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Acts 25:3

in Acts 25

to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way.

KJV

And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

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This verse in Acts 25

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
And desired favour against him - Desired the favor of Festus, that they might accomplish their wicked purpose on Paul. Would send for him to Jerusalem - Probably under a pretence that he might be tried by the Sanhedrin; or perhaps they wished Festus to hear the cause there, and to decide it while he was at Jerusalem. Their real motive is immediately stated. Laying wait in the way to kill him - That is, they would lie in wait, or they would employ a band of Sicarii, or assassins, to take his life on the journey.

This site's exposition

preparing an ambush to kill him

The request to summon Paul to Jerusalem revives the ambush of 23:12-15, the plot Lysias's night escort had foiled two years before. Luke repeats the plot's exact shape, a request framed as routine legal process that hides a planned murder.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 51 · Written before 407.

proposed

This man is succeeded in his office by another, and he leaves Paul a prisoner: and yet he ought not to have done this; he ought to have put an end to the business: but he leaves him, by way of gratifying them. They however were so urgent, that they again besought the judge. Yet against none of the Apostles had they set themselves thus pertinaciously; there, when they had attacked, anon they desisted. So providentially is he removed from Jerusalem, having to do with such wild beasts. And they nevertheless request that he might be brought again there to be tried. Here now God's providence interposed, not permitting the governor to do this: for it was natural that he having just come to the government would wish to gratify them: but God suffered him not.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 51 · Written before 407.

proposed

"Now when Festus was come into the province," etc. At the very beginning, the priests came to him, who would not have hesitated to go even to Caesarea, unless he had been seen immediately coming up, since immediately on his arrival they come to him. And he spends ten days, in order, I suppose, to be open to those who wished to corrupt him with bribes. But Paul was in the prison. "They besought him," it says, "that he would send for him": why did they desire it as a favor, if he was deserving of death? But thus their plotting became evident even to him, so that discoursing of it (to Agrippa), he says, "desiring to have judgment against him." They wanted to induce him to pass sentence now immediately, being afraid of Paul's tongue.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And desired favour against him,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

desired favour--in Ac 25:15, "judgment." against him--It would seem that they had the insolence to ask him to have the prisoner executed even without a trial (Ac 25:16). laying wait . . . to kill him--How deep must have been their hostility, when two years after the defeat of their former attempt, they thirst as keenly as ever for his blood!

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The words behind it

16 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Acts 23:12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.7 worksPsalms 64:2Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,5 worksActs 9:24but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.4 worksActs 20:3where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.4 works2 Corinthians 11:26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,4 worksPsalms 119:95The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Acts 23:21Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”3 worksHosea 6:8Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.3 worksProverbs 1:11If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,3 worksPsalms 35:20For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.3 worksMark 6:23–25And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”2 worksActs 26:9–11So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.2 works1 Samuel 23:19–21Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?2 worksPsalms 37:32–33Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,2 worksPsalms 140:1–5Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men. Protect me from men of violence,2 worksJeremiah 18:18Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”2 worksLuke 23:8–24When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.2 worksActs 9:2and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each 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

    Acts 9:24

    but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 11:32

      In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.

    • Acts 20:3

      where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.

    • Acts 20:19

      I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

    • Acts 17:10–15

      As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

    • Psalms 21:11

      Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 25 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51 and John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748).

Read on in Acts 25 →