Unstoppable! 'Festus and a Fair Trial' — Acts 25:13-16

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

A few days [after Paul appealed to have his case heard before Caesar,] King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. "There is a prisoner here," he told him, "whose case was left for me by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves."

Key Thought

Ever the politician, Festus put a bit of political spin on his dealings with Paul and the Jewish council and leading priests. He wanted King Agrippa to think he was strong in his dealings with these Jewish religious leaders. However, the real reasons Paul was going to get a fair trial in Rome were his Roman citizenship and his appeal to Caesar. Festus' words, nevertheless, carried a message that Luke (the writer of Acts) wanted for Theophilus and others who were seeking God - especially Gentiles - to hear:* Christianity isn't dangerous or illegal. Christians could be Roman citizens and be protected by the judicial system. The leaders of the Christian movement, including Jesus and Paul as primary leaders, had done nothing wrong. While those issues about the legal status of Christianity may seem long ago and far away for us today, they were existentially relevant to non-Jewish God-seekers as they examined Christianity. Paul's letter, which had been written earlier to the Romans, also addressed these themes.** Christianity is unstoppable because of God. It is not dangerous to the peace or at odds with the laws of most nations unless they oppose God.

* See our first set of Related Scripture Readings.
** See our second set of Related Scripture Readings.

Today's Prayer

Father, help us, your children by faith, to know the best way to navigate the turbulent times in the world. We don't want to waste our time or efforts in political fighting, yet we don't want to abdicate our responsibility to influence our culture for good. Help us to be wise in our positions, declarations, and actions. We want to be salt and light in our world of decay and darkness. We don't want to contribute to the alienation of those seeking truth, but we don't want to be co-opted by immorality or the lure of popularity that leads us to compromise your truth. We ask for your help, in Jesus' mighty and all-sufficient name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-4
  • Romans 13:1-14

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 25:13-16 NLT — A few days [after Paul appealed to have his case heard before Caesar,] King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. "There is a prisoner here," he told him, "whose case was left for me by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
"Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord — rejoice in his presence! Father to..."
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to....."
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
"God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly..."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Precious Believer, You were saved by grace when you fully trusted Me and participated in what I did to save you. This truth was the message that..."

About This Devotional

Unstoppable! is a one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage, a reflection and a prayer. The reflection opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges one to live for Jesus.

Unstoppable! is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.