Acts 12:21

12:21 On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn Or “apparel.” On Herod’s robes see Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.344), summarized in the note at the end of v. 23.

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

tn Or “delivered a public address.”