Acts 25:6 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

NASB: After Festus had spent no more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered that Paul be brought.

CSB: When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in.

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.

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.

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.

Governor Felix is becoming very friendly with the Sanhedrin. He was only in his capital, Caesarea Maritima, for three days before traveling to meet them in Jerusalem. They immediately clarified how he could start their relationship on the right foot: send Paul to Jerusalem. Felix thinks they want to try him to determine if he's committed a crime. They merely want to assassinate him along the way (Acts 25:1–4).

Felix can't send Paul to Jerusalem because, as a Roman citizen, Paul chooses where his appeal trial is held. Felix tells the Sanhedrin to send representatives with their case, and he'll see about the change in venue (Acts 25:9). He stays in Jerusalem a few days longer before he and the representatives go to Caesarea. He sits on the tribunal seat, meaning this is a formal hearing and his decision will be binding.

The Jewish leaders proceed with their case, offering up an impressive array of charges with no evidence. Paul easily refutes their arguments, but Festus wants to stay on the Jews' good side, so he asks Paul if it's okay if they move the trial to Jerusalem. Paul loses his patience. The trial is legal. The decision is obvious. But if Festus doesn't have the backbone to do what is right, maybe a higher court will. Paul assumes his right as a Roman citizen and appeals to Caesar (Acts 25:7–12). Whatever happens next, the Sanhedrin has no jurisdiction.

Acts 25:6–12 shows Paul taking legal matters into his own hands. He has been incarcerated in Caesarea Maritima for two years without charges. Felix has been replaced by Festus, and the Sanhedrin return to Caesarea to see if their paltry evidence will slip by the new governor. When Festus unwittingly seems about to enable the Sanhedrin to kill Paul, Paul plays his trump card: he is a Roman citizen and he appeals to a higher court, in Rome. After a short audience with King Agrippa II and the leaders of Caesarea, Paul gets his wish (Acts 26—28).

In Acts 25, the new governor, Festus, must clean up Felix's mess. He tries to ingratiate himself with the Sanhedrin but when they ask him to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial, he refuses. The Sanhedrin agrees to come to Caesarea Maritima, instead, to present their accusations. Festus quickly realizes they don't have a case. Yet when he hesitates to dismiss the charges, Paul appeals the case to a higher court. Festus then invites King Agrippa II, the king's sister Bernice, and the city leaders to hear Paul and determine how to justify Paul's presence before Caesar.

When Felix is called back to Rome to answer for his cruelty, he leaves a bit of a mess. Paul is still under house arrest without charges (Acts 24). When the new governor Festus refuses to exonerate him, Paul appeals to a higher court. Paul is a Roman citizen, so Festus must send him. Yet he still has no formal charges. After inviting King Agrippa II and the city leaders to hear Paul's testimony, they realize Paul has done nothing wrong and should have been released. Paul and Luke survive a harrowing sea voyage but finally arrive at Rome (Acts 27—29).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.