Acts 25:8

THE MESSAGE

Then Paul took the stand and said simply, "I've done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

King James Version (1611)
While hee answered for himselfe, Neither against the law of the Iewes, neither against the Temple, nor yet against Cesar, haue I offended any thing at all.

King James Version
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

English Standard Version
Paul argued in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense."

New American Standard Bible
while Paul said in his own defense, "I have not done anything wrong either against the Law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar."

New Century Version
This is what Paul said to defend himself: "I have done nothing wrong against the law, against the Temple, or against Caesar."

Amplified Bible
while Paul declared in his own defense, "I have done no wrong and committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
while Paul said in his own defense, "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."

Legacy Standard Bible
while Paul said in his own defense, "I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."

Berean Standard Bible
Then Paul made his defense: "I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."

Contemporary English Version
Then Paul spoke in his own defense, "I have not broken the Law of my people. And I have not done anything against either the temple or the Emperor."

Complete Jewish Bible
In reply, Sha'ul said, "I have committed no offense — not against the Torah to which the Jews hold, not against the Temple, and not against the Emperor."

Darby Translation
Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.

Easy-to-Read Version
Paul defended himself, saying, "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law, against the Temple, or against Caesar."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Forasmuch as he answered, that he had neither offended any thing against the lawe of the Iewes, neither against ye temple, nor against C?sar.

George Lamsa Translation
Then Paul answered, I have committed no offense against the Jewish law, or against the temple, or against Csar.

Good News Translation
But Paul defended himself: "I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews or against the Temple or against the Roman Emperor."

Lexham English Bible
while Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I sinned with reference to anything!"

Literal Translation
Defending himself, Paul said, Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in anything.

American Standard Version
while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.

Bible in Basic English
Then Paul, in his answer to them, said, I have done no wrong against the law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.

Hebrew Names Version
while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Yehudim, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

International Standard Version
Paul said in his defense, "I have in no way sinned against the law of the Jews or the temple or the emperor."Acts 6:13; 24:12; 28:17;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
while Paulos put forth the mind, that he had not offended in any thing, neither against the law of the Jihudoyee, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar.

Murdock Translation
Meanwhile Paul maintained, that he had committed no offence, either against the Jewish law, or against the temple, or against Caesar.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whyles he aunswered [for hym selfe] that he had agaynst the lawe of the Iewes, neither agaynst the temple, nor yet agaynst Caesar offended any thyng at all.

English Revised Version
while Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.

World English Bible
while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cesar have I offended at all.

Weymouth's New Testament
But, in reply, Paul said, "Neither against the Jewish Law, nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed any offence whatever."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Poul yeldide resoun in alle thingis, That nether ayens the lawe of Jewis, nether ayens the temple, nether ayens the emperoure, Y synnede ony thing.

Update Bible Version
while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.

Webster's Bible Translation
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cesar have I committed any offense.

New English Translation
Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."

New King James Version
while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."

New Living Translation
Paul denied the charges. "I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government," he said.

New Life Bible
Paul spoke for himself, saying, "I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews or against the house of God or against Caesar."

New Revised Standard
Paul said in his defense, "I have in no way committed an offense against the law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against the emperor."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Paul saying in defence - Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I in anything sinned.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Paul making answer for himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any thing.

Revised Standard Version
Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
as longe as he answered for him selfe that he had nether agaynst the lawe of the Iewes nether agaynst the temple nor yet agaynst Cesar offended eny thinge at all.

Young's Literal Translation
he making defence -- `Neither in regard to the law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar -- did I commit any sin.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
whyle he answered for himselfe: I haue nether offended ought agaynst the lawe of the Iewes, ner agaynst the teple, ner agaynst the Emperoure.

Mace New Testament (1729)
to this he answer'd, "I have not been guilty of any misdemeanour, either against the law, or against the temple, or against Cesar."

