Acts 25 17

Acts 25:17 kjv

Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

Acts 25:17 nkjv

Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.

Acts 25:17 niv

When 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.

Acts 25:17 esv

So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.

Acts 25:17 nlt

"When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn't delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in.

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 17 Meaning

This verse describes the preliminary actions taken by the Roman governor Festus concerning Paul's legal situation before presenting his case. It highlights Festus' intention to acquaint himself thoroughly with the accusations against Paul before bringing the matter before the Jewish leaders in Caesarea. The goal was to gain more information and potentially gather evidence or context from those making the charges.

Acts 25 17 Context

Following his imprisonment in Caesarea, Paul had appealed his case to Caesar. The Roman governor, Festus, had taken over from Felix and found himself confronted with the unresolved legal situation of Paul. The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem had already presented their case, or at least indicated their desire to have Paul transferred back to Jerusalem for trial, implying he was deserving of punishment according to their law. Festus, needing to understand the charges before forwarding Paul to Rome, decided to go to Jerusalem to hear directly from the accusers and perhaps the council, thus gathering more comprehensive information relevant to the Roman legal proceedings and his own report to Caesar.

Acts 25 17 Word Analysis

• "But": (Greek: ἀλλά, alla) - This is a strong adversative conjunction, signaling a shift from the previous narrative or action. It indicates that despite Paul's appeal, Festus took a different approach.
• "when": (Greek: ὅτε, hote) - Introduces a temporal clause, marking the specific time or circumstance of Festus's action.
• "Festus": A proper noun, referring to Lucceius Festus, the Roman governor of Judea from around 60 to 62 AD.
• "was come": (Greek: ἐλθὼν, elthon) - The perfect participle of ἐρχομαι (erchomai, to come). This signifies that Festus had arrived in Jerusalem.
• "to": (Greek: εἰς, eis) - Indicates direction or motion towards a place.
• "Jerusalem": A key city in Judea, the religious and political center of the Jewish people.
• "he": Refers back to Festus.
• "shewed": (Greek: ἀναγγείλας, anaggeilas) - Aorist participle of ἀναγγέλλω (anaggello, to announce, report, declare). It means he informed or communicated something.
• "unto": (Greek: πρός, pros) - A preposition indicating direction towards or in the presence of someone.
• "the": Definite article.
• "chief": (Greek: τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ton presbyteron) - The genitive plural of πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros, elder). It refers to the elders.
• "priests": (Greek: τῶν ἱερέων, ton hiereon) - The genitive plural of ἱερεύς (hiereus, priest). The religious leaders.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "principal": (Greek: τῶν, ton) - The genitive plural article, used here to modify the following noun in a definite way, similar to "chief."
• "men": (Greek: ἀνδρῶν, andron) - Genitive plural of ἀνήρ (aner, man, husband). Refers to leading men or notable men.
• "of": Preposition.
• "the": Definite article.
• "Jews": The people of Israel.
• "against": (Greek: κατὰ, kata) - A preposition often meaning against, down, or according to. Here it signifies the direction of their plea or accusation.
• "Paul": The apostle Paul.
• "which": Relative pronoun, introducing a relative clause about the Jews.
• "were": Verb.
• "the": Definite article.
• "accusers": (Greek: κατηγόρων, kategorōn) - Genitive plural of κατήγορος (kategōros, accuser). Those who bring charges.
• "that": Conjunction introducing a clause of purpose or result.
• "he": Refers to Festus.
• "might": Modal verb, indicating purpose.
• "have": Verb.
• "the": Definite article.
• "more": Comparative adjective.
• "advantage": (Greek: πλέον, pleon) - Literally "more." Used in a legal context, it suggests an advantage or benefit, likely for the prosecution, or it could mean Festus wanted more information.
• "of": Preposition.
• "them": Pronoun referring to the Jewish leaders.
• "which": Relative pronoun.
• "he": Refers to Festus.
• "brought": (Greek: ἤγαγον, ēgagon) - Aorist indicative active of ἄγω (agō, to lead, bring). They brought or led.
• "him": Refers to Paul.
• "from": Preposition indicating origin.
• "Judea": The Roman province.
• "to": Preposition indicating destination.
• "me": Festus speaking.

Group Analysis:The phrase "shewed unto the chief priests and principal men of the Jews against Paul" indicates Festus was acting proactively to engage with the local Jewish leadership who had brought accusations against Paul. The phrase "that he might have the more advantage of them, which brought him from Judea to me" suggests Festus was seeking to understand the context of the case fully before making a decision, perhaps aiming to gain leverage for a smoother process or to properly evaluate the accusations brought from Judea.

Acts 25 17 Bonus Section

This interaction is crucial because it sets the stage for Paul's eventual appearance before King Agrippa and Bernice. By conferring with the Jewish leaders, Festus prepares himself for that more elaborate presentation. It shows Festus is not fully convinced by the accusations without further investigation, aligning with Roman legal principles of due process. The Jewish leaders' persistence and their attempt to influence Festus are also evident. Festus's position, caught between Roman law, Paul's appeal, and the pressure from the local Jewish authorities, is complex. His intention to have "more advantage" could be interpreted as him wanting to be better informed so that his subsequent decisions are more defensible to his superiors in Rome.

Acts 25 17 Commentary

Festus, upon arrival in his province, immediately sought to address the high-profile case of Paul. Recognizing Paul's appeal to Caesar, Festus could not simply dismiss the matter. However, he also faced a complex situation with the ongoing accusations from the Jewish leaders. His trip to Jerusalem and his subsequent communication with the Jewish authorities demonstrates a governor attempting to perform his duties. He wanted to gain a fuller picture of the allegations brought from Judea, suggesting a desire for thoroughness or possibly an effort to appease the local leadership. This action underscores the procedural nature of Roman justice, even when dealing with a significant political and religious figure like Paul, and highlights the complex interrelation between Roman authority and Jewish religious and legal structures.