Acts 25:13

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ¹  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ²  to pay their respects ³  to Festus. ⁴ 

Acts 25:22

25:22 Agrippa ⁵  said to Festus, ⁶  “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he replied, ⁷  “you will hear him.”

Acts 24:27

24:27 After two years ⁸  had passed, Porcius Festus ⁹  succeeded Felix, ¹⁰  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ¹¹ 

[25:13]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ⁴ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ⁵ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:22]  ⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:22]  ⁷ tn Grk “said.”

[24:27]  ⁹ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹² tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”