Acts 25:19 Meaning and Explanation
“But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Festus reports the dispute concerned their religion and especially Jesus, whom Paul declares to be alive.
What Does Acts 25:19 Mean?
Festus reduces the whole conflict to a religious dispute about their own beliefs and, at its heart, about a man named Jesus who had died, whom Paul insisted was alive. To the Roman governor it sounds like an obscure quarrel; he does not grasp that he has just summarized the central claim of the Christian faith.
Without meaning to, Festus states the heart of the gospel: Jesus died, and Paul affirms He lives. The resurrection is the dividing line of all history, dismissed by some as superstition yet proclaimed by the apostles as the foundation of hope. That Paul would stake his freedom and life on a living Christ shows how real the risen Lord was to him. The whole case, in truth, turns on an empty tomb.
Acts 25:19 in the Original Language
zen (ζῆν), 'to be alive' -- the living present, the heart of Paul's claim that the crucified Jesus is risen and lives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 25:19
What does Acts 25:19 mean?
Festus reports the dispute concerned their religion and especially Jesus, whom Paul declares to be alive.