Gevurot 25:16

16 "I answered them that it violated Roman law to hand over any man before the accused met face to face with his accusers and had an opportunity for a hitstaddekut (defense) concerning the accusation.

Gevurot 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.

Gevurot 25:16 In-Context

14 And while they were spending many yamim there, Festus laid out to the Melech the things with respect to Rav Sha’ul, saying, "There is a man here who was left behind in the beis hasohar by Felix.

15 "When I went to Yerushalayim, the Rashei Hakohanim and the Zekenim of the Yehudim informed me about this man, requesting keneged him a sentence of condemnation.

16 "I answered them that it violated Roman law to hand over any man before the accused met face to face with his accusers and had an opportunity for a hitstaddekut (defense) concerning the accusation.

17 "Therefore, they were assembled here; I allowed no delay, and on the next day, I sat down on the Kes HaMishpat and ordered the man brought in.

18 "But when the accusers stood up, no charge were they bringing of any crimes I was expecting.