Acts 25 18

Acts 25:18 kjv

Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

Acts 25:18 nkjv

When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed,

Acts 25:18 niv

When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

Acts 25:18 esv

When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed.

Acts 25:18 nlt

But the accusations made against him weren't any of the crimes I expected.

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 18 Meaning

This verse describes Festus presenting Paul's case to Agrippa, detailing the accusations made by the Jews against Paul. Festus explains that he found no grounds for the charges and that the dispute was solely about their religious beliefs, specifically concerning Jesus, whom the Jews claimed was dead, but Paul insisted was alive.

Acts 25 18 Context

Festus, the Roman governor, is reporting to King Agrippa II. This is happening after Festus took over the governorship of Judea from Felix. Paul had appealed his case to Caesar. Festus, faced with complex accusations from the Jewish leadership, sought Agrippa's counsel, as Agrippa had expertise in Jewish religious matters. The accusations were rooted in the conflict between early Christians and the Jewish establishment. The central point of contention, as highlighted by Festus, was Paul's unwavering assertion of Jesus' resurrection, a belief that was profoundly disturbing and rejected by many in Judaism at that time. This conversation aims to determine if there is sufficient cause for a trial before the Roman emperor, a process Paul himself initiated by appealing to Caesar.

Acts 25 18 Word Analysis

• $\delta \varepsilon$ (de): A conjunctive particle, often translated as "but" or "and." It signals a continuation of Festus's explanation, marking a transition.
• $\tau \dot{\alpha} \varsigma$ (tas): The definite article, accusative plural feminine, meaning "the."
• $\kappa \alpha \tau \eta \gamma \mathrm{\rho} \hat{\alpha} \varsigma$ (katēgoria_s): Accusative plural of $\kappa \alpha \tau \eta \gamma \mathrm{o}\rho \acute{\i} \alpha$ (katēgoria), meaning "accusations" or "charges."
• $\pi \mathrm{o} \lambda \lambda \dot{\alpha} \varsigma$ (polla_s): Accusative plural feminine of $\pi \mathrm{o}\lambda \lambda \mathrm{\acute{\iota}}$ (polu), meaning "many."
• $\tau \dot{\omega} \nu$ (tō_n): The definite article, genitive plural masculine/neuter, meaning "of the."
• $\dot{\alpha} \nu \alpha \kappa \varepsilon \phi \alpha \lambda \alpha \dot{\omega} \sigma \alpha \sigma \theta \alpha \imath$ (anakephalaiō_sasthai): Infinitive aorist passive of $\dot{\alpha} \nu \alpha \kappa \varepsilon \phi \alpha \lambda \alpha \imath \omega \dot{\omega}$ (anakephalai_ō), meaning "to summarize," "to bring under one head," or "to bring up for summary decision."
• $\pi \varepsilon \rho \dot{\imath}$ (peri): Preposition, "concerning," "about."
• $\sigma \mathrm{o}\lambda \mathrm{\omicron}\gamma \hat{\omega}\nu$ (solologō_n): Genitive plural of $\sigma \mathrm{o}\lambda \mathrm{o}\gamma \hat{i} \alpha$ (sologi_a), a term used by some scholars to represent the Greek concept of "sole" or "specific" charges, though the exact meaning is debated. The New Testament uses other words for specific accusations more commonly. Some suggest it might relate to "specific disputes" or "points of contention."
• $\tau \dot{\omega} \nu$ (tō_n): The definite article, genitive plural masculine/neuter, meaning "of the."
• $\alpha \dot{v} \tau \mathrm{\omega} \nu$ (autō_n): Genitive plural masculine/neuter of $\alpha \dot{v} \tau \mathrm{o}$ (auto), meaning "of them" or "their."
• $\pi \varepsilon \rho \dot{i}$ (peri): Preposition, "concerning," "about."
• $\tau \mathrm{\textrm{ou} \tau \mathrm{o}\upsilon}$ (toutou): Genitive singular masculine of $\mathrm{o}\vec{\upsilon}\tau \mathrm{o}$ (houto), meaning "of this." Refers to the dispute.
• $\zeta \eta \tau \dot{\eta} \mu \alpha \tau \mathrm{o}$ (zētēmatos): Genitive singular of $\zeta \eta \dot{\eta} \tau \eta \mu \alpha$ (zētēma), meaning "a question," "a dispute," or "a problem."
• $\kappa \alpha \dot{\imath}$ (kai): Conjunction, meaning "and."
• $\pi \varepsilon \rho \dot{\imath}$ (peri): Preposition, meaning "concerning," "about."
• $\dot{\alpha}\nu \theta \rho \omega \pi \mathrm{ov}$ (anthrōpou): Genitive singular of $\dot{\alpha} \nu \theta \rho \omega \pi \mathrm{o}$ (anthrōpos), meaning "man" or "human being." Here, referring to Jesus.
• $\tau \mathrm{\textrm{ou} \tau \mathrm{o}\upsilon}$ (toutou): Genitive singular masculine of $\mathrm{o}\vec{\upsilon}\tau \mathrm{o}$ (houto), meaning "of this." Referring to Jesus.
• $\zeta \tilde{\omega} \nu \tau \mathrm{o}$ (zōntos): Genitive singular masculine of $\zeta \tilde{\omega} \nu$ (zōn), present participle of $\zeta \dot{\alpha} \omega$ (za_ō), meaning "living" or "alive."
• $\lambda \dot{\varepsilon} \gamma \omega \nu$ (legō_n): Nominative singular masculine, present participle of $\lambda \dot{\varepsilon} \gamma \omega$ (legō), meaning "saying" or "affirming."
• $\pi \alpha \hat{v} \lambda \mathrm{o}$ (pa_l_o): Genitive singular of $\pi \alpha \hat{v} \lambda \mathrm{o}$ (pa_l_os), meaning "Paul's."
• $\delta \varepsilon \dot{\varepsilon}$ (de): A conjunctive particle, here meaning "but."
• $\dot{\alpha}\pi \mathrm{o}\phi \alpha \dot{\imath} \nu \alpha \imath$ (apophainai): Infinitive aorist active of $\dot{\alpha}\pi \mathrm{o}\phi \alpha \underline{i}\nu \omega$ (apophainō), meaning "to show," "to declare," or "to assert."
• $\zeta \tilde{\omega} \nu \tau \alpha$ (zōnta): Accusative singular masculine, present participle of $\zeta \dot{\alpha} \omega$ (za_ō), meaning "alive."

