the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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King James Version
Acts 25:27
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- InternationalParallel Translations
I can't send him without a viable charge."
"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him."
For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him."
For it seems to me against reason to send a prisoner without making clear what there is against him.
for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.
For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him."
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him."
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him."
For it seemeth to me unreasonable, to send a prisoner, and not to signify also the crimes alledged against him.
For, when sending a prisoner to Rome, it seems to me to be absurd not to state the charges against him."
For it seemeth to me vnreasonable, to send a prisoner, and not withall to signifie the crimes laid against him.
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner, and not also to signify the charges against him.
For me thynke it an vnreasonable thinge to sende a presoner, and not to shewe the causes which are layed agaynst him.
for it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner without expressing the crimes laid to his charge."
An Appeal to Caesar Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take up his duties as governor, he went up to Jerusalem. The high priests and top leaders renewed their vendetta against Paul. They asked Festus if he wouldn't please do them a favor by sending Paul to Jerusalem to respond to their charges. A lie, of course—they had revived their old plot to set an ambush and kill him along the way. Festus answered that Caesarea was the proper jurisdiction for Paul, and that he himself was going back there in a few days. "You're perfectly welcome," he said, "to go back with me then and accuse him of whatever you think he's done wrong." About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove. Then Paul took the stand and said simply, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period." Festus, though, wanted to get on the good side of the Jews and so said, "How would you like to go up to Jerusalem, and let me conduct your trial there?" Paul answered, "I'm standing at this moment before Caesar's bar of justice, where I have a perfect right to stand. And I'm going to keep standing here. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it as well as I do. If I've committed a crime and deserve death, name the day. I can face it. But if there's nothing to their accusations—and you know there isn't—nobody can force me to go along with their nonsense. We've fooled around here long enough. I appeal to Caesar." Festus huddled with his advisors briefly and then gave his verdict: "You've appealed to Caesar; you'll go to Caesar!" A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. After several days, Festus brought up Paul's case to the king. "I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. I told them that wasn't the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don't throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand. "The accusers came at him from all sides, but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive. Since I'm a newcomer here and don't understand everything involved in cases like this, I asked if he'd be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. Paul refused and demanded a hearing before His Majesty in our highest court. So I ordered him returned to custody until I could send him to Caesar in Rome." Agrippa said, "I'd like to see this man and hear his story." "Good," said Festus. "We'll bring him in first thing in the morning and you'll hear it for yourself." The next day everybody who was anybody in Caesarea found his way to the Great Hall, along with the top military brass. Agrippa and Bernice made a flourishing grand entrance and took their places. Festus then ordered Paul brought in. Festus said, "King Agrippa and distinguished guests, take a good look at this man. A bunch of Jews petitioned me first in Jerusalem, and later here, to do away with him. They have been most vehement in demanding his execution. I looked into it and decided that he had committed no crime. He requested a trial before Caesar and I agreed to send him to Rome. But what am I going to write to my master, Caesar? All the charges made by the Jews were fabrications, and I've uncovered nothing else. "That's why I've brought him before this company, and especially you, King Agrippa: so we can come up with something in the nature of a charge that will hold water. For it seems to me silly to send a prisoner all that way for a trial and not be able to document what he did wrong."
"For it seems absurd and unreasonable to me to send a prisoner [to Rome] without indicating the charges against him."
For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."
For me thynketh it vnreasonable for to sende a presoner and not to shewe the causes which are layde agaynst him.
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not as well to signify the charges against him.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not also to signify the crimes [laid] against him.
for it doth seem to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.'
I think it is foolish to send a prisoner to Caesar without telling what charges are against him."
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him."
For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."
It makes no sense to send a prisoner to the Emperor without stating the charges against him.
It seems irrational to me to send a prisoner without also indicating what the charges against him are."
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him."
For me thinketh it vnreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to shewe the causes which are layde against him.
For it is not proper to send a prisoner, without writing down the charges against him.
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him."
For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."
For it is not fit when we send a man bound, not to record his transgression.
For it is unsuitable, when we send up a prisoner, not to designate his offence.
For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!"
It is foolish for me to send a man up for trial without writing what is against him."
For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.
for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him."
For, unreasonable, unto me, it seemeth, when sending a prisoner, not also, the accusations against him, to signify.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to signify the things laid to his charge.
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him."
For me thynketh it vnreasonable, for to sende a prysoner, and not to shewe the causes which are laide agaynst him.
I think it is foolish to send a prisoner to Caesar without making some charges against him."
"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well."
For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him."
For it is seyn to me with out resoun, to sende a boundun man, and not to signifie the cause of hym.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Proverbs 18:13, John 7:51
Reciprocal: Acts 6:2 - It
Cross-References
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord : wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord .
