Kisah Para Rasul 25:16

25:16 I answered them ¹  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ²  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ³  and had been given ⁴  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ⁵ 

Kisah Para Rasul 25:26

25:26 But I have nothing definite ⁶  to write to my lord ⁷  about him. ⁸  Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ⁹  so that after this preliminary hearing ¹⁰  I may have something to write.

[25:16]  ¹ tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  sn “I answered them.” In the answer that follows, Festus is portrayed in a more positive light, being sensitive to justice and Roman law.

[25:16]  ² tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ³ tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ⁵ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[25:26]  ⁶ sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.

[25:26]  ⁷ sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”

[25:26]  ⁸ tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.

[25:26]  ⁹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:26]  ¹⁰ tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.