What Does Acts 25:11 Mean in the King James?
For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek behind “deliver” means “grant as a favor,” so the verse treats handing someone over as an act that requires more than accusation.
THE MEANING
You can acknowledge that an act deserves a grave consequence while still distinguishing it from charges that have no truth. Here, readiness to face death and refusal to be handed over without grounds stand together; appeal calls for the charge itself to be judged.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Accepting a deserved consequence does not mean an accusation without truth becomes a just verdict.
THE ROOT
χαρίσασθαι
charisasthai
GROWS FROM
χαρίζω / χαριζ- (charizō / chariz-)
To grant freely or give as a favor.
The verb behind “deliver” is χαρίζομαι (charizomai, to grant as a favor), from the word family of χάρις (charis, favor). That makes the handover sound like a grant someone must have authority to make, not an automatic result of accusation.
ALSO GROWS
charis: Favor.
χάρις
The verb translated “deliver” carries favor in its word family, giving the handover the shade of a grant.
charisma: A gift or favor granted.
χάρισμα
This related noun makes visible the idea of something being granted, which sharpens the verse’s question of who may hand a person over.
ἐπικαλοῦμαι
epikaloumai
GROWS FROM
καλέω
kaleō
To call or summon.
The verb translated “appeal” is built on καλέω (kaleō, to call): the speaker calls upon a named authority to hear the matter. The same call-family appears in ἐκκλησία (ekklesia, assembly), connecting an appeal with a claim brought before a gathered body.
ALSO GROWS
kaleō: Call or summon.
καλέω
This is the base verb in “appeal,” showing that the speaker invokes an authority to hear the case.
ekklesia: Assembly.
ἐκκλησία
This related call-family word names a gathered body, echoing the public hearing implied by an appeal.
THE PATTERN
A spoken charge is not yet a just verdict; it must survive witness, hearing, and examination.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?THE THREAD
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;The verb rendered “deliver” here is χαρίζομαι (charizomai, grant as a favor); Acts 3:14 uses the same verb for the murderer “granted” to the crowd. The shared root makes the transfer itself visible as a grant, sharpening the distinction between evidence and who receives a person.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us