Acts 25:16

16 "I told them that this is not the way Romans do things. We don't judge people before they have faced those bringing charges against them. They must have a chance to speak up for themselves.

Acts 25:16 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 25:16

To whom I answered
As follows:

it is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die; or to
give any man to destruction;
to pass sentence of death upon him, without hearing his cause, and purely at the request of another, and merely to gratify him:

before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face;
so as to speak to his face, or before him, what they have to charge him with:

and have licence to answer for himself, concerning the crime laid
against him;
and this was also according to the law of the Jews, ( John 7:51 ) though Festus, from such an application to him by the chief priests and elders, might conclude that their manner was different, he being ignorant of their laws and customs; but their prejudice to the apostle carried them to act such an illegal part, or at least to desire it might be acted: it is one of the Jewish canons, that it is unlawful for a judge to hear one of the contending parties, before the other is come in.

Acts 25:16 In-Context

14 They were spending many days there. So Festus talked with the king about Paul's case. He said, "There's a man here that Felix left as a prisoner.

15 When I went to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and the elders brought charges against the man. They wanted him to be found guilty.

16 "I told them that this is not the way Romans do things. We don't judge people before they have faced those bringing charges against them. They must have a chance to speak up for themselves.

17 When the Jews came back with me, I didn't waste any time. I called the court together the next day. I ordered the man to be brought in.

18 Those bringing charges against him got up to speak. But they didn't charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.