100 km).

[25:2]  ⁵ tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”

[25:2]  ⁶ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ⁷ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ⁹ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.

[25:4]  ¹⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ¹¹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:4]  ¹² tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹³ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ¹⁴ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).

[25:5]  ¹⁶ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.”

[25:6]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ¹⁹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:6]  ²⁰ tn Grk “sitting down…he ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:6]  ²¹ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bhma was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:7]  ²² tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ²³ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ²⁴ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ²⁵ tn Grk “Paul saying in his defense”; the participle ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou) could be taken temporally (“when Paul said…”), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation. BDAG 116-17 s.v. ἀπολογέομαι has “W. ὅτι foll. τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου, ὅτι when Paul said in his defense (direct quot. foll.) Ac 25:8.”

[25:8]  ²⁶ tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ²⁷ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ²⁸ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ²⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ³⁰ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ³¹ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ³² tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ³³ tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ³⁴ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.

[25:10]  ³⁵ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ³⁶ sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ³⁷ tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”

[25:11]  ³⁸ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ³⁹ tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).

[25:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.

[25:11]  ⁴¹ sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.

[25:11]  ⁴² tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ⁴³ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ⁴⁴ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ⁴⁷ sn “To Caesar you will go!” In all probability Festus was pleased to send Paul on to Rome and get this political problem out of his court.

[25:13]  ⁴⁸ sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (a.d. 27-92/93), son of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1). He ruled over parts of Palestine from a.d. 53 until his death. His sister Bernice was widowed when her second husband, Herod King of Chalcis, died in a.d. 48. From then she lived with her brother. In an attempt to quiet rumors of an incestuous relationship between them, she resolved to marry Polemo of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to Herod Agrippa II. Their incestuous relationship became the gossip of Rome according to Josephus (Ant. 20.7.3 [20.145-147]). The visit of Agrippa and Bernice gave Festus the opportunity to get some internal Jewish advice. Herod Agrippa II was a trusted adviser because he was known to be very loyal to Rome (Josephus, J. W. 2.16.4 [2.345-401]).

[25:13]  ⁴⁹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:13]  ⁵⁰ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ⁵¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ⁵² tn BDAG 1105-6 s.v. ὡς 8.b states, “w. pres. or impf. while, when, as long as…Ac 1:10; 7:23; 9:23; 10:17; 13:25; 19:9; 21:27; 25:14.”

[25:14]  ⁵³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:14]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “Festus laid Paul’s case before the king for consideration.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2 states, “otherw. only mid. to lay someth. before someone for consideration, declare, communicate, refer w. the added idea that the pers. to whom a thing is ref. is asked for his opinion lay someth. before someone for consideration…Ac 25:14.”

[25:15]  ⁵⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:15]  ⁵⁶ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “to convey a formal report about a judicial matter, present evidence, bring charges…ἐ. περί τινος concerning someone 25:15.”

[25:15]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “about whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 15 (where the phrase περὶ οὗ [peri Jou] occurs in the Greek text).

[25:15]  ⁵⁸ tn BDAG 516 s.v. καταδίκη states, “condemnation, sentence of condemnation, conviction, guilty verdict…αἰτεῖσθαι κατά τινος κ. ask for a conviction of someone Ac 25:15.”

[25:16]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ⁶¹ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ⁶² tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ⁶³ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[25:17]  ⁶⁴ tn BDAG 969-70 s.v. συνέρχομαι 2 states, “συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε prob. means (because of συνκαταβάντες 25:5) they came back here with (me) 25:17.”

[25:17]  ⁶⁵ tn BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβολή states, “‘delay’…legal t.t. postponement…ἀ. μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος I did not postpone the matter Ac 25:17.” “Case” has been supplied instead of “matter” since it is more specific to the context. The participle ποιησάμενος (poihsameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:17]  ⁶⁷ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:18]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “they brought no charge of any of the evil deeds.” BDAG 31 s.v. αἰτία 3.b has “αἰτίαν φέρειν…bring an accusation Ac 25:18.” Since κατήγοροι (kathgoroi, “accusers”) in the previous clause is somewhat redundant with this, “charge” was used instead.

[25:18]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “I was expecting.”

[25:19]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19.”

[25:19]  ⁷¹ tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

[25:19]  ⁷² tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

[25:19]  ⁷³ tn Or “asserted.”

[25:20]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “Because I was undecided.” Grk “Being at a loss.” The participle ἀπορούμενος (aporoumeno") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[25:20]  ⁷⁵ tn L&N 27.34 states, “ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ τούτων ζήτησιν ‘I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters’ Ac 25:20. The clause ‘about how I could get information on these matters’ may also be rendered as ‘about how I should try to find out about these matters’ or ‘about how I could learn about these matters.’”

[25:20]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:20]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “on these things.”

[25:21]  ⁷⁸ tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).” It was a translation into Greek of the Latin “Augustus.”

[25:21]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).