Acts 25:16 Meaning and Explanation
“To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Festus says Roman custom forbids condemning anyone before he faces his accusers and can defend himself.
What Does Acts 25:16 Mean?
Festus tells how he answered the leaders. It is not the Roman way, he said, to hand a man over to death before he has met his accusers face to face and been given the chance to defend himself. He appeals to a principle of fairness embedded in Roman legal custom.
Even outside the covenant people, God has written a sense of justice on the human conscience, that the accused deserves a hearing. This protection now shields Paul. The Lord can use the laws and customs of the nations to guard His servants. And the believer sees in such fairness a faint echo of the perfect Judge, who never condemns without truth and who has Himself answered, on the cross, the charge that stood against us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 25:16
What does Acts 25:16 mean?
Festus says Roman custom forbids condemning anyone before he faces his accusers and can defend himself.