Group Analysis:

The core of Festus's summary highlights the essential nature of the early Christian message and the source of conflict: the dispute concerning Jesus. The phrase "$\pi \varepsilon \rho \dot{i} \dot{\alpha} \nu \theta \rho \omega \pi \mathrm{o}\tau \mathrm{\textrm{ou} \tau \mathrm{o}\upsilon} \zeta \tilde{\omega} \nu \tau \mathrm{o}$" (about this man Jesus who is alive) directly contrasts with the likely Jewish perception presented implicitly: that Jesus was dead. Paul's act of "$\dot{\alpha}\pi \mathrm{o}\phi \alpha \dot{\imath} \nu \alpha \imath$ $\zeta \tilde{\omega} \nu \tau \alpha$" (asserting him to be alive) encapsulates the central affirmative doctrine of Christianity – the resurrection. This was not merely an academic difference but a fundamental challenge to established religious and societal order, as it declared Jesus the living Messiah, an affront to those who rejected Him and perceived His execution as the final word.

Acts 25 18 Bonus Section

The Greek term $\zeta \eta \tau \dot{\eta} \mu \alpha \tau \mathrm{o}$ (zētēmatos), translated as "question" or "dispute," suggests a matter that requires inquiry or resolution. In this context, Festus perceives the Jewish grievances as an unresolved dispute. The phrase "according to the Way" (used elsewhere in Acts, e.g., Acts 9:2, 24:14), which the Jews "reviled," is implied here as the subject of contention. Festus is indirectly acknowledging the burgeoning distinct identity of Christianity as a separate movement, albeit still framed within his understanding of Jewish sects. His perplexity ("$\dot{\alpha}\pi \mathrm{o}\rho \mathrm{o}\vec{\upsilon}\mu \varepsilon \nu \mathrm{o}\varsigma$") mentioned later in Acts 25:20 reflects the Roman pragmatic approach to law, which struggled to categorize these religiously motivated accusations. He sees it not as a case of breaking Roman law but a debate about the resurrection.

Acts 25 18 Commentary

Festus is articulating to Agrippa that the accusations against Paul are not matters of civil law or ordinary crime as defined by Roman governance. Instead, they stem from internal religious disputes among Jews, particularly concerning the identity and status of Jesus. The crux of these disputes, as Festus understands it, is the resurrection—a concept that many Jews found difficult to accept in the case of Jesus, despite its theological significance in their scriptures. Paul's insistent proclamation of Jesus as alive is the pivotal point that fuels the opposition from the Jewish authorities. Festus’s role here is to assess whether these religious quarrels warrant his intervention or, more critically, appeal to Caesar, which ultimately he deferred by following Paul’s appeal.