Acts 25
Big idea: A new governor inherits an old plot, and Roman process becomes God's instrument: pressed to hand Paul back to Jerusalem, Paul invokes his right as a citizen — 'I appeal to Caesar!' — and Festus's verdict fixes the road to Rome. Yet the man being sent has no chargeable crime; the governor himself cannot say what to write.
Festus's problem — a prisoner with no specifiable charges (25:26–27) — is exactly what stages ch. 26: Paul is brought before Agrippa not to be tried but to be heard, and the 'examination' becomes the fullest statement of his testimony in Acts.
25:1–5 — The plot renewed under Festus
Two years on, nothing has changed in Jerusalem: within days of Festus's arrival the high priest and principal men re-open the case against Paul, asking as a 'favor' that he be summoned to Jerusalem — while plotting to kill him on the way. Festus, without knowing it, blocks the ambush: Paul stays in Caesarea, and the accusers must come down.
1 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way. 4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. 5 “Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
25:6–12 — 'I appeal to Caesar!'
At the judgment seat in Caesarea the Jerusalem accusers bring 'many and grievous charges which they could not prove'; Paul's defense is a clean threefold denial — not against the law, nor the temple, nor Caesar. When Festus, 'desiring to gain favor with the Jews', proposes a Jerusalem trial, Paul takes the case out of his hands: standing where he ought to be tried, refusing neither death if guilty nor surrender if innocent, he appeals to Caesar — and Festus's answer is final: 'To Caesar you shall go.'
6 When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 8 while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.” 9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
25:13–22 — Festus lays the case before Agrippa
When King Agrippa and Bernice arrive, Festus rehearses the case in his own words: he upheld the Roman custom that the accused meet his accusers face to face, but the hearing baffled him — no charges 'of such things as I supposed', only 'questions about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.' Perplexed, he had offered Jerusalem; Paul had appealed to the emperor; and Agrippa asks to hear the man himself.
13 Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed; 19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
25:23–27 — Great pomp, no charge
Agrippa and Bernice enter 'with great pomp', with officers and the city's principal men — and a chained prisoner is brought in. Festus states the paradox publicly: the whole multitude of the Jews cried that Paul 'ought not to live any longer', yet 'I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death.' The hearing exists because the governor has 'no certain thing to write to my lord' — sending a prisoner without specifying charges seems to him unreasonable.
23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him, 26 of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).