Festus
The Roman governor who succeeded Felix and inherited Paul's unresolved case. Pressed by the chief priests to have the prisoner brought to Jerusalem — a journey they intended to ambush — he insisted the trial be held at Caesarea, where Paul appealed to Caesar. He then laid the matter before the visiting Agrippa, admitting he had nothing definite to write to the emperor, and interrupted Paul's defence with the shout that his great learning had driven him mad.
What we know — and how we know it
Where in scripture
ActsBut when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
Acts 24:27
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
Acts 25:12 — 'To Caesar you shall go'
As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
Acts 26:24
But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
Acts 26:25
Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Acts 26:32
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
In their own words — 5 recorded sayings
“But Festus, desiring to get the approval of the Jews, said to Paul, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be judged before me there in connection with these things?” — Acts 25:9
“Then Festus, having had a discussion with the Jews, made answer, You have said, Let my cause come before Caesar; to Caesar you will go.” — Acts 25:12
“And as they were there for some days, Festus gave them Paul's story, saying, There is a certain man here who was put in prison by Felix: Against whom the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews made a statement when I was at Jerusalem, requesting me to give a decision against him. To whom I gave answer that it is not the Roman way to give a man up, till he has been face to face with those who are attacking him, and has had a chance to give an answer to the statements made against him. So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge's seat…” — Acts 25:14-22
“And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all those who are present here with us, you see this man, about whom all the Jews have made protests to me, at Jerusalem and in this place, saying that it is not right for him to be living any longer. But, in my opinion, there is no cause of death in him, and as he himself has made a request to be judged by Caesar, I have said that I would send him. But I have no certain account of him to send to Caesar. So I have sent for him to come before you, and specially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the business has been gone into, I may have something to…” — Acts 25:24-27
“And when he made his answer in these words, Festus said in a loud voice, Paul, you are off your head; your great learning has made you unbalanced.” — Acts 26:24
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
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Photo: The original uploader was אסף.צ at Hebrew Wikipedia. — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
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