Deuteronomy 18:20

18:20 “But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized ¹  him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.

Matthew 26:66

26:66 What is your verdict?” ²  They ³  answered, “He is guilty and deserves ⁴  death.”

Luke 23:1-5

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

23:1 Then ⁵  the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus ⁶  before Pilate. ⁷  23:2 They ⁸  began to accuse ⁹  him, saying, “We found this man subverting ¹⁰  our nation, forbidding ¹¹  us to pay the tribute tax ¹²  to Caesar ¹³  and claiming that he himself is Christ, ¹⁴  a king.” 23:3 So ¹⁵  Pilate asked Jesus, ¹⁶  “Are you the king ¹⁷  of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” ¹⁸  23:4 Then ¹⁹  Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation ²⁰  against this man.” 23:5 But they persisted ²¹  in saying, “He incites ²²  the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” ²³ 

John 18:30

18:30 They replied, ²⁴  “If this man ²⁵  were not a criminal, ²⁶  we would not have handed him over to you.” ²⁷ 

John 19:7

19:7 The Jewish leaders ²⁸  replied, ²⁹  “We have a law, ³⁰  and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!” ³¹ 

Acts 22:22

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ³²  was listening to him until he said this. ³³  Then ³⁴  they raised their voices and shouted, ³⁵  “Away with this man ³⁶  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ³⁷ 

Acts 24:4-9

24:4 But so that I may not delay ³⁸  you any further, I beg ³⁹  you to hear us briefly ⁴⁰  with your customary graciousness. ⁴¹  24:5 For we have found ⁴²  this man to be a troublemaker, ⁴³  one who stirs up riots ⁴⁴  among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader ⁴⁵  of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁴⁶  24:6 He ⁴⁷  even tried to desecrate ⁴⁸  the temple, so we arrested ⁴⁹  him. 24:7 [[EMPTY]] ⁵⁰  24:8 When you examine ⁵¹  him yourself, you will be able to learn from him ⁵²  about all these things we are accusing him of doing.” ⁵³  24:9 The Jews also joined in the verbal attack, ⁵⁴  claiming ⁵⁵  that these things were true.

Acts 25:2-13

25:2 So the chief priests and the most prominent men ⁵⁶  of the Jews brought formal charges ⁵⁷  against Paul to him. 25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ⁵⁸  they urged Festus ⁵⁹  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ⁶⁰  to kill him along the way. 25:4 Then Festus ⁶¹  replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, ⁶²  and he himself intended to go there ⁶³  shortly. 25:5 “So,” he said, “let your leaders ⁶⁴  go down there ⁶⁵  with me, and if this man has done anything wrong, ⁶⁶  they may bring charges ⁶⁷  against him.”

25:6 After Festus ⁶⁸  had stayed ⁶⁹  not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, ⁷⁰  and the next day he sat ⁷¹  on the judgment seat ⁷²  and ordered Paul to be brought. 25:7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, ⁷³  bringing many serious ⁷⁴  charges that they were not able to prove. ⁷⁵  25:8 Paul said in his defense, ⁷⁶  “I have committed no offense ⁷⁷  against the Jewish law ⁷⁸  or against the temple or against Caesar.” ⁷⁹  25:9 But Festus, ⁸⁰  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ⁸¹  before me there on these charges?” ⁸²  25:10 Paul replied, ⁸³  “I am standing before Caesar’s ⁸⁴  judgment seat, ⁸⁵  where I should be tried. ⁸⁶  I have done nothing wrong ⁸⁷  to the Jews, as you also know very well. ⁸⁸  25:11 If then I am in the wrong ⁸⁹  and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, ⁹⁰  but if not one of their charges against me is true, ⁹¹  no one can hand me over to them. ⁹²  I appeal to Caesar!” ⁹³  25:12 Then, after conferring with his council, ⁹⁴  Festus ⁹⁵  replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; ⁹⁶  to Caesar ⁹⁷  you will go!” ⁹⁸ 

Festus Asks King Agrippa for Advice

25:13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa ⁹⁹  and Bernice arrived at Caesarea ¹⁰⁰  to pay their respects ¹⁰¹  to Festus. ¹⁰² 

[18:20]  ¹ tn Or “commanded” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[26:66]  ² tn Grk “What do you think?”

[26:66]  ³ tn Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:66]  ⁴ tn Grk “he is guilty of death.” L&N 88.313 states, “pertaining to being guilty and thus deserving some particular penalty – ‘guilty and deserving, guilty and punishable by.’ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν, ᾿Ενοχος θανάτου ἐστίν ‘they answered, He is guilty and deserves death’ Mt 26:66.”

[23:1]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:1]  ⁷ sn Pilate was the Roman prefect (procurator) in charge of collecting taxes and keeping the peace. His immediate superior was the Roman governor (proconsul) of Syria, although the exact nature of this administrative relationship is unknown. Pilate’s relations with the Jews had been rocky (v. 12). Here he is especially sensitive to them.

