Acts 25:17
Context25:17 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.
Acts 25:21
Context25:21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, 5 I ordered him to be kept under guard until I could send him to Caesar.” 6


[25:17] 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.”
[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.
[25:17] 3 tn Grk “sitting…I ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[25:17] 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.
[25:21] 5 tn A designation of the Roman emperor (in this case, Nero). BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός states, “ὁ Σεβαστός His Majesty the Emperor Ac 25:21, 25 (of Nero).” It was a translation into Greek of the Latin “Augustus.”
[25:21] 6 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).