Acts 25:7
in Acts 25When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove;
KJV
And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
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This verse in Acts 25
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd when he was come,.... Into court: the Jews which came down from Jerusalem; along with Festus, perhaps the high priest with the elders, and Tertullus the orator, as before: stood round about; either the Apostle Paul, or the judgment seat; the witnesses and accusers were to stand, as well as the person accused; See Gill on Mar 14:
This site's exposition
he sat on the judgment seat
on Acts 25:6-7
Festus went down to Caesarea after no more than eight or ten days, and the Jerusalem accusers followed to renew their case. They brought many serious charges that they could not prove, the outcome Lysias had reported at 23:29 and Paul had answered at 24:12-13.
This site's exposition
many serious charges
The accusers stood around Paul, as Gill notes witnesses and accusers did in such a court. Chrysostom infers from Paul's reply in verse 8 that they raised a charge touching Caesar, the same move made at the trial of Jesus. Clarke names sedition and treason as the likely new charges.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But after they came down, they forthwith made their accusations shamelessly and with more vehemence: and not having been able to convict him on grounds relating to the Law, they again according to their custom stirred the question about Caesar, being just what they did in Christ's case. For that they had recourse to this is manifest by the fact, that Paul defends himself on the score of offences against Caesar.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Either the fact was not as they opened it, or there was no fault in it; they laid to his charge things that he knew not, nor they neither. It is no new thing for the most excellent ones of the earth to have all manner of evil said against them falsely, not only in the song of the drunkards, and upon the seat of the scornful, but even before the judgment-seat.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Grievous complaints - Heavy accusations. Doubtless the same with which they had charged him before Felix, Act 24:5-6. Compare Act 25:19. Which they could not prove - Act 24:13, Act 24:19.
The Jews - laid many and grievous complaints against Paul - As they must have perceived that the Roman governors would not intermeddle with questions of their law, etc., they no doubt invented some new charges, such as sedition, treason, etc., in order to render the mind of the governor evil affected towards Paul; but their malicious designs were defeated, for assertion would not go for proof before a Roman tribunal: this court required proof, and the blood-thirsty persecutors of the apostle could produce none.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Παραγενομένου | paragenomenou | When was arriving | G3854 → | 36 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περιέστησαν | periestesan | they stood around | G4026 → | |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| Ἱεροσολύμων | hi'erosolumon | Jerusalem | G2414 → | 62 times |
| καταβεβηκότες | katabebekotes | having come down | G2597 → | 81 times |
| Ἰουδαῖοι | ioudaioi | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| πολλὰ | polla | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| βαρέα | barea | weighty | G926 → | |
| αἰτιώματα | aitiomata | charges | G157 → | |
| καταφέροντες | katapherontes | presenting | G2702 → | 4 times |
| ἃ | ha | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἴσχυον | ischuon | they were able | G2480 → | 28 times |
| ἀποδεῖξαι, | apodeixai | to prove, | G584 → |
ΠαραγενομένουWhen was arriving
paragenomenouG3854 →36 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτοῦhe
autouG846 →5565 times
περιέστησανthey stood around
periestesanG4026 →
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
ἹεροσολύμωνJerusalem
hi'erosolumonG2414 →62 times
καταβεβηκότεςhaving come down
katabebekotesG2597 →81 times
ἸουδαῖοιJews
ioudaioiG2453 →192 times
πολλὰmany
pollaG4183 →367 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βαρέαweighty
bareaG926 →
αἰτιώματαcharges
aitiomataG157 →
καταφέροντεςpresenting
katapherontesG2702 →4 times
ἃwhich
haG3739 →1405 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἴσχυονthey were able
ischuonG2480 →28 times
ἀποδεῖξαι,to prove,
apodeixaiG584 →
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
Luke 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
it leads to
- Acts 17:6–7
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
- John 19:12
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
- Luke 23:14
and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges…
- Psalms 62:4
They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
- John 18:30
“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
- Acts 17:6–7
Through
Acts 25:24Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he…
it leads to
- Acts 22:22
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
- Acts 25:2–3
where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
- Acts 22:22
Through
Acts 24:13Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
- 1 Peter 3:16
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 Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.