[23:2]  ⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:2]  ⁹ sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie – 20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.

[23:2]  ¹⁰ tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.

[23:2]  ¹¹ tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.

[23:2]  ¹² tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[23:2]  ¹³ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[23:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[23:3]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the charges brought in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:3]  ¹⁷ sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested only in the third charge, because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[23:3]  ¹⁸ sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 22:70.

[23:4]  ¹⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:4]  ²⁰ tn Grk “find no cause.”

[23:5]  ²¹ tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.

[23:5]  ²² sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.

[23:5]  ²³ tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”

[18:30]  ²⁴ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[18:30]  ²⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[18:30]  ²⁶ tn Or “an evildoer”; Grk “one doing evil.”

[18:30]  ²⁷ tn Or “would not have delivered him over.”

[19:7]  ²⁸ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6).

[19:7]  ²⁹ tn Grk “answered him.”

[19:7]  ³⁰ sn This law is not the entire Pentateuch, but Lev 24:16.

[19:7]  ³¹ tn Grk “because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”

[22:22]  ³² tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ³³ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ³⁴ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ³⁶ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ³⁷ tn BDAG 491 s.v. καθήκω has “to be appropriate, come/reach to, be proper/fitting…Usu. impers. καθήκει it comes (to someone)…foll. by acc. and inf….οὐ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν he should not be allowed to live Ac 22:22.”

[24:4]  ³⁸ tn Or “may not weary.” BDAG 274 s.v. ἐγκόπτω states, “ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖόν σε ἐγκόπτω Ac 24:4 is understood by Syr. and Armen. versions to mean in order not to weary you any further; cp. ἔγκοπος weary Diog. L. 4, 50; LXX; and ἔγκοπον ποιεῖν to weary Job 19:2; Is 43:23. But impose on is also prob.; detain NRSV.”

[24:4]  ³⁹ tn Or “request.”

[24:4]  ⁴⁰ tn This term is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 976 s.v. συντόμως 2). Tertullus was asking for a brief hearing, and implying to the governor that he would speak briefly and to the point.

[24:4]  ⁴¹ tn BDAG 371 s.v. ἐπιείκεια has “τῇ σῇ ἐ. with your (customary) indulgence Ac 24:4.”

[24:5]  ⁴² tn Grk “For having found.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:5]  ⁴³ tn L&N 22.6 has “(a figurative extension of meaning of λοιμός ‘plague,’ 23.158) one who causes all sorts of trouble – ‘troublemaker, pest.’ … ‘for we have found this man to be a troublemaker” Ac 24:5.”

[24:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “dissensions.” While BDAG 940 s.v. στάσις 3 translates this phrase “κινεῖν στάσεις (v.l. στάσιν) τισί create dissension among certain people Ac 24:5,” it is better on the basis of the actual results of Paul’s ministry to categorize this usage under section 2, “uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion” (cf. the use in Acts 19:40).

[24:5]  ⁴⁵ tn This term is yet another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 894 s.v. πρωτοστάτης).

[24:5]  ⁴⁶ sn The sect of the Nazarenes is a designation for followers of Jesus the Nazarene, that is, Christians.

[24:6]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“he”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[24:6]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “profane” (BDAG 173 s.v. βεβηλόω). The term was also used of profaning the Sabbath.

[24:6]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “seized.” Grk “whom also we arrested.” Because of the awkwardness of a relative clause in English at this point, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the pronoun “him” as object of the verb.

[24:7]  ⁵⁰ tc Some later mss include some material at the end of v. 6, all of 24:7, and some material at the beginning of v. 8: “and we wanted to judge him according to our law. 24:7 But Lysias the commanding officer came and took him out of our hands with a great deal of violence, 24:8 ordering those who accused him to come before you.” Acts 24:6b, 7, and 8a are lacking in Ì⁷⁴ א A B H L P 049 81 1175 1241 pm and a few versional witnesses. They are included (with a few minor variations) in E Ψ 33 323 614 945 1505 1739 pm and a few versional witnesses. This verse (and parts of verses) is most likely not a part of the original text of Acts, for not only is it lacking from the better witnesses, there is no easy explanation as to how such could be missing from them. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[24:8]  ⁵¹ tn Or “question.”

[24:8]  ⁵² tn Grk “From whom when you examine him yourself, you will be able to learn…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the third person singular pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.

[24:8]  ⁵³ tn Grk “about all these things of which we are accusing him.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“of which”) in the translation.

[24:9]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “joined in the attack,” but the adjective “verbal” has been supplied to clarify that this was not another physical assault on Paul. The verb is another NT hapax legomenon (BDAG 969 s.v. συνεπιτίθημι).

[24:9]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “asserting” (BDAG 1050 s.v. φάσκω).

