New Living Translation
Acts 25:11
11If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”
Acts 25:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cesar.
- New International Version (NIV)If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
Context of Acts 25:11
9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?” 10But 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. If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!” 12Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!” 13A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus.
Read all of Acts 25Acts 25:11 word by word
εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀδικῶ καὶ ἄξιον θανάτου πέπραχά τι, οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν· εἰ δὲ οὐδέν ἐστιν ὧν οὗτοι κατηγοροῦσίν μου, οὐδείς με δύναται αὐτοῖς χαρίσασθαι. Καίσαρα ἐπικαλοῦμαι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
- I be an offenderἀδικέωadikeō · to harmG91
- orκαίkai · andG2532
- have committedπράσσωprassō · to do/requireG4238
- any thingτιςtis · oneG5100
- worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
- of deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
- I refuseπαραιτέομαιparaiteomai · to refuse/excuseG3868
- notοὐou · noG3756
- to dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- butδέde · thenG1161
- there beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- noneοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- of these things whereofὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- accuseκατηγορέωkatēgoreō · to accuseG2723
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- mayδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- deliverχαρίζωcharizomai · to give graceG5483
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- I appeal untoἐπικαλέωepikaleomai · to call (on)/nameG1941
- CesarΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
Cross-references for Acts 25:11
- Acts 18:14But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case.
- Joshua 22:22“The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the Lord. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day.
- 1 Samuel 12:3Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”
- Job 31:21“If I raised my hand against an orphan, knowing the judges would take my side,
- Psalms 7:3O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice,
- Acts 16:37But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
- Acts 22:25When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity
- Acts 25:10But 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.
- Acts 26:32And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
- Acts 28:19But when the Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no desire to press charges against my own people.
- 1 Samuel 27:1But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”
Commentaries on Acts 25:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11For if I be an offender - If it can be proved that I have broken the laws, so as to expose me to capital punishment, I do not wish to save my life by subterfuges; I am before the only competent tribunal; here my business should be ultimately decided. No man may deliver me unto them - The words of the apostle are very strong and appropriate. The Jews asked as a favor, , from Festus, that he would send Paul to Jerusalem, Acts 25:3. Festus, willing to do the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11For if I be an offender - If I have injured the Jews so as to deserve death. If it can be proved that I have done injury to anyone. I refuse not to die - I have no wish to escape justice. I do not wish to evade the laws, or to take advantage of any circumstances to screen me from just punishment. Paul‘s whole course showed that this was the noble spirit which actuated him. No true Christian wishes to escape from the laws. He will honor them, and not seek…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-11Festus suggested that Paul have his trial in Jerusalem, which led Paul to appeal to Caesar. Paul did not fear death, but he opposed being transferred to a court biased toward condemnation, not justice (25:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. I appeal to Cæsar--The right of appeal to the supreme power, in case of life and death, was secured by an ancient law to every Roman citizen, and continued under the empire. Had Festus shown any disposition to pronounce final judgment, Paul, strong in the consciousness of his innocence and the justice of a Roman tribunal, would not have made this appeal. But when the only other alternative offered him was to give his own consent to be transferred to…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 25:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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