Acts 25:16

But I told them, ‘That’s not how we Romans judge people. If somebody blames another person, we don’t say that person is guilty until after we get them in front of a judge with the people that are blaming them. And we let that person say why they reckon they are not guilty.’

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

In Context

15You see, I went to Jerusalem, and the Jewish ceremony bosses and elders there, they told me that this man did a lot of bad things. They asked me to say he is guilty, and to tell my soldiers to kill him.

17So those Jewish leaders came here to Caesarea with me. I didn’t waste any time. The next day, I sat down on the judge’s seat, and I told some soldiers to bring Paul in.

Read all of Acts 25

Cross References

Genesis 39:19Potifar heard his wife say that Joseph did those bad things to her. And Potifar got really angry.

Acts 23:30And right now somebody told me that some Jews are planning secretly to kill Paul, so I’m sending him to you. I reckon you can judge him properly there. And I told the Jews that want to blame him, ‘Go and do that in the court at Caesarea.’” That is the letter that the big boss soldier wrote to Felix.

Acts 26:1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “All right, you can talk to us now and tell us your story.” So Paul waved his hand to thank Agrippa, and he started to tell them why he was not guilty. He said,

Matthew Henry on Acts 25:14-27

Agrippa's Visit to Festus; Paul Arraigned before Agrippa. 13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus. 14 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: 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Acts 25:16