Simplified Cowboy Version
When Paul was allowed to speak, he said, "I ain't wronged nobody, not the Jewish Code, not the main church, or the Roman Government."

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

Neither: Acts 25:10, Acts 6:13, Acts 6:14, Acts 23:1, Acts 24:6, Acts 24:12, Acts 24:17-21, Acts 28:17, Acts 28:21, Genesis 40:15, Jeremiah 37:18, Daniel 6:22, 2 Corinthians 1:12

Reciprocal: Matthew 22:17 - Caesar Luke 20:24 - Caesar's Acts 17:7 - and these Acts 18:13 - General Acts 19:37 - which Acts 22:1 - my Acts 23:29 - but Acts 28:18 - General

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 25:17
Ishmael lived 137 years. When he breathed his last and died he was buried with his family. His children settled down all the way from Havilah near Egypt eastward to Shur in the direction of Assyria. The Ishmaelites didn't get along with any of their kin.

Genesis 25:29
One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stew—I'm starved!" That's how he came to be called Edom (Red).

Genesis 35:18
With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune).

Genesis 49:29
Then he instructed them: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah facing Mamre in the land of Canaan, the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial plot. Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there; Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried there; I also buried Leah there. The field and the cave were bought from the Hittites."

Judges 2:10
Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.

Judges 8:32
Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age. He was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Proverbs 20:29
Youth may be admired for vigor, but gray hair gives prestige to old age.

Acts 5:5
Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. That put the fear of God into everyone who heard of it. The younger men went right to work and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.

Acts 12:23
That was the last straw. God had had enough of Herod's arrogance and sent an angel to strike him down. Herod had given God no credit for anything. Down he went. Rotten to the core, a maggoty old man if there ever was one, he died.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

While he answered for himself,.... As he was allowed by the Roman laws to do, he pleaded his own cause, and showed the falsehood of the charges exhibited against him; by observing, that as the crimes alleged against him were reducible to three heads, neither of them were just and true:

neither against the law of the Jews; the law of Moses, whether moral, ceremonial, or judicial; not the moral law, that he was a strict observer of, both before and since his conversion; nor the ceremonial law, for though it was abolished, and he knew it was, yet for peace sake, and in condescension to the weakness of some, and in order to gain others, he submitted to it, and was performing a branch of it, when he was seized in the temple; nor the judicial law, which concerned the Jews as Jews, and their civil affairs: neither against the temple; at Jerusalem, the profanation of which he was charged with, by bringing a Gentile into it; which was a falsehood, at least a mistake:

nor yet against Caesar, have I offended at all; for he was charged with sedition, Acts 24:5. Caesar was a common name to the Roman emperors, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt; and which they took from Julius Caesar the first of them, who was succeeded by Augustus Caesar, under whom Christ was born; and he by Tiberius, under whom he suffered; the fourth was Caius Caligula; the fifth was Claudius, mentioned in Acts 11:28 and the present Caesar, to whom Paul now appealed, was Nero; and though succeeding emperors bore this name, it was also given to the second in the empire, or the presumptive heir to it: authors are divided about the original of Caesar, the surname of Julius; some say he had it from the colour of his eyes, which were "Caesii", grey; others from "Caesaries", his fine head of hair; others from his killing of an elephant, which, in the language of the Moors, is called "Caesar": the more common opinion is, that he took his name from his mother's womb, being "Caeso", cut up at his birth, to make way for his passage into the world; in which manner also our King Edward the Sixth came into the world.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

While he answered ... - See this answer more at length in Acts 24:10-21. As the accusations against him were the same now as then, he made to them the same reply.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 25:8. While he answered for himself — In this instance St. Luke gives only a general account, both of the accusations and of St. Paul's defense. But, from the words in this verse, the charges appear to have been threefold:

1. That he had broken the law.

2. That he had defiled the temple.

3. That he dealt in treasonable practices: to all of which he no doubt answered particularly; though we have nothing farther here than this, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.