Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.
- BSB Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
- NKJV So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.
- NASB But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.
- NLT But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul insists he is standing before Caesar's tribunal, where he ought to be tried, and that he has wronged the Jews in nothing. He refuses to be handed to a biased Jerusalem court.
Overview
As a Roman citizen Paul claims his right to be judged by Roman authority rather than transferred to hostile religious leaders. His firm reply exposes that even Festus knows he is innocent. Paul's appeal to lawful justice both protects his life and serves God's plan to bring his witness before the emperor in Rome.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 27:18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
- 2 Cor 4:2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Acts 28:18Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
- Acts 25:25But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
- Acts 26:31And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
- Acts 25:6And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
- Matt 27:23–24And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
- Acts 23:29Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
- Acts 22:25–28And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
- Acts 16:37–38But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
- Acts 25:17Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 25:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.