And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
Parallel translations
- WEB asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.
- BSB to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
- NKJV asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.
- NASB requesting a concession against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way).
- NLT They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way).
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
They ask Festus as a favor to bring Paul to Jerusalem, secretly plotting to ambush and kill him on the way. Their request masks a murderous scheme.
Overview
The leaders revive the earlier plot to assassinate Paul during transit (Acts 23:12-15), cloaking their intent in a polite request. Their willingness to murder exposes the depth of their hostility. God's providence will again thwart the conspiracy through Festus's decision, preserving Paul for the witness still to come.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Acts 9:24But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
- Acts 23:12–15And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
- Acts 9:2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
- Rom 3:8And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
- Jer 18:18Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
- Mark 6:23–25And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
- Ps 64:2–6Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
- Jer 38:4Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
- John 16:3And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
- Luke 23:8–24And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
- Acts 26:9–11I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Ps 140:1–5Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
- 1 Sam 23:19–21Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
- Ps 37:32–33The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
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 25:3 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.