Acts 25 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
About AD 59, at the changeover of Roman governors in Judea
Location
Caesarea Maritima on the coast, with the Jewish leadership travelling down from Jerusalem to press their case
Audience
Theophilus and Greek-speaking Christians reading Luke's second volume
Situation
Porcius Festus replaces Felix and reopens Paul's case, and when Festus suggests moving the trial back to Jerusalem, Paul formally appeals to Caesar. Festus then briefs the visiting client king Herod Agrippa the Second, admitting he has no clear charge to send to Rome.
Key Background
A Roman citizen facing a capital charge could demand that his case be heard by the emperor's court in Rome, and once that appeal was spoken the local governor lost the power to release or condemn him. A newly arrived governor traditionally settled outstanding cases quickly and courted the goodwill of local elites, which is why Festus was tempted by the Jerusalem venue. Agrippa the Second ruled territories to the north and had been given authority by Rome over the Jerusalem temple and the appointment of high priests, so consulting him on a religious dispute was the obvious move.
Three days after arriving in the went up from to Jerusalem.
The and brought their charges against Paul to Festus and urgently appealed to him,
asking him as a to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem — because they were setting up an to kill him along the way.
But Festus replied that Paul was being held in Caesarea and that he himself would be going back there soon.
"Let your leaders come down with me," he said, "and if this man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there."
After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the and ordered Paul brought before him.
When Paul appeared, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, bringing many serious charges that they couldn't prove.
Paul defended himself: "I haven't committed any offense — not against not against the and not against
But Festus, wanting to do the a asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?"
Paul replied, "I'm standing before right now, which is exactly where I should be tried. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jewish people, as you know perfectly well."
If I'm guilty of anything deserving death, I'm not trying to avoid dying. But if none of their charges hold up, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I to
After conferring with his Festus declared, "You've appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you will go."
A few days later, and arrived in Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
Since they were staying for several days, Festus brought up Paul's case to the king. "There's a man here," he said, "who left behind as a prisoner."
"When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and Jewish filed charges against him and demanded a guilty verdict."
"I told them not how does — we don't hand someone over for punishment before the accused has met his accusers face to face and had a chance to defend himself against the charges."
"So when they came here, I didn't waste any time. The very next day I took my seat on the bench and ordered the man brought in."
"But when his accusers stood up, they didn't charge him with any of the crimes I was expecting."
"Instead, they had some disagreements with him about their own and about some who was
"I had no idea how to investigate these kinds of questions, so I asked Paul if he'd be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these matters."
But Paul appealed to have his case held over for the Emperor's decision. So I ordered him kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.
Agrippa said to Festus, "I'd like to hear this man myself." "Tomorrow," Festus replied, "you'll hear him."
The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived with a of and entered the accompanied by and the city's prominent citizens. At Festus's command, Paul was brought in.
Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all of you here with us: This is the man that the entire Jewish community — both in Jerusalem and here — has been screaming about to me, insisting he shouldn't be allowed to live any longer."
"But I found that he hasn't done anything deserving death. And since he himself has appealed to the Emperor, I've decided to send him to Rome."
"The problem is, I don't have anything definitive to write to about him. So I've brought him before all of you — and especially before you, King Agrippa — so that after we examine him, I'll have something to put in writing."
"Because it seems ridiculous to me to send a prisoner to Rome without clearly stating the charges against him."