What does Acts 25:26 mean?
Governor Festus is speaking before a crowd in Caesarea Maritima, the city that became his capital a few weeks earlier. His audience includes young military officers, city officials, and King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice (Acts 25:23).He has gathered them together because he has a problem. The previous governor, Felix, had held a trial wherein the Sanhedrin—the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem—accused a man named Paul of grievous crimes against the Empire and Jewish law. When Felix heard their evidence, however, he realized Paul was completely innocent. And yet, Felix didn't want to irritate the Sanhedrin, so he kept Paul in custody (Acts 24).
Two years later, Festus replaced Felix and held another trial. The same thing happened: the Sanhedrin made charges with no evidence or witnesses and Paul easily refuted them. This time, however, when Festus attempted political maneuvers, Paul demanded his Roman civil rights. As a citizen, he demanded his case be transferred to Rome where a higher court would make the ruling (Acts 25:1–12).
Festus must send Paul to Rome, but he has no workable charges. He hopes Agrippa, an expert in Jewish customs (Acts 26:3), will hear Paul's story and Paul will somehow incriminate himself. Festus has included the city officials for good measure.
Neither the governor nor the king realizes there is a bigger story being told. Decades ago, when Paul traveled to Damascus to arrest Jesus-followers and take them to trial in Jerusalem, Jesus told a man named Ananias that Paul would bring Jesus' name before kings (Acts 9:15). Paul will do so in Acts 26.
Acts 25:23–27 describes Festus giving King Agrippa II and Bernice a flamboyant greeting for the day's entertainment. He has invited the military and civilian leaders to the great hall to hear the story of Paul. This is the man Felix incarcerated for two years, the Sanhedrin wants dead, and who is on his way to have his case tried before Caesar. By the end of Paul's testimony, the room is convinced: Paul hasn't committed any crime (Acts 26). And yet, because he appealed to a higher Roman court (Acts 25:11), he must go.
In Acts 25, the new governor, Festus, must clean up Felix's mess. He tries to ingratiate himself with the Sanhedrin but when they ask him to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial, he refuses. The Sanhedrin agrees to come to Caesarea Maritima, instead, to present their accusations. Festus quickly realizes they don't have a case. Yet when he hesitates to dismiss the charges, Paul appeals the case to a higher court. Festus then invites King Agrippa II, the king's sister Bernice, and the city leaders to hear Paul and determine how to justify Paul's presence before Caesar.
