Acts 25:5

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”

King James Version (1611)
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go downe with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickednesse in him.

King James Version
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

English Standard Version
"So," said he, "let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him."

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore," he said, "have the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, have them bring charges against him."

New Century Version
He said, "Some of your leaders should go with me. They can accuse the man there in Caesarea, if he has really done something wrong."

Amplified Bible
"So," he said, "let those who are in a position of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything criminal about the man, let them bring charges against him."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore," he said, "let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him."

Legacy Standard Bible
"Therefore," he *said, "let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him."

Berean Standard Bible
So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there."

Contemporary English Version
If he has done anything wrong, let your leaders go with me and bring charges against him there."

Complete Jewish Bible
"So," he said, "let competent men among you come down with me and press charges against the man, if he has done something wrong."

Darby Translation
Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.

Easy-to-Read Version
and your leaders can go with me. If this man has really done anything wrong, they can accuse him there."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Let them therefore, saide he, which among you are able, come downe with vs: and if there be any wickednes in the man, let them accuse him.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore, said he, let those who are able among you come down with us and accuse the man about any offense which can be found against him.

Good News Translation
Let your leaders go to Caesarea with me and accuse the man if he has done anything wrong."

Lexham English Bible
So he said, "Let those among you who are prominent go down with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them bring charges against him."

Literal Translation
Then he said, those having power among you may go down with me . If there is a thing amiss in this man, let them accuse him.

American Standard Version
Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

Bible in Basic English
So, he said, let those who have authority among you go with me, and if there is any wrong in the man, let them make a statement against him.

Hebrew Names Version
"Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

International Standard Version
"Therefore," he said, "have your authorities come down with me and present their charges against him, if there is anything wrong with the man."Acts 18:14,18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
let those therefore of you who are able, go down with us, and accuse him of whatever guilt there is in the man.

Murdock Translation
Therefore, let those among you who are able, go down with us, and make presentment of every offence there is in the man.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let them therfore, sayde he, which among you are able, come downe with vs, and accuse hym, yf there be any fault in this man.

English Revised Version
Let them therefore, saith he, which are of power among you, go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

World English Bible
"Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore let those of you, said he, who are able, go down with me and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Therefore let those of you," he said, "who can come, go down with me, and impeach the man, if there is anything amiss in him."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
come doun togidere; and if ony crime is in the man, accuse thei hym.

Update Bible Version
Let them therefore, he says, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let them therefore, said he, who among you are able, go down with [me], and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him.

New English Translation
"So," he said, "let your leaders go down there with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, they may bring charges against him."

New King James Version
"Therefore," he said, "let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him."

New Living Translation
So he said, "Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations."

New Life Bible
Festus said, "If Paul has done anything wrong, let your leaders go along with me and say what they have against him."

New Revised Standard
"So," he said, "let those of you who have the authority come down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They, therefore, among you (saith he) who are in power, let them go down with me; and, if there is in the man, anything amiss, let them accuse him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let them, therefore, saith he, among you that are able, go down with me and accuse him, if there be any crime in the man.

Revised Standard Version
"So," said he, "let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Let the therfore (sayd he) which amoge you are able to do it come doune with vs and accuse him if ther be eny faute in the man.

Young's Literal Translation
`Therefore those able among you -- saith he -- having come down together, if there be anything in this man -- let them accuse him;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let them therfore (sayde he) which are able amonge you, come downe with vs to accuse the man, yf there be ought in him.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the most considerable, said he, among you may go with me, and if he has committed any crime, let 'em begin the process.

Simplified Cowboy Version
If you want a trial, bring your accusations there and I'll listen."

Contextual Overview

¹Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take up his duties as governor, he went up to Jerusalem. The high priests and top leaders renewed their vendetta against Paul. They asked Festus if he wouldn't please do them a favor by sending Paul to Jerusalem to respond to their charges. A lie, of course—they had revived their old plot to set an ambush and kill him along the way. ⁴Festus answered that Caesarea was the proper jurisdiction for Paul, and that he himself was going back there in a few days. "You're perfectly welcome," he said, "to go back with me then and accuse him of whatever you think he's done wrong." ⁶About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove. ⁸ Then Paul took the stand and said simply, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period." ⁹ Festus, though, wanted to get on the good side of the Jews and so said, "How would you like to go up to Jerusalem, and let me conduct your trial there?" ¹⁰Paul answered, "I'm standing at this moment before Caesar's bar of justice, where I have a perfect right to stand. And I'm going to keep standing here. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it as well as I do. If I've committed a crime and deserve death, name the day. I can face it. But if there's nothing to their accusations—and you know there isn't—nobody can force me to go along with their nonsense. We've fooled around here long enough. I appeal to Caesar." ¹² Festus huddled with his advisors briefly and then gave his verdict: "You've appealed to Caesar; you'll go to Caesar!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

them: Acts 25:16, Acts 23:30, Acts 24:8

if: Acts 25:18, Acts 25:19, Acts 25:25, Acts 18:14, 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 24:12, Psalms 7:3-5, John 18:29, John 18:30

Cross-References

Genesis 25:7
Abraham lived 175 years. Then he took his final breath. He died happy at a ripe old age, full of years, and was buried with his family. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, next to Mamre. It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried next to his wife Sarah. After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived at Beer Lahai Roi.

Genesis 25:12
This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maid, bore to Abraham.

Genesis 25:21
Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, "If this is the way it's going to be, why go on living?" She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her, Two nations are in your womb, two peoples butting heads while still in your body. One people will overpower the other, and the older will serve the younger.

Matthew 11:27
Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

Matthew 28:18
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

Colossians 1:19
I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God's master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours! Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit. Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating. We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message. I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth. This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able,.... Who are at leisure, can spare time, and to whom it will be convenient, without interrupting other business, to take such a journey; and who are able to bear the expenses of it, without hurting their families, and whose health and age will admit of it; and above all, who are masters of this affair, and are capable of forming charges, and of supporting them with proper proofs and evidences: let such

go down with me; from Jerusalem to Caesarea: and accuse this man: in proper form, according to the rules of law, of what he is guilty, and can be proved upon him:

if there is any wickedness in him; or committed by him, anything that is absurd and unreasonable, notoriously flagitious and criminal; that is, contrary to the rules of reason, the common sense of mankind, and the laws of God and men; and especially of the Roman empire, or that is blasphemous or seditious.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which among you are able - Enjoy all the advantages of just trial, and exhibit your accusations with all the learning and talent in your power. This was all that they could reasonably ask at his hands.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 25:5. Let them - which among you are able — οι δυνατοι, Those who have authority; for so is this word often used by good Greek authors, and by Josephus. Festus seems to have said: "I have heard clamours from the multitude relative to this man; but on such clamours no accusation should be founded: yourselves have only the voice of the multitude as the foundation of the request which you now make. I cannot take up accusations which may affect the life of a Roman citizen on such pretenses. Are there any respectable men among you; men in office and authority, whose character is a pledge for the truth of their depositions, who can prove any thing against him? If so, let these come down to Caesarea, and the cause shall be tried before me; and thus we shall know whether he be a malefactor or not."