Acts 25:4

But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	οὖν oun	G3767	(adverbially) certainly · conjunction
Festus	Φῆστος Phēstos	G5347	festal · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
answered	ἀπεκρίθη apekrithē	G611	to conclude for oneself · verb — aorist middle deponent indicative, 3rd person singular
Paul	Παῦλον Paulon	G3972	(little · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
should	μέλλειν mellein	G3195	to intend · verb — present active infinitive
kept	τηρεῖσθαι tēreisthai	G5083	perhaps akin to G2334 (θεωρέω)) · verb — present passive infinitive
at	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
Cæsarea	Καισάρειαν, Kaisareian	G2542	Cæsaria · noun — accusative singular feminine, a place
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
himself	ἑαυτὸν he'auton	G1438	him- (her- · reflexive pronoun
depart	ἐκπορεύεσθαι· ekporeuesthai	G1607	to depart · verb — present middle or passive deponent infinitive
shortly	τάχει tachei	G5034	a brief space (of time) · noun — dative singular neuter

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Acts 24:23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or co…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 25:1-12

We commonly say, "New lords, new laws, new customs;" but here was a new governor, and yet Paul had the same treatment from him that he had from the former, and no better. Festus, like Felix, is not so just to him as he should have been, for he does not release him; and yet not so unjust to him as the Jews would have had him to be, for he will not condemn him to die, nor expose him to their rage. Here is, I. The pressing application which the high priest and other Jews used with the governor to persuade him to abandon Paul; for to send him to Jerusalem was in effect to abandon him. 1. See how speedy they were in their applications to Festus concerning Paul. As soon as ever he had come into th…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 25:4

answered that Paul should be kept--rather, "is in custody." at CÃ&brvbrsarea, and . . . himself would depart shortly thither.

Adam Clarke on Acts 25:4

Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea - It is truly astonishing that Festus should refuse this favor to the heads of the Jewish nation, which, to those who were not in the secret, must appear so very reasonable; and especially as, on his coming to the government, it might be considered an act that was likely to make him popular; and he could have no interest in denying their request. But God had told Paul that he should testify of him at Rome; and he disposed the heart of Festus to act as he did; and thus disappointed the malice of the Jews, and fulfilled his own gracious design. He - would depart shortly - So had the providence of God disposed matters that Festus was obliged…

Read the whole note in the console

John Gill on Acts 25:4

But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea,.... Or that he was kept there, and was in proper custody, under the care of a centurion, and should continue there; nor was there any reason why he should be removed, especially since he should return thither speedily, as he adds: and that he himself would depart shortly thither; the answer was a very wise and prudent one, and the reasons given were just and strong; as that Paul had been sent to Caesarea, was left bound by his predecessor there; there he found him, and there he was under a proper guard, and there it was right for him to continue; and besides, he himself should make no stay in Jerusalem, but should depart for Caesare…

The Church Fathers

But Festus replied that Paul was being kept in Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart soon. "Soon," he says, naturally means "quickly," although sometimes it is said to be "sooner" when something is done more slowly and with mature counsel. For in Greek it is written ἐν τάχει, that is, "in haste."
— Bede, Retractions on Acts

What are ye afraid of? What are ye in such a hurry? In fact, that expression, "that he should be kept" shows this. Does he want to escape? "Let them therefore," he says, "which among you are able, accuse him." Again accusers, again at Caesarea, again Paul is brought forth. And having come, immediately "he sat on the judgment-seat" with all his haste: they so drove, so hurried him.
— John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 51

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Caesarea — (Palestinae), a city on the shore of the Mediterranean, on the great road from Tyre to Egypt, about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem, at the northern extremity of the plain of Sharon. It was built by…
Jerusalem · Roman government transferred from, to Caesarea — Roman government transferred from, to Caesarea

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 25:1-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 25:4

Adam Clarke on Acts 25:4

John Gill on Acts 25:4

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 25:1-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 25:4

Adam Clarke on Acts 25:4

John Gill on Acts 25:4

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Acts 25:1-8