Acts 25:12

Festus--little expecting such an appeal, but bound to respect it. having conferred with the council--his assessors in judgment, as to the admissibility of the appeal. said, Hast thou--for "thou hast." to CÃ&brvbrsar shalt thou go--as if he would add perhaps "and see if thou fare better."

Some think that Felix was turned out, and Festus succeeded him, quickly after Paul's imprisonment, and that the two years mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter are to be reckoned from the beginning of Nero's reign; but it seems more natural to compute them from Paul's being delivered into the hands of Felix. However, we have here much the same management of Paul's case as we had in the foregoing chapter; cognizance is here taken of it, I. By Festus the governor; it is brought before him by the Jews (Act 25:1-3). The hearing of it is appointed to be, not at Jerusalem, as the Jews desired, out at Caesarea (Act 25:4-6). The Jews appear against Paul and accuse him (Act 25:7), but he stands upon his own innocency (Act 25:8); and to avoid the removing of the cause to Jerusalem, to which he was pressed to consent, he at length appeals to Caesar (Act 25:9-12). II. By king Agrippa, to whom Festus relates his case (Act 25:13-21), and Agrippa desires he might have the hearing of it himself (Act 25:22). The court is accordingly set, and Paul brought to the bar (Act 25:23), and Festus opens the cause (Act 25:24-27), to introduce Paul's defence in the next chapter.

25:12 Festus granted Paul’s appeal. This fulfilled Paul’s conviction that he must see Rome (19:21; see also 23:11; 27:24; Rom 1:13-15; 15:22-29).