Acts 25:23

23 And on the tother day, when Agrippa and Bernice came with great desire [when Agrippa and Bernice came with much ambition, or pride of state], and entered into the auditorium, with tribunes and the principal men of the city, when Festus bade, Paul was brought.

Acts 25:23 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 25:23

And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come
Into the hall, or court of judicature:

and Bernice;
his sister, along with him:

with great pomp:
in rich dress, with the "regalia", or ensigns of royalty carried before them, and attended with a large train and retinue of servants:

and was entered into the place of hearing;
the causes that were tried in court, that particular part of the hall, which was assigned for that purpose; for as there were the proper places for the judge and council, and for the plaintiffs and defendants, so for those that came to hear:

with the chief captains;
or tribunes, who had the command of the Roman soldiers; and who had each of them a thousand men under them, as their title signifies:

and principal men of the city;
that is, of Caesarea; the magistrates, and chief inhabitants of the place:

at Festus's commandment Paul was brought forth;
and became a spectacle to a vast number of men, as he himself says; and which in part fulfilled what Christ had foretold to his disciples, that they should be brought before kings and governors for his sake; see ( 1 Corinthians 4:9 ) ( Matthew 10:18 ) .

Acts 25:23 In-Context

21 But for Paul appealed, that he should be kept to the knowing of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept, till I send him to the emperor [till I shall send him to Caesar].
22 And Agrippa said to Festus, I myself would hear the man. And he said, To morrow thou shalt hear him. [Soothly Agrippa said to Festus, And I myself would hear the man. To morrow, he said, thou shalt hear him.]
23 And on the tother day, when Agrippa and Bernice came with great desire [when Agrippa and Bernice came with much ambition, or pride of state], and entered into the auditorium, with tribunes and the principal men of the city, when Festus bade, Paul was brought.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men that be with us, ye see this man, of which all the multitude of Jews prayed me at Jerusalem, and asked, and cried, that he should live no longer [+asking and crying, that it behooveth not that he live more].
25 But I found, that he had done nothing worthy of death; and I deemed to send him to the emperor, for he appealed this thing [soothly him appealing this thing to the emperor, I deemed to send].
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.