Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
Acts 25:1-12, Festus and the appeal to Caesar
The new governor Festus hears the case again at Caesarea. When he asks whether Paul will be tried in Jerusalem, Paul appeals to Caesar, and after conferring with his council Festus grants it.
Acts 25:1-12, in every translation this tool compares.
The new governor Festus visits Jerusalem soon after arriving, and the priestly leaders ask him to bring Paul there, secretly planning to ambush him. Festus has the case heard in Caesarea instead, where the accusers make serious charges they cannot prove and Paul denies any offense against Jewish law, the temple or the emperor. When Festus, seeking Jewish favor, proposes a trial in Jerusalem, Paul insists his case belongs in the emperor's court and appeals to Caesar. After consulting his advisers, Festus grants the appeal.
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- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/chief-priests-and-council\/","n":"Chief priests, elders and the council","s":"The Jerusalem aristocracy of priestly families and elders who ran the temple and the Sanhedrin and dealt with Rome.","r":""}
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Josephus writes that "Festus succeeded Felix as procurator, and made it his business to correct those that made disturbances in the country," and Keener and the cultural backgrounds notes rate him more just than Felix; Wright, in his biography, is harsher, calling him uninterested in justice. Moving the case to Jerusalem needed Paul's consent (Wright) and would have favored the nationalists and invited an ambush (the cultural backgrounds notes; Keener; the ESV Study Bible). Paul's denial of any offense against Caesar suggests the accusers had added political charges (Wright). Keener writes that "Roman citizens had the right to appeal to Caesar's tribunal," though appealing before a verdict was unusual; Wright stresses that the appeal was not against a sentence but asked for the whole case to go to the highest court, and that few citizens dared trouble the emperor so. A governor could confer with his council of advisers (Keener and his notes; the ESV and CSB Study Bibles). Whether Festus had to grant the appeal is debated, the CSB Study Bible notes; Keener and the cultural backgrounds notes say refusing it would have been politically awkward and that sending Paul on spared Festus a hard decision.
- Josephus, The Wars of the Jews 2.14.1, trans. William Whiston
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Acts 25:1-12, 25:2, 25:3, 25:9 and 25:11
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Acts 25:1-12, 25:3-5, 25:9, 25:10-11 and 25:12
- ESV Study Bible, study notes on Acts 25:9-11 and 25:12
- CSB Study Bible, notes on Acts 25:9-11 and 25:12
- N. T. Wright, Paul: A Biography, ch. 13, Jerusalem Again
- N. T. Wright, Acts for Everyone, Part Two, comment on Acts 25:1-12
