Acts 24:27
in Acts 24After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
KJV
But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAfter two years were completed, Felix receives his successor Porcius Festus. He refers to the two years of Paul's stay in Caesarea, not Felix's procuratorship. For it is said above that he was a judge for that nation for many years. Especially since the histories …
This site's exposition
Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus
After two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and Tacitus also records the change, dating Felix's recall to Rome. Wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison, a prisoner he knew to be innocent.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Go thy way," he says, "for this time: when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Observe his hardness of heart: hearing such things, "he hoped that he should receive money from him!" And not only so, but even after conversing with him - for it was towards the end of his government - he left him bound, "willing to show the Jews a pleasure": so that he not only coveted money, but also glory. How, O wretch, canst thou look for money from a man who preaches the contrary? But that he did not get it, is evident from his leaving him bound; he would have loosed him, had he received it. "Of temperance," it says, he reasoned; but the other was hankering to receive money from him who discoursed these things! And to ask indeed he did not dare: for such is wickedness: but he hoped it. "And when two years were completed," etc., so that it was but natural that he showed them a pleasure, as he had been so long governor there.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But after two years,....
Here is no time lost, for they are ready for a hearing after five days; all other business is laid aside immediately, to prosecute Paul; so intent are evil men to do evil!
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But after two years - Paul was unjustly detained during all this time. The hope of Felix seems to have been to weary his patience, and induce him to purchase his freedom. Came into Felix’ room - As governor. And Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure - Desirous of pleasing them, even at the expense of justice, This shows the principle on which he acted. Left Paul bound - Left him in custody to the charge of his successor.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
That Luke wrote his Gospel during this period, under the apostle's superintendence, is the not unlikely conjecture of able critics. Porcius Festus--Little is known of him.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
After two years - That is, from the time that Paul came prisoner to Caesarea. Porcius Festus - This man was put into the government of Judea about a.d. 60, the sixth or seventh year of Nero. In the succeeding chapter we shall see the part that he took in the affairs of St. Paul. Willing to show the Jews a pleasure - As he had not got the money which he expected, he hoped to be able to prevent the complaints of the Jews against his government, by leaving Paul, in some measure, in their hands. For it was customary for governors, etc., when they left, or were removed from a particular district or province, to do some public, beneficent act, in order to make themselves popular. But Felix gained nothing by this: the Jews pursued him with their complaints against his administration, even to the throne of the emperor. Josephus states the matter thus: “Now when Porcius Festus was sent as successor to Felix, by Nero, the principal of the Jewish inhabitants of Caesarea went up to Rome, to accuse Felix. And he certainly would have been brought to punishment, had not Nero yielded to the importunate solicitations of his brother Pallas, who was at that time in the highest reputation with the emperor.” - Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 9. Thus, like the dog in the fable, by snatching at the shadow, he lost the substance. He hoped for money from the apostle, and got none; he sought to conciliate the friendship of the Jews, and miscarried. Honesty is the best policy: he that fears God need fear nothing else. Justice and truth never deceive their possessor. 1. Envy and malice are indefatigable, and torment themselves in order to torment and ruin others. […]
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διετίας | dietias | When two years | G1333 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πληρωθείσης | plerotheises | having been completed | G4137 → | 86 times |
| ἔλαβεν | elaben | he received [as] | G2983 → | 257 times |
| διάδοχον | diadochon | successor | G1240 → | |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆλιξ | phelix | Felix | G5344 → | 9 times |
| Πόρκιον | porkion | Porcius | G4201 → | |
| Φῆστον, | pheston | Festus, | G5347 → | 13 times |
| θέλων | thelon | wishing | G2309 → | 208 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| χάριτα | charita | favor | G5485 → | 153 times |
| καταθέσθαι | katathesthai | to acquire for himself | G2698 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | with the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίοις | ioudaiois | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆλιξ | phelix | Felix | G5344 → | 9 times |
| κατέλιπεν | katelipen | left | G2641 → | 23 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| δεδεμένον.¶ | dedemenon | imprisoned. | G1210 → | 43 times |
ΔιετίαςWhen two years
dietiasG1333 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
πληρωθείσηςhaving been completed
plerotheisesG4137 →86 times
ἔλαβενhe received [as]
elabenG2983 →257 times
διάδοχονsuccessor
diadochonG1240 →
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆλιξFelix
phelixG5344 →9 times
ΠόρκιονPorcius
porkionG4201 →
Φῆστον,Festus,
phestonG5347 →13 times
θέλωνwishing
thelonG2309 →208 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
χάριταfavor
charitaG5485 →153 times
καταθέσθαιto acquire for himself
katathesthaiG2698 →
τοῖςwith the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαίοιςJews
ioudaioisG2453 →192 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆλιξFelix
phelixG5344 →9 times
κατέλιπενleft
katelipenG2641 →23 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
δεδεμένον.¶imprisoned.
dedemenonG1210 →43 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
Acts 12:3And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:15
You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread as I commanded you: At the appointed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, because that was…
- John 12:43
For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
- Leviticus 23:6–14
On the fifteenth day of the same month begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
- Exodus 23:15
Through
Mark 15:15And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
it leads to
- John 19:1
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
- Matthew 27:26
So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Isaiah 50:6
I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.
- Mark 10:34
who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”
- John 19:1
Through
Acts 25:9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
it leads to
- Acts 12:3
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- Acts 12:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
What the record shows
1 entry- Porcius Festus — attested outside the Biblewell-supported
Josephus; coins minted under Festus
Biblical figure (Procurator of Judea, AD 59-62) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: The only substantial witness to Festus is Josephus; no inscription names him, and the Judean coins minted during his tenure carry Nero's name, not his. When exactly he replaced Felix — anywhere from AD 59 to 61 — is genuinely unsettled, and that gap is one of the main loose ends in dating Paul's journey to Rome.
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); Bede, Commentary on Acts; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.