Bullet Point Bible

Festus Takes Charge and Hears the Accusations

¹ Now three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.² So the chief priests and the most prominent men of the Jews brought formal charges against Paul to him.³ Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, they urged Festus to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him along the way.⁴ Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there shortly.⁵ "So," he said, let your leaders go down there with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, they may bring charges against him.

Porcius Festus replaced Felix as the Roman governor (procurator) of Judea around 59/60 AD, inheriting the unresolved case of Paul.
Festus immediately engaged with the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem, demonstrating a desire to understand the local political landscape.
The Jewish leaders renewed their accusations against Paul, showing their persistent hostility two years after his initial arrest (Acts 24:27).
Their request to move Paul to Jerusalem was a pretext for an assassination plot, highlighting their desperation and disregard for Roman law (Acts 23:12-15).
Festus, perhaps sensing danger or simply following Roman legal procedure, denied their request and insisted the trial occur in Caesarea, the Roman administrative capital.
Festus invited the Jewish leaders to present their case formally in Caesarea, adhering to the principle that accusers must face the accused.
This section reveals the ongoing political and religious tension between the Jewish authorities and the Roman administration, with Paul caught in the middle.

Paul Before Festus in Caesarea

⁶ After Festus had stayed not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought.⁷ When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they were not able to prove.⁸ Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."⁹ But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there on these charges?"¹⁰ Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.¹¹ If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"¹² Then, after conferring with his council, Festus replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"

Festus acted relatively quickly, holding the hearing shortly after returning to Caesarea, unlike Felix who delayed for years (Acts 24:27).
The Jewish accusers repeated their charges, but Luke emphasizes their inability to provide evidence ("not able to prove"), reinforcing Paul's innocence under Roman law.
Paul's defense was concise and threefold: He had not violated Jewish law, desecrated the temple, or committed treason against Rome.
Festus, despite likely recognizing Paul's innocence, considered moving the trial to Jerusalem to appease the Jewish leaders – a politically motivated move rather than a legally necessary one. This echoes Pilate's dilemma with Jesus (Luke 23:13-25).
Paul recognized the danger of a trial in Jerusalem (potential ambush, biased court) and asserted his right as a Roman citizen.
Standing before the governor's judgment seat (bema) was legally equivalent to standing before Caesar's authority in the province.
Paul's appeal to Caesar (the Emperor, likely Nero at this time) was a legal right for Roman citizens, transferring the case from the provincial governor to the imperial court in Rome.
This appeal was a pivotal moment, ensuring Paul's journey to Rome, which God had previously promised (Acts 23:11). It demonstrates God's sovereignty working through human legal systems.
Festus, after consulting his advisors (consilium), had no choice but to grant the appeal, highlighting the power of Roman citizenship. His final statement is almost dismissive, yet it seals Paul's path to Rome.

Festus Consults King Agrippa II

¹³ After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.¹⁴ While they were staying there many days, Festus explained Paul's case to the king to get his opinion, saying, "There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix.¹⁵ When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.¹⁶ I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met his accusers face-to-face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation.¹⁷ So after they came back here with me, I did not postpone the case, but the next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought.¹⁸ When his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the evil deeds I had suspected.¹⁹ Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive.²⁰ Because I was at a loss how I could investigate these matters, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.²¹ But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar."²² Agrippa said to Festus, "I would also like to hear the man myself." Tomorrow, he replied, you will hear him.

King Herod Agrippa II (great-grandson of Herod the Great) and his sister/consort Bernice visited Festus. Agrippa ruled territories northeast of Judea and had expertise in Jewish affairs, making his input valuable to Festus.
Festus used the visit as an opportunity to seek advice on Paul's complex case, particularly regarding the Jewish religious elements he didn't fully grasp.
Festus recounted the events, emphasizing his adherence to Roman legal procedure (allowing defense, facing accusers) – perhaps slightly embellishing his own diligence and fairness.
Festus correctly identified the core issue as religious disputes ("about their own religion") centered on "a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul claimed was alive." This highlights the resurrection as the central point of contention.
Festus admitted his confusion ("at a loss how to investigate") regarding these theological matters, revealing the Roman perspective on Jewish religious quarrels.
He explained Paul's appeal to Caesar, which now obligated Festus to send Paul to Rome with a formal report (elogium) detailing the charges. Crafting this report without clear charges was Festus's new problem.
Agrippa, known for his interest in Jewish religious matters (cf. Acts 26:3), expressed a personal desire to hear Paul. This provided Festus with an opportunity to gather information for his report to Caesar.
This consultation sets the stage for Paul's defense before Agrippa in Acts 26, providing another high-profile platform for Paul to witness.

Paul Presented Before Agrippa and Bernice

²³ So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall, along with the senior military officers and the prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the order, Paul was brought in.²⁴ Then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting loudly that he ought not to live any longer.²⁵ But I found that he had done nothing that deserved death, and when he appealed to His Majesty the Emperor, I decided to send him.²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this preliminary hearing I may have something to write.²⁷ For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him."

The hearing before Agrippa was arranged with "great pomp," indicating a formal state occasion involving Roman military commanders and local civic leaders, contrasting sharply with Paul's status as a prisoner.
Festus presented Paul to the assembly, reiterating the intense Jewish opposition demanding Paul's death.
Festus publicly declared his own finding: Paul had done "nothing worthy of death" according to Roman law. This vindication is significant, even though Festus hadn't released him.
Festus explicitly stated his dilemma: He needed to send Paul to Caesar (Nero, addressed respectfully as "my lord") but lacked specific, credible charges for the official report (elogium).
The purpose of this hearing, from Festus's perspective, was purely informational – to gather details from Paul's testimony, especially under Agrippa's expert questioning, to formulate the necessary legal documents for Rome.
Festus acknowledged the absurdity ("unreasonable") of sending a prisoner for imperial judgment without clear charges, highlighting the weakness of the case against Paul from a Roman legal standpoint.
This elaborate setting provided Paul with an audience he could not otherwise have reached – royalty, military leaders, and civic officials – fulfilling God's plan for him to testify before kings (Acts 9:15).
The scene underscores the irony: Paul, the prisoner in chains, is morally and legally superior to the powerful officials struggling to find fault in him, while the actual instigators (the Jerusalem leadership) are absent but influential.

The Bullet Point Bible

Acts 25