Acts 25

1 Three [a specific number of] days after his arrival [having come into the province, after entering] in the province [a special region of government, like a Roman prefecture], Festus [the Roman procurator of Judaea] went up [to ascend, to mount] from Caesarea [a city in Palestine] to Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine], word study 2 where the chief priests [high-priest, spiritual leaders] and Jewish leaders [principal men of the Jews] presented their case [informed him, made statements] against Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul]. They urged [pleaded with, besought] Festus [the Roman governor] word study 3 to grant them a concession [as a favor, requesting graciously] against Paul by summoning [calling, sending for] him to Jerusalem [the holy city, capital of Palestine], because they were preparing [plotting, laying in wait] an ambush [a secret trap, hidden attack] to kill [destroy, take the life of] him along the way [on the road, during the journey]. word study 4 But Festus [the Roman procurator] replied, “Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] is being held [kept in custody, under guard] in Caesarea [the Roman city in Palestine], and I myself [personally, as the authority] am going [to depart, to leave] there [to that place, shortly] soon [in a short time, shortly]. word study 5 So if this man [the individual in question, a specific person] has done anything wrong [committed an offense, acted wickedly], let some of your leaders [those who are able, in positions of power] come down with me [accompany me, go down together] and accuse him [bring charges against him, declare his faults] there [in that place, at the designated location].” word study 6 After spending no more than eight [a short period] or ten days with them, Festus [the Roman governor] went down [to a lower location, descended] to Caesarea [a city in Palestine]. The next day [the following day, the day after] he sat [took his seat, was seated] on the judgment seat [a raised platform for making decisions] and ordered [commanded, gave a directive] that Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] be brought [led, taken] in [before him, into his presence]. word study 7 When Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul] arrived, the Jews [from the tribe of Judah, Jewish people] who had come down [descended, traveled] from Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine] stood around [surrounded, gathered] him, bringing [presenting, accusing] many [numerous, several] serious [weighty, grievous] charges [accusations, complaints] that they could not [were unable, lacked evidence to] prove [demonstrate, verify]. word study 8 Then Paul made his defense [to defend oneself, give an account of his actions]: “I have committed no offense [not sinned at all, done nothing wrong] against the law [the set of rules, regulations] of the Jews [the people of Judah, Jewish descent] or against the temple [the sacred place, sacred building] or against Caesar [the Roman emperor, ruling power].” word study 9 But Festus, wishing [desiring to gain favor] to do the Jews [a person from Judah] a favor [grace, graciousness], said to Paul [the Roman apostle], “Are you willing [to will, to desire] to go up [to ascend, to rise] to Jerusalem [the Greek name for Jerusalem] to stand trial [to be judged, to be tried] before me on these charges [concerning these things, about these matters] [in connection with these things, regarding these issues]?” word study 10 Paul replied, “I am standing before [before the tribunal, in the presence of] the judgment seat [the raised platform of authority] of Caesar [the Roman emperor, the supreme ruler], where I ought [it is necessary, I must] to be tried [judged, evaluated]. I have done [committed, acted] nothing wrong [no injustice, no harm] to the Jews [the Jewish people, the Israelites], as you yourself [personally, as a witness] know [are aware, have come to understand] very well [thoroughly, with certainty]. word study 11 If, however, I am guilty [guilty of wrongdoing, a wrongdoer] of anything [worthy of death, deserving of execution] worthy of death, I do not [refuse to die, reject the death penalty] refuse to die. But if there is [no truth, none of these things] no truth to their accusations [charges, allegations] against me, no one has the right [authority, power] to hand me over to them. I [formally request, appeal to] appeal to Caesar [the Roman emperor, the highest authority]!” word study 12 Then Festus [having consulted with his advisors] conferred with his council [a group of advisors, a meeting] and replied, “You have appealed [to call on, invoke the name of] to Caesar [the Roman emperor, the supreme ruler]. To Caesar [the highest authority, the ultimate judge] you will go [travel, journey to Rome]!” word study 13 After [certain] several days [a 24-hour period] had passed [elapsed, gone by], King [a sovereign ruler] Agrippa [a Herod king] and Bernice [victorious] came down [arrived, descended] to Caesarea [a city in Palestine] to pay their respects [salute, greet] to Festus [a Roman procurator]. word study 14 Since they were staying [for a long time, many days] several days, Festus [the Roman