For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
- KJV For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
- NKJV For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
- NASB For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him as well.”
- NLT For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!”
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 it seems unreasonable to send a prisoner to Caesar without specifying the charges against him. He explains his purpose in convening this hearing.
Overview
Festus recognizes the absurdity of forwarding a prisoner with no stated crime, exposing once more the emptiness of the case. His honest perplexity testifies to Paul's innocence. The verse closes the introduction to Paul's defense, in which the apostle will move beyond legalities to the heart of the gospel before Agrippa.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- John 7:51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- Prov 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
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 25:27 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.