Acts 25 27

Acts 25:27 kjv

For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Acts 25:27 nkjv

For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him."

Acts 25:27 niv

For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him."

Acts 25:27 esv

For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."

Acts 25:27 nlt

For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!"

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 27 Meaning

This verse, spoken by the Roman governor Festus about Paul, suggests that the accusations against Paul were trivial or nonsensical, and that they were not related to any serious crimes worthy of the emperor's attention. Festus seems to imply that the Jews were raising objections about matters of their own religious law, which were incomprehensible and ultimately not punishable offenses in the Roman legal system. It highlights Festus's limited understanding of Jewish religious disputes and his desire to quickly dispose of a case that offered no clear Roman legal grounds for condemnation.

Acts 25 27 Context

The immediate context is Paul's appeal to Caesar after being imprisoned in Caesarea for two years. Governor Festus had inherited the case from Felix and was seeking to placate the Jewish leaders. The Jewish authorities had brought accusations against Paul, but Festus found them to be matters of Jewish religious debate rather than crimes against Roman law. When Festus proposed sending Paul back to Jerusalem for trial, Paul invoked his right as a Roman citizen to be judged by the emperor. Festus, after conferring with King Agrippa, arranged to send Paul to Rome. Festus's statement here, prior to sending Paul to Caesar, reveals his personal assessment of the charges against Paul and his perception of the dispute.

Acts 25 27 Word Analysis

• 'Ouk: A negative particle, meaning "not." It negates the following verb.

• 'Aresken: Third person plural imperfect active indicative of aresko (ἀρέσκω), meaning "to please" or "to be pleasing." It implies something that is suitable or acceptable.

• 'OidaMEN: First person plural perfect active indicative of oida (οἶδα), meaning "to know" (used in the present sense). Festus states what "we know" or "we have found."

• 'Edoqei: Third person singular imperfect active indicative of dokeo (δοκέω), meaning "to think," "to seem," or "to appear." It conveys an opinion or impression.

• Ap': A preposition, meaning "from" or "of." It indicates origin or separation.

• Epitelous: Third person plural perfect passive indicative of epiteloo (ἐπιτελέω), meaning "to bring to an end," "to accomplish," or "to fulfill." Here, it signifies a matter being fully completed or reasoned out.

• Zetematos: Genitive singular neuter noun zetema (ζήτημα), meaning "a question," "a dispute," "an inquiry," or "a matter." It refers to the subject of debate or investigation.

• Per--------------i: A preposition, meaning "about" or "concerning."

• Ton'----'-N':: Article, masculine accusative singular, referring to a specific concept previously mentioned or understood.

• Idion'----'-N':: Possessive pronoun, neuter accusative singular, meaning "one's own" or "private." Refers to their own, i.e., the Jews' private concerns.

• Q--------------Es'--'----------o--N': Genitive plural noun theos (θεός), meaning "God." Refers to the divine.

• Kai':: Conjunction, meaning "and."

• Peri'--------------':: Preposition, meaning "about" or "concerning."

• Dou'------------'-K':: Accusative plural noun doulos (δοῦλος), meaning "slave" or "servant." Here, "servant" referring to Jesus.

• Ie'--'--------'--: Genitive singular masculine noun Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), referring to Jesus.

• Z-----------'--------------: Indicative particle (sometimes a verb part of speech), a common copula and conjunction.

• Ap'--------'----------y--------------o':: Third person singular perfect active indicative of apokteino (ἀποκτείνω), meaning "to kill," "to slay," or "to put to death." It indicates the state of being killed.

• Analysis of Groups of Words:

  • "ou gar aresken oud enos twn areskein" (οὐ γὰρ ἀρέσκεν οὐδ᾽ ἑνὸς τῶν ἀρέσκειν) - "for it did not please even one of the things to please." This structure emphasizes that none of the issues brought were considered acceptable or pleasing to Roman authorities, nor were they matters that their own legal understanding deemed significant.
  • "edokei d ap' epitelous zematos peri ton idion qes kai peri enos doulou ap' autou teqneke nai Iesou" (ἐδόκει δὲ ἀπ᾽ ἐπιτέλους ζήματος περὶ τῶν ἰδίων θεῶν καὶ περὶ ἑνὸς δούλου ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τεθνηκέναι Ἰησοῦ) - This phrase, though a bit complex due to the missing parts, essentially states that it seemed that a "final" or "completion" of a matter concerning "their own gods" and "one servant" of His who had died. The implication is that these were internal religious matters, focused on their own deities and the death of a specific individual (Jesus), which did not constitute offenses under Roman jurisdiction.

Acts 25 27 Bonus Section

Festus's assessment reveals a Roman pragmatic approach to governance, where religious matters were generally tolerated as long as they did not disrupt public order or challenge Roman authority. The mention of "their own gods" subtly highlights the contrast between Roman polytheism and the exclusive monotheism of Judaism and Christianity. Festus's comment also prepares the way for Paul's eventual appeal to Caesar, as he has just concluded that the charges do not warrant Roman punishment and thus cannot be resolved at the provincial level. It also subtly echoes his earlier statement to Paul, "Paul, you are mad!" when Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 26:24), showing Festus's dismissive attitude towards what he couldn't comprehend.

Acts 25 27 Commentary

Festus conveys his bewilderment and perhaps frustration with the charges Paul's accusers had brought. He found no grounds for criminal action from a Roman perspective. The issues raised by the Jews were, in Festus's view, strictly internal religious disagreements, pertaining to their own theological beliefs and the person of Jesus. He contrasted this with matters that would legitimately fall under Roman jurisdiction, such as treason or public disorder. Festus perceived Paul's adherence to his faith and the accusations leveled against him as the product of "dead issues" and internal religious disputes, rather than crimes against the state or its emperor. He concluded that the matters were so esoteric and disconnected from Roman law that it was illogical and a waste of time to prosecute them further within his jurisdiction; the case was not of a nature that demanded the emperor’s attention from a Roman legal standpoint. This reflects a common theme in Acts where Roman authorities often found themselves caught between Jewish religious disputes and the unique claims of Christianity.