NOW WHEN FESTUS HAD COME TO THE PROVINCE, AFTER THREE DAYS HE WENT UP FROM CAESAREA TO JERUSALEM. 1. Now Festus is the governor. He has been in office for three days and he makes a trip from the Roman capital of the region to the Jewish capital, Jerusalem. 2. It is a long journey, about 55-60 mile... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE HIGH PRIEST AND THE CHIEF MEN OF THE JEWS INFORMED HIM AGAINST PAUL: AND THEY PETITIONED HIM. 1. Festus meets with the chief priest. Not because he is the religious leader of the Jews, but because he is the civil leader, head of the council and highest civil officer among the Jews. 2. The... [ Continue Reading ]
ASKING A FAVOR AGAINST HIM, THAT HE WOULD SUMMON HIM TO JERUSALEM - WHILE THEY LAY IN AMBUSH ALONG THE ROAD TO KILL HIM. 1. These Jewish leaders asked that Festus send Paul back to Jerusalem to be tried. 2. Their real objective was, as was planned 2 years earlier, to ambush him and kill him.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FESTUS ANSWERED THAT PAUL SHOULD BE KEPT AT CAESAREA, AND THAT HE HIMSELF WAS GOING THERE SHORTLY. 1. Paul is now, and has been for 2 years, in Roman control. Festus was not about to release that control. 2. Instead, Festus invited these men, probably some of the same men that came to Felix tw... [ Continue Reading ]
" THEREFORE, " HE SAID, " LET THOSE WHO HAVE AUTHORITY AMONG YOU GO DOWN WITH ME AND ACCUSE THIS MAN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY FAULT IN HIM. " 1. They were welcome to travel with Festus as he returned to Caesarea. 2. The trial will be held and he will determine the future of Paul.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD REMAINED AMONG THEM MORE THAN TEN DAYS, HE WENT DOWN TO CAESAREA. AND THE NEXT DAY, SITTING ON THE JUDGMENT SEAT, HE COMMANDED PAUL TO BE BROUGHT. 1. Festus stayed in Jerusalem for more than ten days before returning to his capital. 2. Upon returning to Caesarea, Festus sat in the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HAD COME, THE JEWS WHO HAD COME DOWN FROM JERUSALEM STOOD ABOUT AND LAID MANY SERIOUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST PAUL, WHICH THEY COULD NOT PROVE. 1. There were many Jews in the court room. They had come from Jerusalem, again, to make a case against Paul before a Roman governor. 2. They made many... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE HE ANSWERED FOR HIMSELF, " NEITHER AGAINST THE LAW OF THE JEWS, NOR AGAINST THE TEMPLE, NOR AGAINST CAESAR HAVE I OFFENDED IN ANYTHING AT ALL. " 1. Paul is now given a chance to respond to these unfounded complaints. 2. Paul declares that he has not offended: 1. The law of the Jews. 2. The... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FESTUS, WANTING TO DO THE JEWS A FAVOR, ANSWERED PAUL AND SAID, " ARE YOU WILLING TO GO UP TO JERUSALEM AND THERE BE JUDGED CONCERNING THESE THINGS? " 1. Festus, just beginning his reign, wants to have good relations with the Jews. 2. He knows that he can not, under Roman law, send Paul back t... [ Continue Reading ]
SO PAUL SAID, " I STAND AT CAESAR'S JUDGMENT SEAT, WHERE I OUGHT TO BE JUDGED. TO THE JEWS I HAVE DONE NO WRONG, AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW. 1. Paul correctly responds with his legal right. Paul is in Caesar's judgment seat. This is where judgment ought to take place. 2. Paul also says that the Jews kn... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I AM AN OFFENDER, OR HAVE COMMITTED ANYTHING DESERVING OF DEATH, I DO NOT OBJECT TO DYING; BUT IF THERE IS NOTHING IN THESE THINGS OF WHICH THESE MEN ACCUSE ME, NO ONE CAN DELIVER ME TO THEM. I APPEAL TO CAESAR. " 1. Paul states that if he had done wrong - he would suffer the consequences of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN FESTUS, WHEN HE HAD CONFERRED WITH THE COUNCIL, ANSWERED, " YOU HAVE APPEALED TO CAESAR? TO CAESAR YOU SHALL GO. " 1. Festus is thrown for a loop. What does he do now? 2. He confers with the council, probably explaining the legal right that Paul has as a Roman citizen. 3. He reaches the only... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER SOME DAYS KING AGRIPPA AND BERNICE CAME TO CAESAREA TO GREET FESTUS. 1. Now the "puppet king" Agrippa and his wife/sister come to visit the new governor. 2. AGRIPPA - is the son of Herod Agrippa, the king who killed James in Acts 12:1-25. 3. BERNICE - Thayer says, "The eldest daughter o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HAD BEEN THERE MANY DAYS, FESTUS LAID PAUL'S CASE BEFORE THE KING SAYING, " THERE IS A CERTAIN MAN LEFT A PRISONER BY FELIX, 1. Festus makes some conversation with Agrippa. He is facing a difficult decision. 1. He can send Paul to Jerusalem, knowing he is innocent and will be killed by t... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT WHOM THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE ELDERS OF THE JEWS INFORMED ME, WHEN I WAS IN JERUSALEM, ASKING FOR A JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM. 16 To then I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to ans... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WHEN THEY HAD COME TOGETHER, WITHOUT ANY DELAY, THE NEXT DAY I SAT ON THE JUDGMENT SEAT AND COMMANDED THE MAN TO BE BROUGHT IN. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusations against him of such things as I supposed. 19 but has some questions against him about their own relig... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BECAUSE I WAS UNCERTAIN OF SUCH QUESTIONS, I ASKED WHETHER HE WAS WILLING TO GO TO JERUSALEM AND THERE BE JUDGED CONCERNING THESE MATTERS. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I cold send him to Caesar. 22 Then Agrippa said to F... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE NEXT DAY, WHEN AGRIPPA AND BERNICE HAD COME WITH GREAT POMP, AND HAD ENTERED THE AUDITORIUM WITH THE COMMANDERS AND THE PROMINENT MEN OF THE CITY, AT FESTUS' COMMAND PAUL WAS BROUGHT IN. 1. A large assembly hall is used to hold all that are interested in hearing this case. 2. Agrippa and Be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FESTUS SAID, " KING AGRIPPA AND ALL THE MEN WHO ARE HERE PRESENT WITH US, YOU SEE THIS MAN ABOUT WHOM THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY OF THE JEWS PETITIONED ME, BOTH AT JERUSALEM AND HERE, CRYING OUT THAT HE WAS NOT FIT TO LIVE ANY LONGER. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death... [ Continue Reading ]