Acts 25 · The Lantern

Paul’s Trial before Festus

Festus therefore, having arrived in the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

And the chief priests and the chiefs of the Jews made a presentation before him against Paul, and they were begging him,

asking a favour against him, that he might summon him to Jerusalem, forming an ambush to execute him on the way.

Festus therefore answered that Paul is to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out with speed;

“Those therefore among you in power,” he says, “having gone down too, if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

And having spent with them not more than eight or ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the next day, having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.

And when he was arriving, the Jews having come down from Jerusalem stood around him, presenting many and weighty charges which they were not able to prove,

Paul presenting a defence that, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in anything.”

But Festus, wishing to lay a favour with the Jews, answering Paul, said, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged there concerning these things before me?”

Paul Appeals to Caesar

And Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it behooves me to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself also know very well.

If therefore indeed I do wrong and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing of which they accuse me, no one can give me up to them. To Caesar I appeal!”

Then Festus, having conferred with the Council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go!”

Festus Consults Agrippa

Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice came down to Caesarea, greeting Festus.

"Agrippa the king." That is, Agrippa was exercising the rank of king in the provinces, and therefore was addressed as king; or perhaps he himself was king of the eastern parts, Nero being ruler of the western, and while Nero was in Rome. [AMMONIUS]

King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea. This Agrippa who came to Caesarea with his sister is (as I said) the son of Herod Agrippa, whom we read above was killed by the angel, who held the kingdom of Judea until the destruction of Jerusalem, always friendly to the Romans, and safest from all that Jewish sedition.

Agrippa was either a viceroy of the king in the eastern provinces and therefore called a king, or perhaps he was himself a king in the east, while Nero ruled in the west and had his residence in Rome. "Caesar" in Latin means "emperor," since all Roman emperors, as long as they were emperors, were called Caesars; however, these titles were not their proper names.

And as they were staying there many days, Festus laid before the king the things relating to Paul, saying: “There is a certain man left by Felix as a prisoner,

concerning whom, when I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews made a presentation, asking a penalty against him;

to whom I answered that it is not the custom with Romans to give up any man before the one being accused would have the accusers face to face, and would have the opportunity of defence concerning the accusation.

Therefore when they were assembling here, having made no delay, on the next day, having sat on the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought;

concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing no charge of the crimes which I myself was suspecting;

but they had certain questions against him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus having died, whom Paul was affirming to be alive.

And being perplexed myself as to the inquiry concerning these things, I was asking if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things.

But when Paul had appealed for himself to be kept for the decision of the Emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I may return him to Caesar.”

And Agrippa to Festus: “I was wanting also myself to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he says, “you will hear him.”

Paul before Agrippa and Bernice

Therefore on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice were coming with great pomp, and having entered into the audience hall with both the commanders and the men of prominence in the city, and when Festus was commanding, Paul was brought in.

And Festus says: “King Agrippa, and all you men being present with us, you see this one concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews pleaded with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying that he needs to live no longer.

But I myself, having grasped him to have done nothing worthy of death, and this one himself having appealed to the Emperor, I determined to send him;

concerning whom I do not have anything definite to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that when the examination has taken place, I may have something I may write.