Acts 25:6-11: a reflection

6When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 8while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.” 9But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?” 10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

When Paul stands before Festus, his accusers bring many and grievous charges which they could not prove; and Paul answers with the calm of a clear conscience: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all. He is bold, not because he is defiant, but because his conscience is clear; he even says that if he had done wrong worthy of death, he would not refuse to die, but he knows the charges are false. His clear conscience gives him boldness under false accusation.

Notice the boldness Paul's clear conscience gave him. The charges against him were grievous but unprovable, false accusations pressed by those who wanted him condemned. Yet Paul was not shaken; he stood on the truth, his conscience clear, willing even to die if he had truly done wrong, but confident he had not. His boldness was not bravado; it rested on the clear conscience of a man who knew the accusations were false. A clear conscience gave him the freedom to stand unafraid before his accusers and his judge, having nothing to hide.

That is worth taking to heart, for a clear conscience gives us boldness when we are falsely accused. When others accuse us falsely, press charges that are not true, we can be shaken and afraid; but a clear conscience, the knowledge that we have not done the wrong charged, gives boldness to stand on the truth, as Paul stood before Festus. There is freedom in a clear conscience under false accusation. Live so that your conscience is clear, and when you are falsely accused, stand on the truth with the boldness a clear conscience gives, as Paul did before Festus. Keep your conscience clear, so that when false accusations come, you can stand on the truth unafraid, as Paul answered his accusers with the calm of a man who had done no wrong; for a clear conscience gives boldness under false accusation, and there is freedom in having nothing to hide.

Lord, when Paul stands before Festus, his accusers bring many and grievous charges which they could not prove; and Paul answers with the calm of a clear conscience: neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all. He is bold, not because he is defiant, but because his conscience is clear; he even says that if he had done wrong worthy of death, he would not refuse to die, but he knows the charges are false. His clear conscience gives him boldness under false accusation. Show me the boldness Paul's clear conscience gave him. The charges against him were grievous but unprovable, false accusations pressed by those who wanted him condemned. Yet Paul was not shaken; he stood on the truth, his conscience clear, willing even to die if he had truly done wrong, but confident he had not. His boldness was not bravado; it rested on the clear conscience of a man who knew the accusations were false. A clear conscience gave him the freedom to stand unafraid. Take that to my heart, for a clear conscience gives me boldness when I am falsely accused. When others accuse me falsely, I can be shaken and afraid; but a clear conscience gives boldness to stand on the truth, as Paul stood before Festus. Help me live so that my conscience is clear, Lord, and when I am falsely accused, help me stand on the truth with the boldness a clear conscience gives, as Paul did before Festus. Keep my conscience clear, so that when false accusations come, I can stand on the truth unafraid.