Acts 25 25

Acts 25:25 kjv

But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

Acts 25:25 nkjv

But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.

Acts 25:25 niv

I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.

Acts 25:25 esv

But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him.

Acts 25:25 nlt

But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 25 Meaning

Acts 25:25 conveys Governor Festus's definitive judicial finding regarding Paul: he had committed no offense worthy of capital punishment. However, because Paul, as a Roman citizen, had exercised his legal right to appeal to the highest Roman authority, the Emperor, Festus was obligated by Roman law to send him for judgment in Rome. The verse highlights Paul's declared innocence by Roman officials on one hand, and the powerful procedural function of his appeal on the other, ultimately leading to his journey to the imperial capital.

Acts 25 25 Context

Acts 25:25 occurs during Paul's two-year imprisonment in Caesarea, at the beginning of Governor Festus's term. After inheriting Paul's case from Felix, Festus tried Paul again. The Jewish leaders intensified their accusations, hoping for Paul to be transferred to Jerusalem, where they plotted to ambush and kill him. Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, proposed to try Paul in Jerusalem, which Paul vehemently refused, understanding the danger. Instead, Paul, recognizing his right as a Roman citizen and likely seeing an opportunity to reach Rome (as prophesied in Acts 23:11), invoked his right to appeal to the Emperor. This verse encapsulates Festus's report to King Agrippa II and Bernice, who were visiting Caesarea, as Festus needed their help to formulate specific charges for Paul's impending trial before Caesar, given Paul's declared innocence of capital crimes under Roman law. The broader historical context is Roman provincial administration and its legal system operating within a diverse Judean society, often struggling to understand Jewish religious disputes.

Acts 25 25 Word analysis

• But when I found: The Greek phrase is "εὑρών δὲ αὐτόν" (eurōn de auton), meaning "But I, having found him..." Eurōn (εὑρών), from heurisko (εὑρίσκω), signifies discovery after inquiry or examination, indicating Festus's formal judicial determination. The "but" (δὲ - de) introduces a contrast or a transition, highlighting his personal conclusion after the hearings.
• that he had committed nothing: The Greek ouden pepoiēkenai (οὐδὲν πεποιηκέναι). Ouden (οὐδὲν) is an emphatic negation meaning "absolutely nothing." Pepoiēkenai (πεποιηκέναι), a perfect active infinitive from poieō (ποιέω), implies completed action: "he had done nothing." Festus found no factual basis for the capital charges.
• deserving of death: The Greek axion thanatou (ἄξιον θανάτου), meaning "worthy of death." This is Roman legal terminology for a capital offense. It means Paul's actions, even if offenses, did not fall into the category that warranted the death penalty. This finding vindicates Paul against the most severe accusations of the Jewish leadership (e.g., sedition, desecrating the temple).
• and since he himself appealed: The Greek is autou te epikaloumenou (αὐτοῦ τε ἐπικαλουμένου). Autou (αὐτοῦ), meaning "himself," emphasizes Paul's personal and voluntary action in exercising his right. Epikaloumenou (ἐπικαλουμένου), from epikaleomai (ἐπικαλέομαι), refers specifically to making a legal appeal to a higher authority, the provocatio ad Caesarem, a vital privilege of Roman citizenship.
• to the Emperor: The Greek Sebaston (Σεβαστόν), which is the Greek equivalent of the Latin imperial title Augustus. It denotes the Roman Emperor, the highest legal and administrative authority in the Roman Empire. Paul's appeal effectively transfers his case from provincial to imperial jurisdiction.
• I decided to send him: The Greek is ekrina pempsai (ἔκρινα πέμψαι), meaning "I determined (or judged) to send him." Ekrina (ἔκρινα), from krinō (κρίνω), implies a formal decision or judgment. Festus's decision here is not one of guilt but a procedural determination, that he must fulfill Paul's right to appeal by sending him to Caesar. Pempsai (πέμψαι) is to send, transport, or dispatch.

• "But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death": This phrase represents Festus's judicial conclusion, declaring Paul legally innocent of any capital crime. It confirms a consistent theme in Acts, where Roman officials repeatedly find Paul innocent of serious charges, thereby indirectly validating the non-political nature of Christianity in its early spread.
• "and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him": This phrase links Paul's personal right as a Roman citizen with Festus's administrative duty. Paul's appeal to Caesar was not a plea for clemency but a demand for his legal rights as a Roman citizen, forcing the provincial governor's hand and propelling him toward Rome according to God's divine plan.

Acts 25 25 Bonus section

The Roman legal process, particularly the provocatio ad Caesarem, was a powerful safeguard for Roman citizens against potential abuse or bias from provincial magistrates. Paul's use of this right was not an act of desperation but a strategic move that simultaneously asserted his legal status, bypassed the Jewish hierarchy's repeated attempts to incriminate him, and most importantly, served as the very mechanism through which God fulfilled His promise to bring Paul to Rome (Acts 23:11). The consistency of the "not deserving of death" verdict across various Roman officials—Lysias, Festus, and Agrippa II—lends strong credibility to Paul's innocence and, by extension, implies the politically non-subversive nature of the early Christian message to Roman authority. This also inadvertently served to create a more favorable impression of Christianity within the imperial administrative circles, distinct from the civil disturbances caused by other groups or from false accusations.

Acts 25 25 Commentary

Acts 25:25 serves as a pivotal point in Paul's narrative, underscoring both his legal innocence in the eyes of Roman law and the providential path toward his ultimate mission in Rome. Governor Festus's statement is a judicial declaration: after examining Paul's case, he could find no valid ground for capital punishment. This reinforces the repeated Roman verdict throughout Acts that Paul was not a criminal or a threat to imperial stability. However, the legal and historical reality of Paul's Roman citizenship afforded him the sacred right of appeal, provocatio ad Caesarem. When Paul exercised this right, Festus, despite his dilemma in formulating charges for the Emperor, had no choice but to uphold Roman law and forward Paul to the imperial court. Thus, Paul's long-cherished desire to preach the Gospel in Rome, and God's sovereign plan for him to witness before kings, began to unfold through the seemingly ordinary channels of Roman provincial justice and legal privilege.