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

This verse highlights King Agrippa II's realization that Festus had brought Paul before him without sufficient evidence to justify Paul's imprisonment or execution, suggesting that the charges against Paul were likely trivial or unfounded in the eyes of Roman justice. Agrippa expresses his intention to release Paul had he not appealed to Caesar.

Acts 25 25 Context

This verse occurs in Acts chapter 25 during Paul's trial before King Agrippa II and Bernice in Caesarea. Festus, the Roman governor, is attempting to resolve Paul's ongoing legal predicament, which has spanned several years and previous governors. The Jews in Jerusalem have consistently sought Paul's death, fabricating charges. Festus, faced with the appeal to Caesar and the lack of concrete evidence from the Jewish accusers, finds himself in a difficult position. This particular verse is Festus' assessment of the situation to Agrippa, revealing his understanding that Paul had committed no crime punishable by Roman law.

Acts 25 25 Word Analysis

• Οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου (oude-mi-an aiti-an thanat-ou) - "no charge of death"
  • οὐδεμίαν (oude-mi-an): a emphatic negation, "not even one," highlighting the complete absence of any capital offense.
  • αἰτίαν (aiti-an): "cause," "ground," "charge," referring to the reason for a legal accusation. In a Roman legal context, it meant a valid basis for prosecution.
  • θανάτου (thanat-ou): genitive case of "death," indicating "of death" or "death penalty."
  • Significance: Festus’ phrasing emphasizes the legal insufficiency of the accusations leveled against Paul from a Roman perspective, as capital offenses required clear proof of grave crimes against the state.
• εὗρον (heur-on): "I found." This is the aorist indicative active of εὑρίσκω (heuriskō), meaning to find, discover, or obtain. Festus implies an active search for grounds of conviction.
• ἄξια (axi-a): "worthy," "fitting," "suitable." In this context, it signifies actions or deeds that merit the penalty of death under Roman law.
• αἰτίας (aiti-as): "charge" or "cause." Similar to αἰτίαν above, but in the genitive case.
• ὥστε (hōs-te): "so that," "to such a degree that." This conjunction introduces the result or consequence of Festus' findings.
• ἀναπέμψαι (ana-pem-psai): "to send up." The infinitive of ἀναπέμπω (ana-pempō). It refers to sending a case to a higher authority, in this instance, to Caesar in Rome.
  • Significance: The word "up" reflects the journey to Rome, the capital of the empire.
• εἰς Καίσαρα (eis Kaisara): "to Caesar." This phrase confirms the destination of the appeal. Paul's appeal to Caesar, invoking his Roman citizenship (Acts 25:11), mandated this action by Festus.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ἄξια" (no charge of death worthy) succinctly captures the Roman legal judgment that Paul’s alleged offenses did not warrant a death sentence. It suggests that the protracted legal battle was based on misunderstandings or baseless claims, not on substantial criminal acts.
• "εὗρον... ὥστε ἀναπέμψαι" (I found... so that to send up) implies Festus’ logical progression: since no death-worthy charge was found, the only proper recourse under Roman law for an unresolved case where an appeal was made, was to escalate it to the ultimate judicial authority, Caesar.

Acts 25 25 Bonus Section

The appeal to Caesar by a Roman citizen like Paul was a significant legal right that Roman authorities were bound to respect. It prevented governors from unjustly condemning or dismissing cases at their local level. This also shows the legal framework of the Roman Empire, which, despite its complexities and occasional corruptions, did provide avenues for justice and due process, especially for citizens. The phrase "send up to Caesar" implies a formal dispatch of the case records and the accused to Rome for trial, a process that could be lengthy and uncertain. The narrative in Acts demonstrates God’s hand in moving the gospel forward, even through legal entanglements and political machinations. Paul’s presence in Rome, facilitated by this appeal and subsequent journey, would ultimately allow him to preach the gospel directly to influential people within the capital city itself.

Acts 25 25 Commentary

Festus’ admission that he found no capital offense in Paul's case underscores the failure of Paul’s accusers, both the Jewish authorities and later Roman officials, to produce any credible evidence of treason or sedition against the state. The repeated legal processes, including those before Felix and now Festus, and even this hearing before Agrippa, served only to expose the flimsy nature of the charges. Agrippa’s own response in the next verse, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar" (Acts 25:26), further reinforces Festus' assessment. It highlights a situation where Roman legal pragmatism met political and religious opposition, leading to Paul’s appeal and eventual journey to Rome, an outcome orchestrated by God's providence to further the gospel’s reach.