περὶ τῆς ἰδίας δεισιδαιμονίας, concerning their own religion. Cf. St Paul’s use of the cognate adjective, when he was speaking to the Athenians. The word is one which might be employed without offence by any one in speaking of a worship with which he did not agree. Addressing Agrippa, Festus would not wish to say a word that might annoy, any more than St Paul wished to irritate the Athenians by his speech.

περί τινος Ἰησοῦ, concerning one Jesus. Neither in the hearing of the cause before Felix nor when Festus made his inquiry, does St Luke record any mention of the name of Jesus, but it is clear from the explanation here given that not only had Paul stated the doctrine of the Resurrection generally, which the Pharisees accepted, but had also asserted in proof of it that Jesus had risen and ‘become the firstfruits of them that sleep.’

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Old Testament