Acts 25:1-5
New American Standard Bible
Paul before Festus
25 Festus, then, after arriving in (A)the province, went up to Jerusalem from (B)Caesarea three days later. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews (C)brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with [a]Festus, 3 requesting a [b]concession against [c]Paul, that he might [d]have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, (D)setting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then (E)answered that Paul (F)was being kept in custody in (G)Caesarea, and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “have the influential men among you [e]go there with me, and if there is anything wrong [f]about the man, have them bring charges against him.”
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Acts 25:1-5
New English Translation
Paul Appeals to Caesar
25 Now[a] three days after Festus[b] arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.[c] 2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men[d] of the Jews brought formal charges[e] against Paul to him. 3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul,[f] they urged Festus[g] to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush[h] to kill him along the way. 4 Then Festus[i] replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea,[j] and he himself intended to go there[k] shortly. 5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders[l] go down there[m] with me, and if this man has done anything wrong,[n] they may bring charges[o] against him.”
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- Acts 25:1 tn BDAG 736-37 s.v. οὖν 2.b states, “οὖν serves to indicate a transition to someth. new…now, then, well…Ac 25:1.”
- Acts 25:1 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
- Acts 25:1 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a journey of 65 mi (just over 100 km).
- Acts 25:2 tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”
- Acts 25:2 tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”sn Note how quickly the Jewish leadership went after Paul: They brought formal charges against him within three days of Festus’ arrival in the province.
- Acts 25:3 tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.
- Acts 25:3 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.
- Acts 25:3 sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.
- Acts 25:4 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
- Acts 25:4 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.
- Acts 25:4 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
- Acts 25:5 tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).
- Acts 25:5 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
- Acts 25:5 tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).
- Acts 25:5 tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context—‘to accuse, to bring charges.”
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