Acts 25:10
in Acts 25Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Paul said, I am standing before Cæsar’s judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.
KJV
Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
⋯
This verse in Acts 25
Commentary
9 notes on this verseI stand at Caesar’s judgment seat - Every procurator represented the person of the emperor in the province over which he presided; and, as the seat of government was at Caesarea, and Paul was now before the tribunal on which the emperor’s representative sat, he could say, with the strictest propriety, that he stood before Caesar’s judgment seat, where, as a freeman of Rome, he should be tried.
This site's exposition
the judgment seat of Caesar
Paul names the court where he already stands, the judgment seat of Caesar, and refuses a venue beyond Roman protection. He stands on the rights his citizenship grants him, the same appeal to due process he has made since his arrest (22:25-29).
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Some one might say, How is it, that having been told, "Thou must also bear witness of Me in Rome", he, as if unbelieving, did this? God forbid: nay, he did it, because he so strongly believed. For it would have been a tempting of God to be bold on account of that declaration, and to cast himself into numberless dangers, and to say: "Let us see if God is able even thus to deliver me." But not so does Paul; no, he does his part, all that in him lies, committing the whole to God. Quietly also he reproves the governor: for, "If," says he, "I am an offender, thou doest well: but if not, why dost thou give me up?" "No man," he says, "may sacrifice me." He put him in fear, so that even if he wished, he could not sacrifice him to them; while also as an excuse to them he had Paul's appeal to allege.
"But Paul said, At Caesar's tribunal am I standing," etc.: he did not say, I will not, lest he should make the judge more vehement, but here again is his great boldness: They cast me out once for all, themselves, and by this they think to condemn me, by their showing that I have offended against Caesar: at his bar I choose to be judged, at the bar of the injured person himself. "To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest." Here now he reproved him, that he too wished to sacrifice him to the Jews: then, on the other hand, he relaxes the sternness of his speech: "if then I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die." I utter sentence against myself. For along with boldness of speech there must be also justness of cause, so as to abash the hearer. "But if there be nothing in the things whereof these accuse me, no man" - however he may wish it - "no man may sacrifice me to please them." He said, not, I am not worthy of death, nor, I am worthy to be acquitted, but, I am ready to take my trial before Caesar. At the same time too, remembering the dream, he was the more confident to appeal. And he said not, Thou mayest not, but, neither any other man may sacrifice me, that it might be no affront to him.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"I stand before Caesar's judgment seat" means: I wish to go to Rome to Caesar and there receive judgment. I demand this, he says, from you.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I am standing at Caesar's judgment seat - For all the courts of the Roman governors were held in the name of the emperor, and by commission from him. No man can give me up - He expresses it modestly: the meaning is, Thou canst not. I appeal to Caesar - Which any Roman citizen might do before sentence was passed.
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment seat--that is, I am already before the proper tribunal. This seems to imply that he understood Festus to propose handing him over to the Sanhedrim for judgment (and see on Ac 25:11), with a mere promise of protection from him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then said Paul ... - The reasons why Paul declined the proposal to be tried at Jerusalem are obvious. He had experienced so much violent persecution from his countrymen, and their minds were so full of prejudice, misconception, and enmity, that he had neither justice nor favor to hope at them hands. He knew, too, that they had formerly plotted against his life, and that he had been removed to Caesarea for the purpose of safety. It would be madness and folly to throw himself again into their hands, or to give them another opportunity to form a plan against his life. As he was, therefore, under no obligation to return to Jerusalem, and as Festus did not propose it because it could be supposed that justice would be promoted by it, but to gratify the Jews, Paul prudently declined the proposal, and appealed to the Roman emperor. I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat - The Roman emperors after Julius Caesar were all called “Caesar”; thus, Augustus Caesar, Claudius Caesar, etc., as all the kings of Egypt were called “Pharaoh,” though they each had his proper name, as Pharaoh Necho, etc. The emperor at this time (60 a.d.) was Nero, one of the most cruel and impious men that ever sat on a throne. It was under him that Paul was afterward beheaded. When Paul says, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat,” he means to say that he regarded the tribunal before which he then stood, and on which Festus sat, as really the judgment seat of Caesar. The procurator, or governor, held his commission from the Roman emperor, and it was, in fact, his tribunal. The reason why Paul made this declaration may be thus expressed: “I am a Roman citizen. I have a right to justice. I am under no obligation to put myself again in the hands of the Jews. […]
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπεν | eipen | Said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλος· | paulos | Paul; | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | Before | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βήματος | bematos | judgment seat | G968 → | 12 times |
| Καίσαρος | kaisaros | of Caesar | G2541 → | 29 times |
| ἑστώς | hestos | standing | G2476 → | 153 times |
| εἰμι, | eimi | I am, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οὗ | hou | where | G3757 → | 24 times |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| δεῖ | dei | it behooves | G1163 → | 101 times |
| κρίνεσθαι. | krinesthai | to be judged. | G2919 → | 114 times |
| Ἰουδαίους | ioudaious | To [the] Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| οὐδὲν | ouden | no [thing] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| ἠδίκησα, | edikesa | I have done wrong, | G91 → | 28 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σὺ | su | you yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| κάλλιον | kallion | very well | G2566 → | |
| ἐπιγινώσκεις· | epiginoskeis | know; | G1921 → | 44 times |
εἶπενSaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Παῦλος·Paul;
paulosG3972 →158 times
ἐπὶBefore
epiG1909 →883 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
βήματοςjudgment seat
bematosG968 →12 times
Καίσαροςof Caesar
kaisarosG2541 →29 times
ἑστώςstanding
hestosG2476 →153 times
εἰμι,I am,
eimiG1510 →2333 times
οὗwhere
houG3757 →24 times
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
δεῖit behooves
deiG1163 →101 times
κρίνεσθαι.to be judged.
krinesthaiG2919 →114 times
ἸουδαίουςTo [the] Jews
ioudaiousG2453 →192 times
οὐδὲνno [thing]
oudenG3762 →232 times
ἠδίκησα,I have done wrong,
edikesaG91 →28 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σὺyou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
κάλλιονvery well
kallionG2566 →
ἐπιγινώσκεις·know;
epiginoskeisG1921 →44 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 4:2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:3–5
For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11
Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 6:4–7
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
- 2 Corinthians 2:17
Through
Acts 26:31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
it leads to
- Acts 23:29
I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Acts 23:9
A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 23:29
Through
Matthew 27:18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
- Proverbs 27:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.