And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

Who being brought, the Jews stood about him, who were come down from Jerusalem, objecting many and grievous causes, which they could not prove;

And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove;

and he having come, there stood round about the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem, many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,

Upon Paul's arrival, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood round him, and brought many grave charges against him which they were unable to substantiate.

And when he came, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem came round him, and made all sorts of serious statements against him, which were not supported by the facts.

And when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, throwing out many serious accusations, none of which they were able to prove.

On Paul's appearance, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.

Many and grievous crimes. So long as Paul lived under the law, his integrity was well known and famous. Again, when he was converted to Christ, he was a singular pattern of innocence. Yet we see how he is subject to many slanders, cruel and false accusations. And this is almost always the estate of the servants of Christ, wherefore they must be the more courageous, to pass valiantly through evil report and good report; neither let them think it strange to be evil reported of where they have done good. In the mean season, they must do their endeavor, that they may not only have a clear conscience before God, but that they may be very well able to defend themselves before men, when they have time and place. For Paul doth not fail in his cause, but courageously setteth the defense of his innocency against their false crimes. Furthermore, let us note that the wicked can never be bridled, but they will speak evil of good men, and will impudently slander them; for they resemble the nature of Satan, by whose spirit they are led. Therefore, whereas we be commanded to stop the mouth of the wicked, it must not be so taken as if he shall be free from all backbiting, [1] whosoever shall behave himself uprightly, but that our life may answer for us, and may wipe away all blots of false infamy. So we see the adversaries of Paul, though they had a favorable judge, yet their slanders were all in vain, seeing he did defend and avouch his innocency by his deeds. And yet it is likely that they wanted not false witnesses, neither were they slack in suborning them; but because the Lord giveth his servants invincible strength, so that the brightness of honesty doth drive away their vain clouds; they are ashamed, and at length they depart from the judgment-seat with this infamy, that they were false accusers. But the defense of Paul doth show what things the Jews laid principally to his charge. The first crime was ungodliness against God, that he overthrew the law and polluted the temple; the other, rebellion against Caesar and the Roman empire, because he raised tumults everywhere. He was helped by the singular grace of God to answer and refute both, who maketh the innocence of his as bright as the morning.

Footnotes

1 - "Ab omni falsa obtrectatione," from all groundless detractation.

Grievous complaints - Heavy accusations. Doubtless the same with which they had charged him before Felix, Acts 24:5-6. Compare Acts 25:19.
Which they could not prove - Acts 24:13, Acts 24:19.

The Jews - laid many and grievous complaints against Paul - As they must have perceived that the Roman governors would not intermeddle with questions of their law, etc., they no doubt invented some new charges, such as sedition, treason, etc., in order to render the mind of the governor evil affected towards Paul; but their malicious designs were defeated, for assertion would not go for proof before a Roman tribunal: this court required proof, and the blood-thirsty persecutors of the apostle could produce none.

And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which (a) they could not prove.
(a) They could not prove them certainly and without undoubted reasons.

And when he was come,.... Into court:
the Jews which came down from Jerusalem; along with Festus, perhaps the high priest with the elders, and Tertullus the orator, as before:
stood round about; either the Apostle Paul, or the judgment seat; the witnesses and accusers were to stand, as well as the person accused; See Gill on Mark 14:57.
And laid many and grievous complaints against Paul; which they could not prove; for his moral conversation, both before and after conversion, was very strict and conformable to the laws of God and man; and yet as pure and inoffensive as he was, he was not exempt from the calumnies of men; and these many and very grievous; but it was his happiness, and to his honour through the grace of God, that his enemies could not make good anyone thing against him.

the Jews . . . from Jerusalem--clamorously, as at Jerusalem; see Acts 25:24.
many and grievous complaints against Paul--From his reply, and Festus' statement of the case before Agrippa, these charges seem to have been a jumble of political and religious matter which they were unable to substantiate, and vociferous cries that he was unfit to live. Paul's reply, not given in full, was probably little more than a challenge to prove any of their charges, whether political or religious.

When he was come. When Festus had returned to CÃ&brvbr;sarea.
The Jews . . . laid many and grievous complaints against Paul. From the substance of Paul's reply (Acts 25:8), it is easy to determine that these charges were about the same as before Felix, viz: (1) Teaching a new and illegal religion; (2) profaning the temple; (3) sedition, or offending against CÃ&brvbr;sar, charges that they could not sustain. It is evident from Acts 25:19 that particular stress was laid upon the fact that he was a "ring-leader of the Nazarenes."
Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure. He desired to avoid a difficulty with them at the very beginning of his government. He therefore proposed to Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial. This was the request of the Jews. The charges were in great part concerning a violation of the Jewish law, and the Sanhedrim claimed jurisdiction in that case. But Paul was a Roman, hence Festus could not, without his consent, send him up to the stronghold of his enemies. He perhaps thought that Paul would appeal to his rights as a citizen, and that would prevent the necessity of a refusal to comply with the wishes of the Jews.
I stand at CÃ&brvbr;sar's judgment seat. Before a Roman tribunal. The governor was the representative of CÃ&brvbr;sar. To be delivered over to the Sanhedrim was to be sent to certain death. Hence, he falls back on the right of every Roman citizen to appeal to CÃ&brvbr;sar himself, or to the imperial tribunal in Rome, a right granted by law to all Romans in the provinces, an essential for protection against unjust governors.
When he had conferred with the council. His own counsellors, men called "assessors," whose duty it was to advise the governor. He then announces the decision, I suppose, in the legal language used in such cases, Hast thou appealed unto CÃ&brvbr;sar? unto CÃ&brvbr;sar thou shalt go.

Bringing many accusations - When many accusations are heaped together, frequently not one of them is true.