Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.
Parallel translations
- WEB but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- KJV But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- BSB They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- NKJV but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- NASB but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.
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
Festus says the dispute was about their religion and about a dead man named Jesus whom Paul claimed to be alive. He unwittingly states the central gospel claim.
Overview
From a pagan governor's lips comes the very issue at stake: the resurrection of Jesus, whom Paul declares alive. Festus treats it as an obscure religious quarrel, yet it is the truth on which all of Christianity rests. The remark underscores that the resurrection of Christ is the dividing line, dismissed by the world but proclaimed by Paul as the foundation of saving faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Acts 23:29I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
- Acts 18:15but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”
- 1 Cor 15:3–4For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
- Acts 17:31because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”
- Acts 26:22–23Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
- 1 Cor 15:14–20If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.
- Acts 2:32This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
- Acts 17:22–23Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
- Acts 25:7When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,
- Acts 18:19He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
- Acts 1:22beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
- Rev 1:18and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 25:19 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.