Acts 25:26

Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

Acts 25:26 (KJV)

Context

Paul stood before Porcius Festus, the Roman governor of Judea, who had inherited his case from Felix. The Jewish leaders had accused Paul, but Festus found nothing worthy of death. Because Paul, a Roman citizen, had appealed to Caesar, Festus was obligated to send him to Rome for trial before the emperor. Roman legal procedure required that a prisoner be sent with a formal statement of the charges against him. Festus admitted he had no certain or definite information to write to his lord, meaning the emperor. Therefore, he brought Paul before King Agrippa II and the assembled court, hoping that after this examination—a preliminary judicial investigation—he would have something concrete to write.

This verse captures Festus’s dilemma: he was holding a prisoner he believed innocent, yet he needed to formulate an official accusation. The immediate context is found in Acts 25:23-27, where Festus presents Paul to Agrippa and explains his predicament. Agrippa was familiar with Jewish customs and the prophets, making him a suitable advisor for understanding the religious disputes at the heart of the accusations.

Meaning

Festus’s words reveal his ignorance of the Jewish religious disputes that lay behind the charges against Paul. He had no certain thing to write because he could not identify a clear crime. The Greek word for examination (anakrisis) refers to a preliminary judicial investigation, not a full trial. Festus sought Agrippa’s expertise to help him frame the charges, but the deeper reality is that Paul was innocent of any offense worthy of death.

The verse also demonstrates God’s providence at work. Paul’s appeal to Caesar and the legal machinery of the Roman Empire brought him before kings and rulers, fulfilling the prophecy that he would bear witness before rulers (Acts 9:15). Even a pagan governor could find no fault in Paul, underscoring the innocence of the Christian apostle.

Application

Paul’s primary concern is not his personal safety but the opportunity to declare the gospel to both the lowly and the powerful. His example encourages believers today to remain unashamed of the gospel despite persecution, imprisonment, or uncertainty about the future. By trusting God’s purpose in difficult trials, Christians can see that even legal proceedings can become platforms for witness.

The verse reminds us that when human judgment fails to provide a clear answer, the faithful can still rely on divine guidance. It calls believers to examine their own responses to opposition, to prioritize the proclamation of Christ above personal comfort, and to trust that God can use even hostile settings for the advancement of His kingdom.

Reflection

Festus had no certain thing to write, but Paul had absolute certainty about the One he served. In moments when we lack clarity or face unjust circumstances, we can remember that God is not limited by human confusion. He can turn a governor’s dilemma into an apostle’s opportunity, and He can do the same in our lives.