- I appeal:
- An appeal to the emperor was the right of a Roman citizen, and was highly respected. The Julian law condemned those magistrates, and others, as violaters of the public peace, who had put to death, tortured, scourged, imprisoned, or condemned any Roman citizen who had appealed to Cesar. This law was so sacred and imperative, that, in the persecution under Trajan, Pliny would not attempt to put to death Roman citizens, who were proved to have turned Christians, but determined to send them to Rome, probably because they had appealed. "Thenª saidª° Paul,ª I standªª°° atª Caesar'sª judgment seat,ª whereª Iª oughtª° to be judged:ª° to the Jewsª have I done²° no² wrong,ª°¹ asªª thouª very well²¹ knowest.ª°" {Act 25:10} + "Butª when Iª foundª° that heª had committedª° nothingª worthyª of death,ª andª² that he¹ himself²¹ hath¹ appealed²¹ to²° Augustus,ª I have determinedª° to sendª° him.ª" {Act 25:25} + "Thenª saidª° Agrippaª unto Festus,ª Thisª manª mightª° have been set at liberty,ª° if²°¹ he had²° not²¹ appealed¹ unto²° Caesar.ª" {Act 26:32} + "Butª when the¹ Jewsª spake againstª° [it], I was constrainedª° to appeal²° unto¹ Caesar;ª notª thatª I hadª° oughtª to accuseª° myª nationª of.²°" {Act 28:19} + "And Davidª saidª° in¹ his heart,ª I shall now¹ perishª° oneª dayª by the handª of Saul:ª [there is] nothing¹ betterª for me than¹ that² I should speedily²° escapeª° into¹ the landª of the Philistines;ª and Saulª shall despairª° of¹ me, to seekª° me any more¹ in any¹ coastª of Israel:ª so shall I escapeª° out of his hand.ª¹" {1Sm 27:1}
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