Acts 25:16
New International Version
“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.

New Living Translation
I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves.

English Standard Version
I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.

Berean Standard Bible
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

Berean Literal Bible
to whom I answered that it is not the custom with Romans to give up any man before that the one being accused may have it to face the accusers, and he may have the opportunity of defense concerning the accusation.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’

New American Standard Bible
I replied to them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any person before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

NASB 1995
“I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

NASB 1977
“And I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

Legacy Standard Bible
I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.

Amplified Bible
I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man [for punishment] before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has the opportunity to defend himself against the charges.

Christian Standard Bible
I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I answered them that it’s not the Romans’ custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charges.

American Standard Version
To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And I said to them, 'It is not the custom of the Romans to give a man for slaughter as a favor until his adversary at law shall come and blame him to his face and he shall be given an opportunity to render a defense concerning that of which he is accused.”

Contemporary English Version
I told them it isn't the Roman custom to hand a man over to people who are bringing charges against him. He must first have the chance to meet them face to face and to defend himself against their charges.

Douay-Rheims Bible
To whom I answered: It is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present, and have liberty to make his answer, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge.

English Revised Version
To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"I replied to them, 'That's not the Roman way of doing things. A person can't be sentenced as a favor. Before he is sentenced, he must face his accusers and have a chance to defend himself against their accusation.'

Good News Translation
But I told them that we Romans are not in the habit of handing over any who are accused of a crime before they have met their accusers face-to-face and have had the chance of defending themselves against the accusation.

International Standard Version
I answered them that it was not the Roman custom to sentence a man to be punished until the accused met his accusers face to face and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charge.

Literal Standard Version
to whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favor of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defense in regard to the charge laid against [him].

Majority Standard Bible
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over to die before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

New American Bible
I answered them that it was not Roman practice to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.

NET Bible
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.

New Revised Standard Version
I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the charge.

New Heart English Bible
To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense against the charge.

Webster's Bible Translation
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before he who is accused hath the accusers face to face, and hath license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

Weymouth New Testament
My reply was that it is not the custom among the Romans to give up any one for punishment before the accused has had his accusers face to face, and has had an opportunity of defending himself against the charge which has been brought against him.

World English Bible
I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

Young's Literal Translation
unto whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favour of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defence in regard to the charge laid against him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Festus Consults King Agrippa
15While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him. 16I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges. 17So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.…

Cross References
Luke 12:11
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

Acts 23:30
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.

Acts 23:35
he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers arrive." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's Praetorium.

Acts 25:4
But Festus replied, "Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.


Treasury of Scripture

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 license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

It is not.

Acts 25:4,5
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither

and have.

Acts 26:1
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

Deuteronomy 17:4
And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

Deuteronomy 19:17,18
Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; …

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Accused Accusers Charge Crime Custom Defending Defense Deliver Destruction Die Face Hand Laid Manner Matter Met Opportunity Punishment Romans
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Accused Accusers Charge Crime Custom Defending Defense Deliver Destruction Die Face Hand Laid Manner Matter Met Opportunity Punishment Romans
Acts 25
1. The Jews accuse Paul before Festus.
8. He answers for himself,
11. and appeals unto Caesar.
14. Afterwards Festus opens his matter to king Agrippa;
23. and he is brought forth.
25. Festus clears him of having done anything worthy of death.














(16) To whom I answered . . .--The facts of the case are stated with fair accuracy, but there is a certain measure of ostentation in the way in which Festus speaks of "the manner of the Romans." It was, perhaps, natural that a procurator just entering on his term of office, should announce, as with a flourish of trumpets, that he at least was going to be rigidly impartial in his administration of justice. It is fair to state that, as far as we know, his conduct was not inconsistent with his profession.

To deliver any man . . .--The use of the same verb as that which St. Paul had used in Acts 25:16 shows that the arrow shot at a venture had hit the mark. Festus is eager to repel the charge. The words "to die" (literally, unto destruction) are not found in the best MSS., and seem to have been added by way of explanation. The language of the procurator is strictly official. The accused and the accusers are to stand face to face, and the former is to have an opening for his apologia, or defence, in answer to the indictment.

Verse 16. - That it is for it is, A.V.; custom for manner, A.V.; to give up for to deliver... to die, A.V. and T.R.; the accused for he which is accused, A.V.; have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter for have license to answer for himself concerning the crime, A.V. To give up (above, ver. 11, note). Have had opportunity to make his defense (τόπον ἀπολογίας λάβοι); see Acts 22:1, note.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I told
ἀπεκρίθην (apekrithēn)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

[them]
οὓς (hous)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

it was
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

[the] Roman custom
ἔθος (ethos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1485: A custom, habit; an institute, rite. From etho; a usage.

to hand
χαρίζεσθαί (charizesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 5483: (a) To show favor to, (b) To pardon, forgive, (c) To show kindness.

a
τινα (tina)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

man {over}
ἄνθρωπον (anthrōpon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

before
πρὶν (prin)
Adverb
Strong's 4250: Formerly, before. Adverb from pro; prior, sooner.

[he]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

has
λάβοι (laboi)
Verb - Aorist Optative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

[an] opportunity
τόπον (topon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5117: Apparently a primary word; a spot, i.e. Location; figuratively, condition, opportunity; specially, a scabbard.

to
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

face
πρόσωπον (prosōpon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4383: From pros and ops; the front, i.e. The countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person.

[his]
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

accusers
κατηγόρους (katēgorous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2725: An accuser, prosecutor. From kata and agora; against one in the assembly, i.e. A complainant at law; specially, Satan.

and
τε (te)
Conjunction
Strong's 5037: And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.

defend himself
ἀπολογίας (apologias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 627: A verbal defense (particularly in a law court). From the same as apologeomai; a plea.

against
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

[their]
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

charges.
ἐγκλήματος (enklēmatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 1462: An accusation, charge. From egkaleo; an accusation, i.e. Offence alleged.


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