Discovery BoxActs 12:20 
Context12:20 Now Herod 1 was having an angry quarrel 2 with the people of Tyre 3 and Sidon. 4 So they joined together 5 and presented themselves before him. And after convincing 6 Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, 7 to help them, 8 they asked for peace, 9 because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country.
Acts 22:30
Context22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 10 wanted to know the true reason 11 Paul 12 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 13 to assemble. He then brought 14 Paul down and had him stand before them.
Acts 25:11
Context25:11 If then I am in the wrong 15 and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, 16 but if not one of their charges against me is true, 17 no one can hand me over to them. 18 I appeal to Caesar!” 19
1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sn Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).
2 tn Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT (BDAG 461 s.v. θυμομαχέω).
3 sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.
map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
4 sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).
map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
5 tn Or “with one accord.”
6 tn Or “persuading.”
7 tn On the term translated “personal assistant” BDAG 554 s.v. κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.
8 tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
9 tn Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.
10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”
12 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
14 tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.
15 tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”
16 tn BDAG 764 s.v. παραιτέομαι 2.b.β, “οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν I am not trying to escape death Ac 25:11 (cp. Jos., Vi. 141).” To avoid redundancy in the translation, the English gerund “dying” is used to translate the Greek infinitive ἀποθανεῖν (apoqanein).
17 tn Or “but if there is nothing to their charges against me.” Both “if” clauses in this verse are first class conditions. Paul stated the options without prejudice, assuming in turn the reality of each for the sake of the argument.
18 sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.
19 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
sn The appeal to Caesar was known as the provocatio ad Caesarem. It was a Roman citizen’s right to ask for a direct judgment by the emperor (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96). It was one of the oldest rights of Roman citizens.
