Acts 25:19 kjv
But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Acts 25:19 nkjv
but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Acts 25:19 niv
Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
Acts 25:19 esv
Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.
Acts 25:19 nlt
Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.
Acts 25 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 21:27-28 | And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people and laid hands on him. | Persecution in Jerusalem |
| Acts 22:22-23 | They listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he is not to be fit to live!” | Jewish leaders' rejection |
| Acts 23:12-15 | When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves with an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. | Conspiracy against Paul |
| Acts 24:1-9 | Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with some elders, and with an attorney, a certain Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that through you we enjoy much peace, and by your providence much good is happening to this nation, we accept it gratefully in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix. But that I may not bore you further, I beg you to grant us, by your favor, a brief hearing. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. We even tried to purify ourselves in the temple, but he defiled this place. We wanted to judge him according to our own law. But Lysias the commander ordered him to come down with great violence from the hand of our accusers. I commanded the soldiers to come and pull him out and found him there, and I wanted to judge him according to our law. But you, by examining him yourself, will be able to ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” Then the Jews also joined in the attack, saying that these things were so. | Tertullus' accusations against Paul |
| Acts 25:2-3 | And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. | Jewish leaders desire Paul’s death |
| Acts 25:11 | For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing in what these men charge me with, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar! | Paul's defense and appeal |
| Acts 25:24 | And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you who are present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. | Festus presents Paul to Agrippa |
| Acts 26:2-3 | “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to appear before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews, especially since you are an expert in all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore, I ask you to listen to me patiently. | Paul's defense before Agrippa |
| Acts 26:31-32 | When the meeting was over, they all rose and went aside, and conferred with one another, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” | Agrippa's assessment of Paul |
| John 16:2 | “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. | Persecution for Christ's sake |
| 1 Corinthians 4:5 | So then do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden and reveal the desires of the hearts. Then each one will have his praise from God. | Judgment is God’s prerogative |
| 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 | Twenty-nine times I received the Jews thirty-nine lashes, five times I was beaten with rods, three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I spent adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. | Paul's sufferings and persecutions |
| Philippians 3:6 | as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness under the law, blameless. | Paul's past zealous persecution |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that is to come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. | Suffering for righteousness |
| Romans 8:33-34 | Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—moreover, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. | Justification by God |
| Genesis 49:10 | The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. To him shall be the obedience of the peoples. | Judah's lineage of rulers |
| Deuteronomy 19:15 | “A single witness is not enough to convict a man of any crime, however serious. Two or three witnesses are needed to establish a case.” | Requirement for testimony |
| Matthew 18:15-17 | “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every charge may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. | Church discipline and witnesses |
| 1 Timothy 5:19 | Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. | Witnesses for accusations |
| Revelation 12:10 | And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. | Satan as the accuser |
Acts 25 verses
Acts 25 19 Meaning
This verse describes a specific accusation brought against Paul by the Jewish leaders when they were brought before the Roman governor, Festus. The accusation was in the form of a complaint or a formal charge, suggesting a criminal offense. The Jewish leaders did not present any solid evidence to support their claims; instead, they presented what they "could not prove" regarding Paul.
Acts 25 19 Context
In Acts chapter 25, Paul is standing trial before Festus, the Roman governor of Judea. Festus, having heard the charges from the Jewish leaders, finds no grounds for the accusations. Seeking to appease the influential Jewish leadership and possibly demonstrate his authority, Festus proposes that Paul be sent back to Jerusalem for trial. Paul, aware of the ongoing plot to kill him and knowing that a trial in Jerusalem would be prejudiced, appeals to Caesar. This appeal shifts the jurisdiction to Rome and requires Festus to send Paul to Emperor Nero. Before Festus sends Paul to Rome, King Agrippa II visits him, and Festus seizes the opportunity to present Paul's case to Agrippa, believing it would be easier to write about the charges with the king's input. Verse 19 falls within this interaction between Festus and Agrippa.
Acts 25 19 Word Analysis
- ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō): This Greek word means "to examine," "to question thoroughly," or "to judge." In this context, it refers to Festus questioning Paul. However, the Jewish leaders are saying Festus has not properly or sufficiently examined Paul.
- ἱστορίαν (historian): From the root historia, meaning "inquiry," "knowledge," or "account." Here, it signifies an inquiry or a judicial examination.
- ἀναξίαν (anaxian): Meaning "unworthy," "inappropriate," or "not deserving." The Jewish leaders claim Paul's alleged crimes are not deserving of their attention or proper scrutiny by Festus in Caesarea.
- θανάτου (thanatou): Genitive singular of thanatos, meaning "death." It refers to a crime worthy of the death penalty.
- τι (ti): An indefinite pronoun, "something" or "anything." It implies the absence of any substantial grounds for the accusations.
- ἔγνων (egnōn): Aorist indicative active of ginōskō, meaning "to know," "to perceive," or "to understand." Festus, through his examination, had not learned or found anything against Paul that merited capital punishment.
- πράγματα (pragmata): Plural of pragma, meaning "deeds," "things," "affairs," or "matters." It refers to the specific accusations or charges against Paul.
- οὐκ (ouk): The Greek negative particle "not."
- ἀντιδιδόναι (antididonai): Meaning "to give back," "to repay," or "to deliver up." It suggests that the accusation did not warrant the handing over of Paul to the Jewish authorities or to his death.
Words-group by Words-group Analysis
- "concerning the accusations of which you [plural] make me": This phrase highlights that the charges were specifically originating from the collective Jewish leadership.
- "but concerning certain questions of their own religion and of one Jesus, a deceased [nekrou] man, whom Paul asserted to be alive [zontos]": This is a crucial point of contention. The Jewish leaders presented their case as concerning their "religion," framing Paul's actions and beliefs as a threat to it. The core of the dispute, from their perspective, revolved around Jesus, whom they viewed as a deceased individual, while Paul insisted on His resurrection and ongoing life. The term nekrou (dead) and zontos (living) starkly contrasts their differing views on Jesus, indicating that Paul’s offense, in their eyes, was his proclamation of a resurrected Christ.
Acts 25 19 Bonus Section
This verse is critical because it illustrates the power of eyewitness testimony versus accusations. The Jewish leaders, unable to provide verifiable proof or demonstrate a crime against Roman law, relied on accusations rooted in religious disagreement. Festus, a Roman governor, correctly identified that these were not civil offenses but rather theological debates within Judaism. Paul's appeal to Caesar highlights his awareness of this situation and his desire for a fair trial under Roman law, free from the bias and hostility of his accusers. It underscores the difference between sincere, evidence-based accusations and politically or religiously motivated charges, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, particularly concerning the persecution of those who stand firm in their faith. The clash between "nekrou" (dead) and "zontos" (living) is a direct reference to the central Christian doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus, the very foundation of the Gospel that Paul preached.
Acts 25 19 Commentary
The Jewish leaders brought their charges against Paul, but they had no concrete evidence. They sought to frame their religious disputes with Paul as matters of Roman law, specifically aiming for a capital offense. Festus, upon examining the case, recognized that the core of the accusations stemmed from internal Jewish religious differences, particularly concerning the identity and resurrection of Jesus. He saw that Paul was accused not of any secular crime against Rome, but of propagating beliefs that contradicted their understanding of their own religion and the status of Jesus. The leaders couldn't prove any wrongdoing worthy of death according to Roman law. Festus understood this, and even Agrippa later agreed that Paul had done nothing deserving of death.