Acts 25:11

King James Version (KJV)

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

For if I be an offender - If it can be proved that I have broken the laws, so as to expose me to capital punishment, I do not wish to save my life by subterfuges; I am before the only competent tribunal; here my business should be ultimately decided.

No man may deliver me unto them - The words of the apostle are very strong and appropriate. The Jews asked as a favor, χαριν, from Festus, that he would send Paul to Jerusalem, Acts 25:3. Festus, willing to do the Jews χαριν, this favor, asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged, Acts 25:9. Paul says, I have done nothing amiss, either against the Jews or against Caesar; therefore no man με δυναται αυτοις χαρισασθαι, can make a Present of me to them; that is, favor them so far as to put my life into their hands, and thus gratify them by my death. Festus, in his address to Agrippa, Acts 25:16, admits this, and uses the same form of speech: It is not the custom of the Romans, χαριζεσθαι, gratuitously to give up any one, etc. Much of the beauty of this passage is lost by not attending to the original words. See on Acts 25:16; (note).

I appeal unto Caesar - A freeman of Rome, who had been tried for a crime, and sentence passed on him, had a right to appeal to the emperor, if he conceived the sentence to be unjust; but, even before the sentence was pronounced, he had the privilege of an appeal, in criminal cases, if he conceived that the judge was doing any thing contrary to the laws. Ante sententiam appellari potest in criminali negotio, si judex contra leges hoc faciat. - Grotius.

An appeal to the emperor was highly respected. The Julian law condemned those magistrates, and others having authority, as violaters of the public peace, who had put to death, tortured, scourged, imprisoned, or condemned any Roman citizen who had appealed to Caesar. Lege Julia de vi publica damnatur, qui aliqua potestate praeditus, Civem Romanum ad Imperatorem appellantem necarit, necarive jusserit, torserit, verberauerit, condemnaverit, in publica vincula duci jusserit. Pauli Recept. Sent. lib. v. t. 26.

This law was so very sacred and imperative, that, in the persecution under Trajan, Pliny would not attempt to put to death Roman citizens who were proved to have turned Christians; hence, in his letter to Trajan, lib. x. Ep. 97, he says, Fuerunt alii similis amentiae, quos, quia cives Romani erant, annotavi in urbem remittendos. 'There were others guilty of similar folly, whom, finding them to be Roman citizens, I have determined to send to the city." Very likely these had appealed to Caesar.

Was this helpful?

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

For if I be an offender - If I have injured the Jews so as to deserve death. If it can be proved that I have done injury to anyone.

I refuse not to die - I have no wish to escape justice. I do not wish to evade the laws, or to take advantage of any circumstances to screen me from just punishment. Paul‘s whole course showed that this was the noble spirit which actuated him. No true Christian wishes to escape from the laws. He will honor them, and not seek to evade them. But, like other people, he has rights; and he may and should insist that justice should be done.

No man may deliver me unto them - No man shall be allowed to do it. This bold and confident declaration Paul could make, because he knew what the law required, and he knew that Festus would not dare to deliver him up contrary to the law. Boldness is not incompatible with Christianity; and innocence, when its rights are invaded, is always bold. Jesus firmly asserted his rights when on trial John 18:23, and no man is under obligation to submit to be trampled on by an unjust tribunal in violation of the laws.

I appeal unto Caesar - I appeal to the man emperor, and carry my cause directly before him. By the Valerian, Porcian, and Sempronian laws, it had been enacted that if any magistrate should be about to beat, or to put to death any Roman citizen, the accused could appeal to the Roman people, and this appeal carried the cause to Rome. The law was so far changed under the emperors that the cause should be carried before the emperor instead of the people. Every citizen had the right of this appeal; and when it was made, the accused was sent to Rome for trial. Thus, Pliny Romans 1:9-11. For this he had prayed long Romans 1:10; Romans 15:23-24, and now at length this purpose was to be fulfilled. God answers prayer, but it is often in a way which we little anticipate. He so orders the train of events; he so places us amidst a pressure of circumstances, that the desire is granted in a way Which we could never have anticipated, but which shows in the best manner that he is a hearer of prayer.

Was this helpful?

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

See how restless malice is. Persecutors deem it a peculiar favour to have their malice gratified. Preaching Christ, the end of the law, was no offence against the law. In suffering times the prudence of the Lord's people is tried, as well as their patience; they need wisdom. It becomes those who are innocent, to insist upon their innocence. Paul was willing to abide by the rules of the law, and to let that take its course. If he deserved death, he would accept the punishment. But if none of the things whereof they accused him were true, no man could deliver him unto them, with justice. Paul is neither released nor condemned. It is an instance of the slow steps which Providence takes; by which we are often made ashamed, both of our hopes and of our fears, and are kept waiting on God.

