Acts 25:12
in Acts 25Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed unto Cæsar: unto Cæsar shalt thou go.
KJV
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cesar? unto Cesar shalt thou go.
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This verse in Acts 25
Commentary
8 notes on this verseConferred with the council - From this circumstance, we may learn that the appeal of Paul to Caesar was conditional; else Festus could not have deliberated with his council whether it should be granted; for he had no power to refuse to admit such an appeal.
This site's exposition
Hast thou appealed unto Cesar
Festus confers with his council, likely a body of legal assessors rather than any Jewish body, before confirming the appeal's validity, a formality that shows Roman process still being observed correctly even under political pressure. Unto Cesar shalt thou go is not a ruling on guilt but an administrative acknowledgment, the case now belongs to a court above the provincial governor entirely. Festus is relieved of a decision he clearly did not want to make either way.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But this king Agrippa, who was also a Herod, was a different Agrippa, after him of James' time, so that this is the fourth Herod. See how his enemies cooperate with him against their will. To make the audience large, Agrippa falls into a desire of hearing: and he does not simply hear, but with much parade.
"Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council" - do you observe how he seeks to gratify them? for this is favor - "having conferred," it says, "with the council, he said, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shall thou go." See how his trial is again lengthened out, and how the plot against him becomes an occasion for the preaching: so that with ease and in safe custody he should be taken away to Rome, with none to plot evil against him: for it was not the same thing his simply coming there, and his coming on such a cause. For, in fact this was what made the Jews come together there. Then again, some time passes while he tarries at Jerusalem, that you may learn, that, though some time passed, the evil design against him prevails nothing, God not permitting it.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The council - It was customary for a considerable number of persons of distinction to attend the Roman governors. These constituted a kind of council, with whom they frequently advised.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Festus--little expecting such an appeal, but bound to respect it. having conferred with the council--his assessors in judgment, as to the admissibility of the appeal. said, Hast thou--for "thou hast." to Cæsar shalt thou go--as if he would add perhaps "and see if thou fare better." Ac 25:13-27.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
When he had conferred with the council - With his associate judges, or with those who were his counselors in the administration of justice. They were made up of the chief persons, probably military as well as civil, who were about him, and who were his assistants in the administration of the affairs of the province. Unto Caesar shalt thou go - He was willing in this way to rid himself of the trial, and of the vexation attending it. He did not dare to deliver him to the Jews in violation of the Roman laws, and he was not willing to do justice to Paul, and thus make himself unpopular with the Jews. He was, therefore, probably rejoiced at the opportunity of thus freeing himself from all the trouble in the case in a manner against which none could object.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆστος | phestos | Festus | G5347 → | 13 times |
| συλλαλήσας | sullalesas | having conferred | G4814 → | |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συμβουλίου | sumbouliou | Council | G4824 → | |
| ἀπεκρίθη· | apekrithe | answered; | G611 → | 231 times |
| Καίσαρα | kaisara | To Caesar | G2541 → | 29 times |
| ἐπικέκλησαι, | epikeklesai | You have appealed, | G1941 → | 30 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| Καίσαρα | kaisara | Caesar | G2541 → | 29 times |
| πορεύσῃ.¶ | poreuse | you will go! | G4198 → | 147 times |
ΤότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆστοςFestus
phestosG5347 →13 times
συλλαλήσαςhaving conferred
sullalesasG4814 →
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
συμβουλίουCouncil
sumbouliouG4824 →
ἀπεκρίθη·answered;
apekritheG611 →231 times
ΚαίσαραTo Caesar
kaisaraG2541 →29 times
ἐπικέκλησαι,You have appealed,
epikeklesaiG1941 →30 times
ἐπὶto
epiG1909 →883 times
ΚαίσαραCaesar
kaisaraG2541 →29 times
πορεύσῃ.¶you will go!
poreuseG4198 →147 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
Philippians 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or…
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:16
But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name.
- 1 Corinthians 6:20
you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
- Isaiah 54:4
Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; do not be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated. For you will forget the shame of your youth and will remember…
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 2:28
And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.
- 1 Peter 4:16
Through
Acts 19:21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as…
it leads to
- Acts 20:22
And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
- Acts 20:16
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
- Acts 20:22
Through
Acts 28:16When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
it leads to
- Acts 27:3
The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
- Acts 27:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.