Felix Explains to King Agrippa Why He Brought Paul Before Him |
Acts 25:1-27 The Acts of the Apostles [in Smaller Chunks] |
Now, after 3 days, when [Porcius] Festus [had] come into the province, he [went up] from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then, the high priest, & the [leader] of the Jews, informed him [of the accusation] against Paul. |
And desiring a [favor,] against [Paul, so] that [Festus,] would send [Paul] to Jerusalem, [while they were] laying [in] wait, [a.k.a. to ambush,] & kill [Paul on the road.] But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept [in] Caesarea, & that he, himself, would shortly [leave] [for] [there.] |
Therefore, [Festus] said, Let [those] among you, [who] are able, go down with me, & accuse this man, [to see] if [there's] any wickedness in him. And when [Festus] had [lingered,] among them more than 10 days, he went down to Caesarea. |
And sitting on the judgment seat, the next day, commanded Paul to be brought [there.] And when [Paul had] come, the Jews, [who] came down from Jerusalem stood [all around,] & laid, [a.k.a. attributed,] many [serious] complaints against Paul, [that] they couldn't prove. [Acts 24:5-6 For we have found this man [to be] a pestilent fellow, [a.k.a. like a plague spreading,] & a mover of sedition, [a.k.a. someone who insights riots,] among all the Jews, throughout the world. And a ring leader of the sect, [a.k.a. religious beliefs,] of the Nazarenes, who also [has] gone [around] to profane, [a.k.a. defile,] the temple, & whom we took & would have judged according to our Law.] |
[Meanwhile, Paul] answered for himself, Neither have I offended [in] anything at all against: the [Jew's] Law; the temple; nor against Caesar, [thus far.] But willing to do the Jews a [favor,] Festus answered Paul, & said, [Will] you go up to Jerusalem, & be judged [about] these things [in front of] me there? |
Then, Paul said, I [will] stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I [should] be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well [know.] For if I [had] [been] an offender, or [had] committed anything worthy of death, I [wouldn't] refuse to die. But if [there's] none of these things, [of which they] accuse me [of,] I appeal to Caesar, & no man may deliver me [over] to them. |
Then, when Festus had conferred, [a.k.a. consulted,] with the council, answered, [Since] you have appealed to Caesar, you [shall] go to Caesar. |
And after [some] days, king Agrippa & Bernice came to Caesarea to [greet] Festus. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's [case] to the king, saying, Felix left a certain man there, [bound] in [chains.] |
When I was [in] Jerusalem, the chief priests, & elders of the Jews informed me about [Paul,] & [desired] to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the [custom] of Romans to deliver any man to die, before he, [who] is accused [shall] have [an opportunity] to answer for himself [about] the crime laid against him, face to face [with] the accusers. |
Therefore, when they [had] come [here] without any delay, & the [next day,] I sat on the judgment seat, & commanded the man to be brought [forward.] When the accusers stood up, they brought [no] accusation against [Paul,] of such things as I [assumed.] |
But had certain questions against [Paul about] their own superstition, [a.k.a. religion,] & [about] One Jesus, [Who] was dead, Whom Paul affirmed, [a.k.a. verified,] to be alive. [1 Corinthians 15:3-10 *For first, I delivered to you all of [what] I also received, & how Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. And that [Jesus] was buried, & He rose again the 3rd day, according to the Scriptures. And that [Jesus] was seen [by:] Cephas, & then [by] the 12. After that, [Jesus] was seen at once, [by over] 500 brethren, of whom the greater part, [a.k.a. the majority,] remain [until] this [day,] but some [have] fallen asleep, [a.k.a. died.] After that, [Jesus] was seen [by] James, & then by all the apostles. And last of all, He was seen by me, [a.k.a. Paul, formerly called Saul,] also [like someone] born: out of due time, [a.k.a. like a child past-due.] For I am the least of the apostles, & am not [worthy] to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am; & His grace [that] was bestowed upon me, was not [done] in vain. But I [labored] more abundantly than all [of] them, [still] not I, but the grace of God, which was [within] me.] |
And because I [was uncertain about this type] of questions, I asked [Paul] whether he would go to Jerusalem & be judged [about] these matters there. But when Paul asked [for it] to be [postponed until] [being] [heard by] Augustus, I commanded [Paul] to be kept [under guard,] [until] I might send him to Caesar. |
Then, [king] Agrippa said to Festus, I would also [like to] hear the man myself. [Festus] said, Tomorrow you shall hear him. And on [the next day,] when Agrippa & Bernice [had] come with great [pageantry,] & entered into [the auditorium,] with the: chief captains, [a.k.a. commanders;] & [important] men of the city, Paul was brought [forward] at Festus' [command.] |
And Festus said, King Agrippa, & all men, [who] are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of Jews have [discussed] with me, both [in] Jerusalem, & also here, crying [out,] that he [shouldn't] live any longer. |
But when I found [out] that he [hadn't] committed [anything] worthy of death, & that [Paul,] himself, had appealed to Augustus, I have [decided] to send him. I have no [specific] thing to write to my lord, [about him.] |
[For this reason,] I have brought [Paul forward in front of] you, O king Agrippa, [so] that, after examination, I might have [something] to write. For it [seems] unreasonable to me, to send a prisoner, & not [note the significant] crimes laid against him. |