Acts 25 6

Acts 25:6 kjv

And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:6 nkjv

And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:6 niv

After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.

Acts 25:6 esv

After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:6 nlt

About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in.

Acts 25 verses

Acts 25 6 Meaning

Acts 25:6 describes the actions of the Roman governor Festus shortly after his arrival in the province of Judea. After spending a brief period in Jerusalem, dealing with administrative matters and meeting with Jewish leaders who accused Paul, Festus traveled to Caesarea, the Roman provincial capital. The very next day upon his arrival, Festus, demonstrating administrative efficiency and readiness to address pending cases, ascended the bēma (judgment seat) and ordered Paul, who was being held in custody there, to be presented before him for a formal hearing. This act marks the beginning of Paul's renewed legal proceedings under a new governor, setting the stage for his appeal to Caesar.

Acts 25 6 Context

Festus had recently arrived in Caesarea to assume his new role as governor, succeeding Felix. Immediately, he traveled to Jerusalem for three days to acquaint himself with the province's key city and its leadership. During this brief visit, the Jewish chief priests and the principal men approached him, reigniting the accusations against Paul, who had been imprisoned in Caesarea for two years under Felix. They sought a favor from Festus: to have Paul brought back to Jerusalem, secretly plotting to ambush and kill him on the way. Festus, upholding proper judicial procedure and perhaps suspicious of their motives, refused to transfer Paul. Instead, he told them to come down to Caesarea with him and present their case there. Acts 25:6 marks Festus's return to Caesarea and his prompt action to open Paul's trial officially, demonstrating a more decisive approach compared to his predecessor. This trial in Caesarea under Festus becomes a crucial juncture, directly leading to Paul's appeal to Caesar.

Acts 25 6 Word Analysis

• And after he stayed among them: The Greek critical text (NA28/UBS5, used by ESV/NIV) reads "οὐ πλείους ὀκτὼ ἢ δέκα ἡμέρας" (ou pleious oktō ē deka hēmeras), meaning "not more than eight or ten days." This specifies Festus's initial visit to Jerusalem was intentionally brief, signaling his commitment to move swiftly into his duties rather than linger, unlike Felix. This brief duration contrasts sharply with the two years Paul spent under Felix (Acts 24:27), emphasizing Festus's relative efficiency.
• he went down unto Caesarea: The Greek "κατῆλθεν εἰς Καισάρειαν" (katēlthen eis Kaisareian). "Went down" accurately reflects the geography, as Jerusalem sits at a high elevation, while Caesarea Maritima is a coastal city at sea level. This marks his return to the administrative capital and center of Roman power in Judea, where the formal legal processes would occur.
• and the next day: The Greek "τῇ ἐπαύριον" (tē epaurion) emphasizes immediacy. This indicates Festus's promptness in dealing with the pressing matter of Paul's case, suggesting an intention to address judicial backlog and establish his authority efficiently. He wasted no time.
• sitting on the judgment seat: The Greek "καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος" (kathisas epi tou bēmatos). The bēma (judgment seat or tribunal) was an elevated platform from which Roman magistrates presided over legal proceedings, issued commands, and made pronouncements. It was the public symbol of Roman legal authority and power, making this an official judicial session. His sitting on it underscored the formal and weighty nature of the proceedings.
• commanded Paul to be brought: The Greek "ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Παῦλον ἀχθῆναι" (ekeleusen ton Paulon achthēnai). This is a direct official order from the highest Roman legal authority in the province. "To be brought" signifies Paul's status as a prisoner under Roman custody, legally required to present himself before the governor for his case to be heard.

Acts 25 6 Bonus Section

• Textual Variant Significance: The KJV's "more than ten days" differs from critical Greek texts that read "not more than eight or ten days" (οὐ πλείους ὀκτὼ ἢ δέκα ἡμέρας). This latter reading is widely accepted and portrays Festus as more expedient, returning to Caesarea swiftly to commence legal matters. The KJV's reading, while possible through ancient scribal tradition, lacks the strong manuscript support of the shorter, more precise phrasing.
• Roman Efficiency vs. Jewish Accusation: This verse immediately establishes a dynamic between Roman legal protocol (Festus's promptness, use of the bēma) and the persistent, politically charged accusations from Jewish leaders (Acts 25:1-3). The bēma represents an impersonal legal system, contrasted with the highly personal and often conspiratorial methods employed by Paul's accusers.
• Precedent in Roman Law: Festus’s decision to hear the case in Caesarea (the official seat of Roman law) and not transfer Paul back to Jerusalem adhered to principles of Roman provincial administration and legal rights for the accused, regardless of Paul's Roman citizenship at this specific point of the demand. It ensured a more neutral venue.

Acts 25 6 Commentary

Acts 25:6 presents Festus as an official keenly aware of his duties and the political sensitivities surrounding Paul's case. His brief, business-like trip to Jerusalem, followed by an immediate formal hearing in Caesarea, contrasts with Felix's dilatory conduct (Acts 24:27). Festus's actions suggest a desire to establish efficient administration and uphold Roman legal protocol. By refusing to transfer Paul to Jerusalem, he implicitly protected Paul from the Jewish plot and ensured a more transparent hearing in the Roman capital. The command for Paul to be brought before the bēma symbolizes the intersection of Roman jurisprudence and divine purpose. Unbeknownst to Festus, each stage of Paul's trials, even under new governors, served the overarching divine plan for Paul to bear witness to Christ before kings and Gentiles (Acts 9:15, Acts 23:11, Acts 27:24), moving him inexorably towards Rome. The focus is less on Festus's character (which develops further in subsequent verses) and more on the inexorable progression of Paul's mission through human legal systems.