Discovery BoxActs 25:16 
Context25:16 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
Acts 22:30
Context22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer 6 wanted to know the true reason 7 Paul 8 was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council 9 to assemble. He then brought 10 Paul down and had him stand before them.
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.
sn “I answered them.” In the answer that follows, Festus is portrayed in a more positive light, being sensitive to justice and Roman law.
2 tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).
3 tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”
4 tn Grk “and receives.”
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.”
6 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.
7 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.”
8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
10 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.
