Acts 25:14
in Acts 25Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;
KJV
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
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This verse in Acts 25
Commentary
5 notes on this verseDeclared Paul’s cause unto the king - Festus knew that Agrippa was better acquainted with such matters than he was; and he wished, in some sort, to make him a party in this business.
This site's exposition
whom Felix left in prison
on Acts 25:14-16
Festus tells the king of a man Felix left in prison. He states the Roman custom that an accused man faces his accusers before he is handed over. That principle stands in some tension with his own proposal at verse 9.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
(1.) He found him a prisoner when he came into the government of this province; and therefore could not of his own knowledge give an account of his cause from the beginning: There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix; and therefore, if there were any thing amiss in the first taking of him into custody, Festus is not to answer for that, for he found him in bonds.
And when they had been there many days,.... Indulging themselves in pleasure, and spending their time in conversing on various subjects; and in order to carry on the conversation, and pass away time, Festus declared Paul's case unto the king; in the following manner: saying, there is a certain man left in bonds by Felix; the former governor in Caesarea, meaning Paul.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Festus declared Paul’s cause - He did this, probably, because Agrippa, being a Jew, would be supposed to he interested in the case. It was natural that this trial should be a topic of conversation, and perhaps Festus might be disposed to ask what was proper to be done in such cases. Left in bonds - Greek: “a prisoner” - δέσμιος desmios. He was left in custody, probably in the keeping of a soldier, Act 24:23, Act 24:27.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὡς | hos | As | G5613 → | 500 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πλείους | pleious | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| διέτριβον | dietribon | they were staying | G1304 → | 9 times |
| ἐκεῖ, | ekei | there, | G1563 → | 105 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φῆστος | phestos | Festus | G5347 → | 13 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεῖ | basilei | king | G935 → | 114 times |
| ἀνέθετο | anetheto | laid before | G394 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατὰ | kata | relating to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἀνήρ | aner | A man | G435 → | 216 times |
| τίς | tis | certain | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | there is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καταλελειμμένος | kataleleimmenos | left | G2641 → | 23 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| Φήλικος | phelikos | Felix | G5344 → | 9 times |
| δέσμιος, | desmios | [as] a prisoner, | G1198 → | 16 times |
ὡςAs
hosG5613 →500 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
πλείουςmany
pleiousG4183 →367 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
διέτριβονthey were staying
dietribonG1304 →9 times
ἐκεῖ,there,
ekeiG1563 →105 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦῆστοςFestus
phestosG5347 →13 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
βασιλεῖking
basileiG935 →114 times
ἀνέθετοlaid before
anethetoG394 →
τὰthe [things]
taG3588 →19766 times
κατὰrelating to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
ἀνήρA man
anerG435 →216 times
τίςcertain
tisG5100 →528 times
ἐστινthere is
estinG1510 →2333 times
καταλελειμμένοςleft
kataleleimmenosG2641 →23 times
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
ΦήλικοςFelix
phelikosG5344 →9 times
δέσμιος,[as] a prisoner,
desmiosG1198 →16 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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 24:27After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
it leads to
- Acts 25:9
But 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?”
- Acts 12:3
And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- Mark 15:15
And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Acts 25:1
Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
- Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Acts 25:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
