Acts 25 · a question people ask
"King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus." (25:13). Who were they?
The chapter calls him "King Agrippa" (25:13, 25:24, 25:26) and names Bernice beside him (25:13, 25:23). Festus "laid Paul’s case before the king" (25:14), and Agrippa says, "I also would like to hear the man myself." (25:22). In the next chapter Paul says to him, "you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews" (26:3). Acts gives no family for either of them and doesn't say whether, or how, they were related, and the Bible names them nowhere outside Acts 25 and 26. These notes add nothing from outside the Bible about either of them.
The verses
“Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;”
“Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.”
“of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write.”
“especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.”