Was this helpful?

SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

11. For if. Literally, “if indeed then.” Paul has already denied any offense against the Jews, and by proposing to submit him to a Jewish trial Festus has implied that he is innocent with respect to Roman law. But if in spite of this there was any lingering suspicion that Paul was guilty of some crime, he chose to exercise his prerogative as a Roman citizen to be tried under Roman law.

I refuse not to die. Literally, “I do not plead to avert death.” Compare Josephus Life 29. Paul declares his willingness to face the results of a just trial, whatever the verdict might be.

Deliver. Gr. charizomai, “to do a favor,” “to gratify.” Paul was unwilling to be turned over to his accusers merely as a favor to them. He knew that Festus was trying to win the favor of the Jews. He refused to yield his rights as a Roman citizen merely to please his accusers and make it easier for them to achieve their evil designs on his life. He well knew that the Sanhedrin would accord him neither justice nor mercy.

I appeal unto CÃƒÂ¦sar. Paul closes his appeal with another assertion of his rights (see on ch. 22:25-29). He is ready to risk what may be laid to his charge at Rome, and Caesar’s fairness in reaching a decision on the basis of the evidence. He had long purposed to visit Rome, though not in bonds (Rom. 1:9-12; 15:23, 24). The emperor was the final court of appeal from all subordinate tribunals throughout the empire.

Ever since his appointment as the apostle to the heathen, Paul had suffered and his ministry had been hindered by both Jews and Gentiles (see 2 Cor. 11:24-27). This opposition he willingly endured if by it the cause of Christ might be advanced (Acts 20:22-25; 2 Cor. 4:5-18; Gal. 6:14; Phil. 1:12). However, he had now been confined in Caesarea for two years, uncondemned and without the prospect of a new trial. Lysias (Acts 22:29), Felix (see on ch. 24:23-27), and Festus (see on ch. 25:8, 9, 25) had all concluded that he was innocent of any violation of Roman law. Felix had nevertheless detained Paul, for personal reasons and to please the Jews, and Festus now apparently proposed to continue the policy of conciliating the Jews at Paul’s expense. Thus, as long as Paul remained under the jurisdiction of the Roman procurator of Judea there appeared to be no prospect of acquittal and release, and it made little difference whether he was detained as a condemned prisoner or merely as a political pawn. Either way he was not free to preach the gospel, and to one for whom life held no other ambition or interest such a prospect must have seemed insufferable. Other ambassadors of the cross were no doubt finding their ministry hindered in similar ways.

In NT times Christianity did not enjoy the status of a recognized religion before Roman law, and the practice and promulgation of unrecognized religions was prohibited. Rome tolerated Christianity only because it was at first considered to be a sect of Judaism, which was recognized. By pressing the case against Paul and Christianity the Jews could eventually deprive them of even this benefit, and make their position legally untenable under Roman law. See pp. 47, 93.

It has been suggested that by appealing his case to Caesar, Paul purposed not only to secure a decision in his own case, which had come to a standstill, but also, perhaps, to secure at least a measure of recognition for Christianity as a legal religion in its own right. This might well be expected to afford the ambassadors of the cross greater freedom wherever they might go, and to overcome local opposition the more readily. Even while Paul was still in prison at Rome the very fact that he was not hindered from preaching the gospel in the imperial court, and that at least some “of Caesar’s household” (Phil. 4:22) became Christians, had the effect of making other Christian workers “much more bold to speak the word without fear” (see Phil. 1:12-14). And when it should become known that the emperor had decreed the acquittal of the foremost of Christian evangelists, there would be greater freedom throughout the empire to proclaim the gospel. Paul’s acquittal at the hands of the emperor would thus constitute, or at least prepare the way for, official permission to preach the gospel.

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
The Acts of the Apostles, 428-32

This chapter is based on Acts 25:1-12.

“When Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, and desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem.” In making this request they purposed to waylay Paul along the road to Jerusalem and murder him. But Festus had a high sense of the responsibility of his position, and courteously declined to send for Paul. “It is not the manner of the Romans,” he declared, “to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.” He stated that “he himself would depart shortly” for Caesarea. “Let them there ... which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.” AA 428.1

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
Conflict and Courage, 354.1

I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged.... For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not do die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Acts 25:10, 11. CC 354.1

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

Cross References

if I