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Acts 25:24
ESV And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
NIV Festus said: 'King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
NASB And Festus *said, 'King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
CSB Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.
NLT Then Festus said, 'King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem.
KJV And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

What does Acts 25:24 mean?

Governor Festus may be new to his position in Caesarea Maritima, but he knows how to give a show. He has invited King Agrippa II, Agrippa's sister/lover Bernice, the military tribunes, and the leaders of the city. Their entertainment is to hear from a man who has been incarcerated for two years because the previous governor, Felix, refused to either convict or release him (Acts 24:22–27; 25:23).

Festus makes the whole thing sound like a carnival show: All the Jews want him dead! But he hasn't done anything! How intriguing! What a spectacle!

To Festus, of course, a "show" might be a very apt description. Those outside Judea had very little understanding of Judaism. To the Roman mind, the only distinctive aspect of the religion was that adherents refuse to make images of their God. "Christianity," to them, was just another type of Judaism. The only difference seemed to be that Christians believe a man from Nazareth resurrected from the dead, while those who practice traditional Judaism get very upset when the subject is brought up. It's difficult to say how much of Festus's pomp is to honor Agrippa and how much is mocking the Jews for zealously wanting to kill Paul.

Even if the theatrics are for show, the event itself is real. A few days before, Paul insisted that if Festus wouldn't either condemn or release him, Caesar would. Paul took advantage of his rights as a Roman citizen and appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 25:10–12). Festus must send him, but he needs help: what will he write? Paul hasn't committed a crime; how will Festus justify sending an innocent man to the highest court of the land?

Hopefully Agrippa and the city leaders who have much more experience with the way of the Jews can help (Acts 25:25–27; 26:3).
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