Acts 25:17

So after they came back here with me, ¹  I did not postpone the case, ²  but the next day I sat ³  on the judgment seat ⁴  and ordered the man to be brought.

When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.

"So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.

"When they came here for the trial, I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in.

So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand.

So, when they had come together here, straight away, on the day after, I took my place on the judge’s seat and sent for the man.

So when they met here, I lost no time, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.

"Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.

So after they came back here with me, ¹  I did not postpone the case, ²  but the next day I sat ³  on the judgment seat ⁴  and ordered the man to be brought.

¹ tn BDAG 969-70 s.v. συνέρχομαι 2 states, “συνελθόντων ἐνθάδε prob. means (because of συνκαταβάντες 25:5) they came back here with (me) 25:17.”

² tn BDAG 59 s.v. ἀναβολή states, “‘delay’…legal t.t. postponement…ἀ. μηδεμίαν ποιησάμενος I did not postpone the matter Ac 25:17.” “Case” has been supplied instead of “matter” since it is more specific to the context. The participle ποιησάμενος (poihsameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

³ tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁴ tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.