Bible Strands
Acts 25:19
They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Festus addresses King Agrippa while reviewing the trial proceedings, noting that Paul’s accusers abandoned their expected criminal charges and presented only theological disputes. This occurs as Festus attempts to determine proper jurisdiction before Paul’s appeal to Caesar.
The words — ζητήματα (zētēmata) denotes questions or contentions, and δεισιδαιμονίας (deisidaimonias) refers to their own religion. The text states the accusers possessed only these matters concerning a certain Jesus who had died.
The thread — Roman magistrates routinely dismiss Jewish religious disputes as non-criminal in Acts 23:29 and Acts 18:15. The early church later anchors its proclamation in the historical reality of Christ’s death and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:3.
Why it lands — The passage requires readers to separate unresolved theological debates from the concrete claim that a executed man was affirmed to be alive. It demands an evaluation of the resurrection claim against the accusers' inability to produce criminal evidence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Cross-references
- Acts 23:29 I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
- Acts 18:15 But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
- Acts 1:22 beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
- Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
- Acts 17:22 Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
- Acts 17:31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
- Acts 18:19 When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
- Acts 25:7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
- Acts 26:22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen: