But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Festus offers Paul a choice, but it’s a subtle trap designed to please the Jewish leaders. By suggesting a trial in Jerusalem before himself, he’s not truly offering Paul a fair shake, but rather a way to appease the accusers while still maintaining a veneer of Roman authority.
But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Freshly appointed as governor, Festus visits Jerusalem and is immediately pressed by Jewish leaders to condemn Paul, but he insists the trial must happen in Caesarea. When Festus returns, he offers Paul a choice: be tried in Jerusalem before him, an offer Paul recognizes as a ploy to hand him over to his enemies. Paul, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen, declares he will appeal directly to Caesar rather than face a biased trial in Jerusalem.
Governors and leaders often face a crossroads: do what's right, or do what's popular? Festus is about to make his choice.
Festus finds himself in a tricky spot. He's just taken over as governor, and he wants to make a good impression, especially with the influential Jewish leaders. So, when they bring charges against Paul, Festus's first thought isn't about justice, but about pleasing them.
Shifting the Spotlight
Instead of dealing with the case himself in Caesarea, Festus asks Paul if he'd prefer to go to Jerusalem to be tried. This isn't necessarily about giving Paul a fairer trial; it's a political move. By asking Paul, Festus creates the appearance of fairness while actually trying to appease the Jewish accusers. It's a way to avoid taking full responsibility for a potentially troublesome case.
The Danger of Popularity
This desire to 'do the Jews a pleasure' shows how easily leaders can be swayed by public opinion or the desire for favor, even when it conflicts with justice. Festus, the new governor, seems more concerned with gaining popularity than upholding the law.
When offered a choice that seems reasonable on the surface, Paul sees the hidden danger and stands firm on his rights.
Paul is presented with an offer: go to Jerusalem to be judged. On the one hand, Festus is offering to preside, which might seem like a safeguard. But Paul, a Roman citizen, understands the political currents and the potential danger.
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Caesar's Court vs. Jerusalem
Paul's response is sharp and clear: 'I stand before Caesar's judgment seat, where I must be judged.' He knows that his case, involving accusations that touch on Roman law and citizenship, belongs before the emperor's authority, not a local tribunal in Jerusalem where he fears for his life and where justice might be compromised.
The Privilege of Citizenship
Paul isn't just being difficult; he's exercising a God-given right. As a Roman citizen, he has the right to be tried by Roman law and before Roman authorities. He knows that a trial in Jerusalem, even with Festus present, would likely be biased and dangerous, a setup by his enemies. His appeal to Caesar is a strategic move to ensure his safety and a legitimate trial.
Festus's offer to try Paul in Jerusalem, while appearing to offer a local trial, was a political maneuver to appease the Jewish leaders. Paul's refusal and subsequent appeal to Caesar highlight the tension between Roman justice and local political pressures.
c. AD 59
Festus becomes Procurator of Judea
Porcius Festus succeeds Felix as Roman procurator, inheriting Paul's case. He was keen to gain favor with the Jewish leaders early in his term.
c. AD 59
Festus visits Jerusalem
Festus travels from Caesarea to Jerusalem to meet with Jewish leaders, who immediately petition him to send Paul there for trial.
c. AD 59
Festus convenes court in Caesarea
Festus brings Paul before the court in Caesarea. He listens to the charges but finds no grounds for conviction.
c. AD 59— this verse
Festus proposes trial in Jerusalem
Seeking favor with the Jews, Festus asks Paul if he is willing to travel to Jerusalem to be tried before him.
c. AD 59
Paul appeals to Caesar
Recognizing the danger and lack of justice in Jerusalem, Paul invokes his rights as a Roman citizen and appeals his case directly to Emperor Nero.
c. AD 59
Paul sent to Rome
With Paul's appeal, Festus has no choice but to send him to Rome for judgment by the emperor, ending the immediate threat in Judea.
Jesus, facing a trial, asserts that His kingdom is not of this world, highlighting a distinction between earthly and heavenly authority that resonates with Paul's appeal to Caesar's tribunal over a Jewish one.
Acts 22:25Paul's prior appeal to his Roman citizenship when facing a potential flogging mirrors his current strategic use of that same right to ensure a just trial before the highest authority.
Deuteronomy 17:8-11This passage outlines a legal process for difficult cases brought before the priests and judges, showing a precedent for seeking authoritative judgment, which Paul also pursues, albeit through the Roman system.
1 Corinthians 6:1Paul's instruction to believers not to sue one another before unbelievers contrasts with his own appeal to Caesar, demonstrating that his action is not a general condemnation of the legal system but a specific, necessary defense of his rights as a Roman citizen against unjust persecution.
Philippians 3:20Paul's declaration that his citizenship is in heaven underscores his ultimate loyalty, yet here he strategically uses his earthly Roman citizenship to navigate an unjust system and ultimately reach Rome, fulfilling God's plan for his ministry.
henryActs 25:1-12: "Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem."
25:1-12 See how restless malice is. Persecutors deem it a peculiar favour to have their malice gratified. Preaching Christ, the end of the law, was no offence against the law. In suffering times the prudence of the Lord's people is tried, as well as their patience; they need wisdom. It becomes those who are innocent, to insist upon their innocence. Paul was willing to abide by th…
ellicottActs 25:9: "But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?"
(9) Willing to do the Jews a pleasure. —See Note on Acts 24:27 . The invitation was in itself plausible enough. It practically admitted that there was no evidence on the last head of the accusation of which he, as procurator, need take cognizance. It offered the prisoner a trial before his own national tribunal, with the presence of th…
Festus offers Paul a choice, but it’s a subtle trap designed to please the Jewish leaders. By suggesting a trial in Jerusalem before himself, he’s not truly offering Paul a fair shake, but rather a way to appease the accusers while still maintaining a veneer of Roman authority.
Freshly appointed as governor, Festus visits Jerusalem and is immediately pressed by Jewish leaders to condemn Paul, but he insists the trial must happen in Caesarea. When Festus returns, he offers Paul a choice: be tried in Jerusalem before him, an offer Paul recognizes as a ploy to hand him over to his enemies. Paul, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen, declares he will appeal directly to Caesar rather than face a biased trial in Jerusalem.
Freshly appointed as governor, Festus visits Jerusalem and is immediately pressed by Jewish leaders to condemn Paul, but he insists the trial must happen in Caesarea. When Festus returns, he offers Paul a choice: be tried in Jerusalem before him, an offer Paul recognizes as a ploy to hand him over to his enemies. Paul, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen, declares he will appeal directly to Caesar rather than face a biased trial in Jerusalem.
"But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”" — Festus offers Paul a choice, but it’s a subtle trap designed to please the Jewish leaders. By suggesting a trial in Jerusalem before himself, he’s not truly offering Paul a fair shake, but rather a w…
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Last reviewed October 2026