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner,.... A man bound as if he was a malefactor, and guilty of some heinous crimes, to Rome, to be tried before Caesar:
and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him; for which he is a prisoner, and for which he is sent to the emperor: it seemed to Festus an absurd thing, and what might be justly looked upon by his master, a foolish, silly, and stupid piece of conduct, and void of common sense and reason, mere madness and folly; to send him a prisoner, and not signify in his letter to him, what was laid to his charge; and yet this was so dark and obscure, that he could not tell what to make of it, nor what to write to his lord about it; and hoped therefore, upon this re-examination of Paul before Agrippa, he should come to a more certain knowledge of this affair, and be better furnished to give Nero an account of it, to whom the apostle had appealed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For it seemeth to me unreasonable - Festus felt that he was placed in an embarrassing situation. He was about to send a prisoner to Rome who had been tried by himself, and who had appealed from his jurisdiction, and yet he was ignorant of the charges against him, and of the nature of his offences, if any had been committed. When prisoners were thus sent to Rome to be tried before the emperor, it would be proper that the charges should be all specified, and the evidence stated by which they were supported, Yet Festus could do neither, and it is not wonderful that he felt himself perplexed and embarrassed, and that he was glad to avail himself of the desire which Agrippa had expressed to hear Paul, that he might be able to specify the charges against him.
Withal - Also; at the same time.
To signify - To specify, or make them know. In concluding this chapter, we may observe:
(1) That in the case of Agrippa, we have an instance of the reasons which induce many people to hear the gospel. He had no belief in it; he had no concern for its truth or its promises; but he was led by curiosity to desire to hear a minister of the gospel of Christ. Curiosity thus draws multitudes to the sanctuary. In many instances they remain unaffected and unconcerned. They listen, and are unmoved, and die in their sins. In other instances, like Agrippa, they are almost persuaded to be Christians, Acts 26:28. But, like him, they resist the appeals, and die uninterested in the plan of salvation. In some instances they are converted, and their curiosity, like that of Zacchaeus, is made the means of their embracing the Saviour, Luke 19:1-9. Whatever may be the motive which induces people to desire to hear, it is the duty of the ministry cheerfully and thankfully, like Paul, to state the truth, and to defend the Christian religion.
(2) In Festus we have a specimen of the manner in which the great, and the rich, and the proud usually regard Christianity. They esteem it to be a subject in which they have no interest a question about “one dead Jesus,” whom Christians affirm to be alive. Whether he be alive or not; whether Christianity be true or false, they suppose is a question which does not pertain to them. Strange that it did not occur to Festus that if he was alive, his religion was true; and that it was possible that it might be from God. And strange that the people of this world regard the Christian religion as a subject in which they have no personal interest, but as one concerning which Christians only should inquire, and in which they alone should feel any concern.
(3) In Paul we have the example of a man unlike both Festus and Agrippa. He felt a deep interest in the subject a subject which pertained as much to them as to him. He was willing not only to look at it, but to stake his life, his reputation, his all, on its truth. He was willing to defend it everywhere, and before any class of people. At the same time that he urged his rights as a Roman citizen, yet it was mainly that he might preach the gospel. At the same time that he was anxious to secure justice to himself, yet his chief anxiety was to declare the truth of God. Before any tribunal; before any class of people; in the presence of princes, nobles, and kings, of Romans and of Jews, he was ready to pour forth irresistible eloquence and argument in defense of the truth. Who would not rather be Paul than either Festus or Agrippa? Who would not rather be a prisoner. like him, than invested with authority like Festus, or clothed in splendor like Agrippa? And who would not rather be a believer of the gospel like Paul, than, like them, to be cold contemners or neglecters of the God that made them, and of the Saviour that died and rose again?
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 25:27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable, c.] Every reader must feel the awkward situation in which Festus stood. He was about to send a prisoner to Rome, to appear before Nero, though he had not one charge to support against him and yet he must be sent, for he had appealed to Caesar. He hoped therefore that Agrippa, who was of the Jewish religion, would be able to discern more particularly the merits of this case; and might, after hearing Paul, direct him how to draw up those letters, which, on sending the prisoner, must be transmitted to the emperor.
This chapter ends as exceptionably as the twenty-first. It should have begun at Acts 25:13, and have been continued to the end of the twenty-sixth chapter, or both chapters have been united in one.
1. FROM St. Paul's appeal to Caesar, we see that it is lawful to avail ourselves, even in the cause of God, of those civil privileges with which his mercy has blessed us. It is often better to fall into the hands of the heathen than into the hands of those who, from mistaken views of religion, have their hearts filled with bitter persecuting zeal. Those who can murder a man, pretendedly for God's sake, because he does not think exactly with them on ceremonial or speculative points of divinity, have no portion of that religion which came down from God.
2. The Jews endeavoured by every means to deny the resurrection of our Lord; and it seems to have been one part of their accusation against Paul, that he asserted that the man, Jesus, whom they had crucified, was risen from the dead. On this subject, a pious writer observes: "What a train of errors and miseries does one single instance of deceit draw after it; and what a judgment upon those, who, by corrupting the guards of the sepulchre, the witnesses of the resurrection of our Lord, have kept the whole nation in infidelity!" Thus it often happens in the world that one bad counsel, one single lie or calumny, once established, is the source of infinite evils.
3. The grand maxim of the Roman law and government, to condemn no man unheard, and to confront the accusers with the accused, should be a sacred maxim with every magistrate and minister, and among all private Christians. How many harsh judgments and uncharitable censures would this prevent! Conscientiously practised in all Christian societies, detraction, calumny, tale-bearing, whispering, backbiting, misunderstandings, with every unbrotherly affection, would necessarily be banished from the Church of God.