[25:2]  ⁵⁶ tn BDAG 893-94 s.v. πρῶτος 2.a.β has “οἱ πρῶτοι the most prominent men, the leading men w. gen. of the place…or of a group…οἱ πρ. τοῦ λαοῦ…Lk 19:47; cp. Ac 25:2; 28:17.”

[25:2]  ⁵⁷ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[25:3]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ⁶⁰ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.

[25:4]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:4]  ⁶² sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:4]  ⁶³ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[25:5]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “let those who are influential among you” (i.e., the powerful).

[25:5]  ⁶⁵ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[25:5]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “and if there is anything wrong with this man,” but this could be misunderstood in English to mean a moral or physical defect, while the issue in context is the commission of some crime, something legally improper (BDAG 149 s.v. ἄτοπος 2).

[25:5]  ⁶⁷ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.”

[25:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:6]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “Having stayed.” The participle διατρίψας (diatriya") has been taken temporally.

[25:6]  ⁷⁰ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:6]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “sitting down…he ordered.” The participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[25:6]  ⁷² 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 bhma was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[25:7]  ⁷³ tn BDAG 801 s.v. περιίστημι 1.a has “περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι the Judeans stood around him 25:7.”

[25:7]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “many and serious.” The term βαρύς (barus) refers to weighty or serious charges (BDAG 167 s.v. 1).

[25:7]  ⁷⁵ tn The term ἀποδείκνυμι (apodeiknumi) in a legal context refers to legal proof (4 Macc 1:8; BDAG 108 s.v. 3).

[25:8]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “Paul saying in his defense”; the participle ἀπολογουμένου (apologoumenou) could be taken temporally (“when Paul said…”), but due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was translated as a finite verb and a new sentence begun here in the translation. BDAG 116-17 s.v. ἀπολογέομαι has “W. ὅτι foll. τοῦ Παύλου ἀπολογουμένου, ὅτι when Paul said in his defense (direct quot. foll.) Ac 25:8.”

[25:8]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “I have sinned…in nothing.”

[25:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “against the law of the Jews.” Here τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[25:8]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “against the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:9]  ⁸⁰ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ⁸¹ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ⁸² tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[25:10]  ⁸³ tn Grk “said.”

[25:10]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “before the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:10]  ⁸⁵ 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. Here of course Paul’s reference to “Caesar’s judgment seat” is a form of metonymy; since Festus is Caesar’s representative, Festus’ judgment seat represents Caesar’s own.

[25:10]  ⁸⁶ tn That is, tried by an imperial representative and subject to Roman law.

[25:10]  ⁸⁷ sn “I have done nothing wrong.” Here is yet another declaration of total innocence on Paul’s part.

[25:10]  ⁸⁸ tn BDAG 506 s.v. καλῶς 7 states, “comp. κάλλιον (for the superl., as Galen, Protr. 8 p. 24, 19J.=p. 10, 31 Kaibel; s. B-D-F §244, 2) ὡς καί σὺ κ. ἐπιγινώσκεις as also you know very well Ac 25:10.”

[25:11]  ⁸⁹ tn BDAG 20 s.v. ἀδικέω 1.b has “intr. be in the wrong (Ex 2:13) εἰ ἀδικῶ Ac 25:11.”

[25:11]  ⁹⁰ 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).

[25:11]  ⁹¹ 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.

[25:11]  ⁹² sn That is, no one can hand me over to them lawfully. Paul was aware of the dangers of a return to Jerusalem.

[25:11]  ⁹³ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ⁹⁴ tn That is, with his advisers.

[25:12]  ⁹⁵ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:12]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[25:12]  ⁹⁷ tn Or “to the emperor.”

[25:12]  ⁹⁸ sn “To Caesar you will go!” In all probability Festus was pleased to send Paul on to Rome and get this political problem out of his court.

[25:13]  ⁹⁹ sn King Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II (a.d. 27-92/93), son of Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1). He ruled over parts of Palestine from a.d. 53 until his death. His sister Bernice was widowed when her second husband, Herod King of Chalcis, died in a.d. 48. From then she lived with her brother. In an attempt to quiet rumors of an incestuous relationship between them, she resolved to marry Polemo of Cilicia, but she soon left him and returned to Herod Agrippa II. Their incestuous relationship became the gossip of Rome according to Josephus (Ant. 20.7.3 [20.145-147]). The visit of Agrippa and Bernice gave Festus the opportunity to get some internal Jewish advice. Herod Agrippa II was a trusted adviser because he was known to be very loyal to Rome (Josephus, J. W. 2.16.4 [2.345-401]).

[25:13]  ¹⁰⁰ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[25:13]  ¹⁰¹ tn BDAG 144 s.v. ἀσπάζομαι 1.b states, “Of official visits pay one’s respects to…Ac 25:13.”

[25:13]  ¹⁰² sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.