The Meaning of Acts 25:7 Explained

Acts 25:7

KJV: And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

YLT: and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem -- many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,

Darby: And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:

ASV: And when he was come, the Jews that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when he  was come,  the Jews  which came down  from  Jerusalem  stood round about,  and  laid  many  and grievous  complaints  against  Paul,  which  they could  not  prove. 

What does Acts 25:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 25:1-12 - Granting Appeal To Caesar
How inveterately must these Jews have hated Paul, when after two years they still thirsted for his blood! It would never have done for the trial to be transferred to Jerusalem, as the Jews had requested. If Paul had been brought thither, many plots might have been set on foot for the purpose of ending his life, especially if Festus proved as amenable to a bribe as had his predecessor. Festus was quite prepared to humor the Jews by granting such a transference, and there was no way of averting it other than Paul's availing himself of his right as a Roman citizen to be tried by the emperor himself.
The appeal was a great surprise. Festus himself was probably annoyed. It would not be agreeable to him to have his jurisdiction superseded on this the first occasion of holding a public inquiry. But there was no question that the appeal was admissible, and Festus had therefore no alternative. How strangely God was fulfilling His own word, So must thou bear witness also at Rome! Paul had always desired to visit the imperial city, to bear thither the message of the Cross; but he never expected to go under the safeguard of Roman soldiers and at Roman expense. "Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill" God fulfills His purposes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 25

1  The Jews accuse Paul before Festus
8  He answers for himself,
11  and appeals unto Caesar
14  Afterwards Festus opens his matter to king Agrippa;
23  and he is brought forth
25  Festus clears him of having done anything worthy of death

Greek Commentary for Acts 25:7

When he was come [παραγενομενου αυτου]
Genitive absolute of common verb παραγινομαι — paraginomai (cf. Acts 24:24). [source]
Which had come down [οι καταβεβηκοτες]
Perfect active participle of καταβαινω — katabainō They had come down on purpose at the invitation of Festus (Acts 25:5), and were now ready. Stood round about him (περιεστησαν αυτον — periestēsan auton). Second aorist (ingressive) active (intransitive) of περιιστημι — periistēmi old verb, “Took their stand around him,” “periculum intentantes ” (Bengel). Cf. Luke 23:10 about Christ. They have no lawyer this time, but they mass their forces so as to impress Festus. Bringing against him Bearing down on. See note on Acts 20:9; and note on Acts 26:10, only N.T. examples of this ancient verb. Many and grievous charges (πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα — polla kai barea aitiōmata). This word αιτιωμα — aitiōma for old form αιτιαμα — aitiama is found in one papyrus (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary) in sense of “blame.” But the charges were no “heavier” than those made by Tertullus (Acts 24:5-8). Paul‘s reply proves this and they were also probably on court record (Furneaux). See this adjective βαρυς — barus (heavy) used with λυκοι — lukoi (wolves) in Acts 20:29. Which they could not prove Imperfect active of ισχυω — ischuō to have strength or power as in Acts 19:16, Acts 19:20. Repetition and reiteration and vehemence took the place of proof (αποδειχαι — apodeixai first aorist active infinitive of αποδεικνυμι — apodeiknumi to show forth, old verb, in N.T. only here, Acts 2:22 which see and 1 Corinthians 4:9). [source]
Stood round about him [περιεστησαν αυτον]
Second aorist (ingressive) active (intransitive) of περιιστημι — periistēmi old verb, “Took their stand around him,” “periculum intentantes ” (Bengel). Cf. Luke 23:10 about Christ. They have no lawyer this time, but they mass their forces so as to impress Festus. [source]
Bringing against him [καταπεροντες]
Bearing down on. See note on Acts 20:9; and note on Acts 26:10, only N.T. examples of this ancient verb. Many and grievous charges (πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα — polla kai barea aitiōmata). This word αιτιωμα — aitiōma for old form αιτιαμα — aitiama is found in one papyrus (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary) in sense of “blame.” But the charges were no “heavier” than those made by Tertullus (Acts 24:5-8). Paul‘s reply proves this and they were also probably on court record (Furneaux). See this adjective βαρυς — barus (heavy) used with λυκοι — lukoi (wolves) in Acts 20:29. Which they could not prove Imperfect active of ισχυω — ischuō to have strength or power as in Acts 19:16, Acts 19:20. Repetition and reiteration and vehemence took the place of proof (αποδειχαι — apodeixai first aorist active infinitive of αποδεικνυμι — apodeiknumi to show forth, old verb, in N.T. only here, Acts 2:22 which see and 1 Corinthians 4:9). [source]
Many and grievous charges [πολλα και βαρεα αιτιωματα]
This word αιτιωμα — aitiōma for old form αιτιαμα — aitiama is found in one papyrus (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary) in sense of “blame.” But the charges were no “heavier” than those made by Tertullus (Acts 24:5-8). Paul‘s reply proves this and they were also probably on court record (Furneaux). See this adjective βαρυς — barus (heavy) used with λυκοι — lukoi (wolves) in Acts 20:29. [source]
Which they could not prove [α ουκ ισχυον αποδειχαι]
Imperfect active of ισχυω — ischuō to have strength or power as in Acts 19:16, Acts 19:20. Repetition and reiteration and vehemence took the place of proof (αποδειχαι — apodeixai first aorist active infinitive of αποδεικνυμι — apodeiknumi to show forth, old verb, in N.T. only here, Acts 2:22 which see and 1 Corinthians 4:9). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 25:7

1 John 5:3 Grievous [βαρεῖαι]
Lit., heavy. The word occurs six times in the New Testament. Acts 20:29, violent, rapacious; “grievous wolves”: 2 Corinthians 10:10, weighty, impressive, of Paul's letters: Matthew 23:23; Acts 25:7, important, serious; the weightier matters of the law; serious charges against Paul. [source]
1 John 5:3 Are not grievous [βαρειαι ουκ εισιν]
“Not heavy,” the adjective in Matthew 23:4 with πορτια — phortia (burdens), with λυποι — lupoi (wolves) in Acts 20:29, of Paul‘s letters in 2 Corinthians 10:10, of the charges against Paul in Acts 25:7. Love for God lightens his commands. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 25:7 mean?

Having arrived then he stood around him the from Jerusalem having come down Jews many and weighty charges bringing which not they were able to prove
παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβεβηκότες Ἰουδαῖοι πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα αἰτιώματα καταφέροντες οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀποδεῖξαι

παραγενομένου  Having  arrived 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: παραγίνομαι  
Sense: to be present, to come near, approach.
περιέστησαν  stood  around 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: περιί̈στημι  
Sense: to place around one.
Ἱεροσολύμων  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: Ἱεροσόλυμα  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
καταβεβηκότες  having  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: καταβαίνω  
Sense: to go down, come down, descend.
Ἰουδαῖοι  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
πολλὰ  many 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
βαρέα  weighty 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: βαρύς  
Sense: heavy in weight.
αἰτιώματα  charges 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: αἰτίαμα 
Sense: to accuse, bring a charge against, complaint.
καταφέροντες  bringing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: καταφέρω  
Sense: to bear down, bring down, cast down.
ἴσχυον  they  were  able 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἰσχύω  
Sense: to be strong.
ἀποδεῖξαι  to  prove 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀποδείκνυμι  
Sense: to point away from one’s self, to point out, show forth, to expose to view, exhibit.