procurator] laid out Paul’s [the apostle, originally named Saul] case before the king: “There is a certain [specific, particular] man [an adult male, a human being] whom Felix [the previous Roman procurator, who left him in bonds] left in prison [as a captive, in chains, under guard]. word study 15 While I was in [at the city of] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine], the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] and elders [respected leaders, older persons] of the Jews [people from Judah, Jewish descent] presented [informed, laid information] their case and requested [asking, desiring] a judgment [condemnation, sentence] against him [this man, the accused]. word study 16 I told them that it is not the Roman [customary practice, tradition] custom to hand a man over [to condemn, deliver to death] before he has had an opportunity [chance, permission] to face [stand before, confront] his accusers [those who bring charges, prosecutors] and defend [justify, answer for] himself against their charges [accusations, allegations]. word study 17 So when they came [came together, assembled] here with me, I did not [intentionally postpone, delay] delay. The next day I sat [took my seat, was seated] on the [judgement seat, raised platform] judgment seat and ordered [commanded, instructed] that the man [adult male, individual] be brought [led, taken] in. word study 18 But when his accusers [those who brought charges] rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes [evil things] I had expected [supposed, thought to be true]. word study 19 They only had some contentions [disputes, questions] with him regarding their own [private, personal] religion [system of worship, superstition] and a certain [one, particular] Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] who had died [been dead, deceased], but whom Paul [the apostle, originally Saul] affirmed [claimed, asserted] to be alive [living, in existence]. word study 20 Since I was at a loss [perplexed, unsure] as to how to investigate [inquire concerning, examine] these matters [questions, controversies], I asked if he was willing [desired, planned] to go [travel, journey] to Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the holy city] and be tried [judged, evaluated] there [in that place, at that location] on these charges [matters, accusations]. word study 21 But when Paul [the Roman apostle] appealed [to call on, invoke] to be held over [reserved, kept] for the decision [examination, judgment] of the Emperor [Augustus, the supreme ruler], I ordered [commanded, instructed] that he be held [kept, detained] until [till the time] I could send [dispatch, transmit] him to Caesar [the Roman emperor, the highest authority].” word study 22 Then Agrippa [the king, a ruler] said to Festus [the Roman governor], “I would like [desire, wish] to hear [listen, understand] this man [the apostle Paul, a servant of God] myself [personally, for myself].” “Tomorrow [the next day, soon] you will hear [listen to, learn from] him,” Festus [the authority, the judge] declared [said, stated]. word study 23 The next day [following day, after a night’s rest] Agrippa and Bernice came with great [much, abundant] pomp [pageantry, ceremonial display] and entered the auditorium [hall, place of hearing], along with the commanders [military officers, chief captains] and leading men [principal men, prominent citizens] of the city [town, community]. And Festus [the Roman procurator, in charge] ordered [commanded, instructed] that Paul [the apostle, formerly Saul] be brought in [led forth, presented]. word study 24 Then Festus [the Roman procurator] said, “King [sovereign ruler] Agrippa and all [every single one] who are present [gathered together] with us, you see [behold, perceive] this man [Paul, the apostle]. The whole [entire, complete] Jewish community [multitude, crowd] has petitioned [appealed to, requested] me about him, both [also, in addition] here [in Caesarea] and in Jerusalem [the holy city], crying out [exclaiming, shouting] that he ought not [should not, must not] to live [exist, have life] any longer [never again, no more]. word study 25 But I found he had done [committed, perpetrated] nothing [no evil, no wrong] worthy [deserving, fitting] of death [physical or spiritual], and since he has now appealed [called upon, invoked] to the Emperor [Augustus, the supreme ruler], I decided [judged, determined] to send [transfer, dispatch] him. word study 26 I have nothing definite [certain, secure] to write to our sovereign one [lord, master] about him. Therefore [for this reason, consequently] I have brought him before all of you, and especially [mostly, in a special manner] before you, King [ruler, monarch] Agrippa, so that after this inquiry [examination, investigation] I may have something to write [record, put in writing]. word study 27 For [it seems to me, I think] it seems [appears, is apparent to me] unreasonable [irrational, against logic] to me [personally, in my judgment] to send [to dispatch, to transfer] on a prisoner [a captive, one held in bonds] without [not, lacking] specifying [to signify, to indicate] the charges [causes, accusations] against him [toward him, regarding him].” word study