Acts 25 24

Acts 25:24 kjv

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

Acts 25:24 nkjv

And Festus said: "King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.

Acts 25:24 niv

Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

Acts 25:24 esv

And Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

Acts 25:24 nlt

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem.

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 24 Meaning

Festus, a Roman governor, addresses King Agrippa II and Bernice, revealing his indecision regarding Paul's fate. He acknowledges the accusations brought by the Jewish leaders against Paul but finds no charge worthy of death or imprisonment based on Roman law. Festus explains that he appealed to Caesar, the Roman emperor, to resolve the matter, seeking clarification on how to proceed in a case with such complex religious and legal dimensions. This indicates Festus’s attempt to deflect responsibility and adhere to Roman legal protocol while also respecting the concerns of the Jewish authorities.

Acts 25 24 Context

Festus has recently become the Roman governor of Judea, taking over from Felix. He arrives in Caesarea and then travels to Jerusalem to meet with the Jewish religious leaders. These leaders, hostile to Paul and his ministry, seize this opportunity to renew their charges against Paul. They had previously imprisoned him in Caesarea and sought his transfer to Jerusalem for a more favorable trial, which Paul refused. In this chapter, Festus has heard the charges in Caesarea and is now presenting the case to King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice, who are visiting to pay their respects to Festus. Agrippa has jurisdiction over certain religious matters and can provide counsel. Festus is essentially seeking Agrippa's advice on how to handle this complex legal and religious issue, as Paul has appealed to Caesar. This appeal effectively removed the case from Festus's authority to the highest court in Rome. Festus finds himself in a difficult position, wanting to appease the Jewish leaders but also needing to follow Roman legal procedures and recognizing that Paul's appeal has shifted the ultimate decision-making power.

Acts 25 24 Word Analysis

• ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō): Translated as "examine" or "inquire into." This refers to a judicial process of investigation.
• δίκαια (dikaia): Translated as "just," "right," or "fitting things." In this context, it signifies actions or charges that are lawful and morally sound according to Roman law.
• ἄξια (axias): Translated as "worthy." It implies a certain measure or desert that warrants a specific consequence.
• θανάτου (thanatou): Translated as "death." This refers to capital punishment, the ultimate penalty.
• δεσμῶν (desmōn): Translated as "bonds" or "imprisonment." This refers to the state of being confined or jailed.
• οὐδέν (ouden): Translated as "nothing" or "not anything." Emphasizes the absence of any culpable offense.
• ἔγκλημα (egklēma): Translated as "charge," "accusation," or "crime." Refers to the formal allegation of wrongdoing.
• αὐτῶν (autōn): Translated as "of them," referring to the Jewish accusers.
• ἔχει (echei): Translated as "has" or "holds." Indicates the nature of the accusations.
• αἰτίας (aitias): Translated as "cause," "reason," or "fault." Similar to ἔγκλημα, it refers to grounds for a charge.
• ἄξιον (axion): "worthy," consistent with ἄξια but used here with θανάτου.
• ποιεῖν (poiein): Translated as "to do" or "to commit." Refers to the commission of an act.
• τοιοῦτον (toiouton): Translated as "such," describing the nature of the accusations.
• ἐμοὶ (emoi): Translated as "to me," referring to Festus.
• καταγινώσκω (kataginōskō): Translated as "to recognize" or "to judge." Implies a formal judicial finding.
• πράσσω (prassō): Translated as "do" or "commit."
• οὐδὲν (ouden): "nothing."
• αἰτίαν (aitian): "charge" or "fault."
• ὑπάρχει (hyparchei): "exists" or "is present."
• ὡς (hōs): "as" or "that."
• καθ' (kath): "concerning" or "according to."
• ἣν (hēn): "which" (accusative feminine singular of ὅς), referring to the charge or accusation.
• διεκδικεῖν (diekdinein): Translated as "to proceed" or "to pursue" a matter legally.
• ἄχθεσθαι (achthesthai): "to be burdened" or "to be vexed." Suggests Festus's unease with the situation.
• τῷ (tō): "the" (dative neuter singular of ὁ).
• ἐν... Rechtsfragen (en... Rechtsfragen): "in matters of law." (This is not a direct translation from the Greek but an explanation of the context of his dilemma).
• στέλλω (stellō): "to send" or "to dispatch." Refers to the act of sending someone.
• καὶ (kai): "and."
• περὶ (peri): "concerning" or "about."
• αὐτοῦ (autou): "of him," referring to Paul.
• ἐπιζητῶ (epizētō): "I inquire" or "I seek."
• τὸ (to): "the."
• βουλεύσασθαι (bouleusasthai): "to decide" or "to consult."

Word-Group Analysis

• "I find nothing in him worthy of death or of imprisonment": Festus states that his examination revealed no grounds for the severe penalties the Jewish leaders sought. This confirms Paul's own assertion of his innocence concerning Roman law.
• "since he has committed no acts that deserve death or imprisonment": Festus explicitly declares Paul's actions did not meet the legal threshold for either death or imprisonment under Roman jurisdiction.
• "I was not competent to decide such matters": Festus confesses his inability to resolve the case because of its complex religious nature, which fell outside his direct Roman legal purview or he was unwilling to preside over such internal religious disputes.
• "I appealed to the emperor": Paul, as a Roman citizen, exercised his legal right to have his case heard by the highest authority, the emperor, thereby preempting Festus's judgment.
• "I am sending him": Festus's duty now is to ensure Paul is transferred to Rome for trial, following proper protocol for such an appeal.

Acts 25 24 Bonus Section

Festus's handling of Paul's case can be seen as an example of Roman administrative procedure when faced with appeals to the emperor. The provocatio ad Caesarem (appeal to Caesar) was a significant right for Roman citizens, preventing arbitrary judgment by lower officials. Festus's statement that he could not "decide such matters" reflects a degree of legal prudence and possibly a desire to avoid conflict with the Jewish populace or to correctly interpret matters that had strong religious overtones, even if presented as criminal acts. Agrippa II, being of Jewish heritage and holding a Roman-sanctioned kingship over religious affairs in parts of Judea, was an appropriate figure for Festus to consult, even if the ultimate decision to send Paul to Rome was mandated by Paul's appeal itself. This situation ultimately sets the stage for Paul's extended ministry in Rome, as detailed in the final chapters of Acts.

Acts 25 24 Commentary

Festus, in his address to Agrippa, reveals the dilemma he faces. He is a Roman official bound by Roman law, which has found no basis for the charges laid against Paul by the Jewish authorities. Paul's accusers claimed he was worthy of death or imprisonment. However, Festus’s judicial review found no such merit. Despite this, the Jewish leaders were insistent, and Paul, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar. This appeal placed the final decision entirely with the emperor, and Festus’s current role is to facilitate Paul's journey to Rome to face that tribunal. Festus’s presentation indicates he finds the Jewish charges frivolous from a Roman legal perspective, yet he still needs to present Paul to Caesar. This also highlights the complex interplay between Roman law and the internal religious disputes of various communities within the empire, where Roman officials sometimes sought guidance or simply deferred contentious cases to higher authorities or local leadership when appropriate.