Acts 25:19-20

25:19 Rather they had several points of disagreement ¹  with him about their own religion ²  and about a man named Jesus ³  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ⁴  to be alive. 25:20 Because I was at a loss ⁵  how I could investigate these matters, ⁶  I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried ⁷  there on these charges. ⁸ 

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¹ tn Grk “several controversial issues.” BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19.”

² tn On this term see BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαιμονία 2. It is a broad term for religion.

sn About their own religion. Festus made it clear that in his view as a neutral figure (and as one Luke had noted was disposed to help the Jews), he saw no guilt in Paul. The issue was a simple religious dispute.

³ tn Grk “a certain Jesus.”

⁴ tn Or “asserted.”

⁵ tn Or “Because I was undecided.” Grk “Being at a loss.” The participle ἀπορούμενος (aporoumeno") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

⁶ tn L&N 27.34 states, “ἀπορούμενος δὲ ἐγὼ τὴν περὶ τούτων ζήτησιν ‘I was undecided about how I could get information on these matters’ Ac 25:20. The clause ‘about how I could get information on these matters’ may also be rendered as ‘about how I should try to find out about these matters’ or ‘about how I could learn about these matters.’”

⁷ tn Or “stand trial.”

⁸ tn Grk “on these things.”