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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 25:16 - 25:16
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It is not the custom of the Romans (hoti ouk estin ethos Rōmaiois). If a direct quotation, hoti is recitative as in Authorized Version. Canterbury Revision takes it as indirect discourse after apekrithēn (I answered), itself in a relative clause (pros hous) with the present tense (estin, is) preserved as is usual. There is a touch of disdain (Furneaux) in the tone of Festus. He may refer to a demand of the Jews before they asked that Paul be brought to Jerusalem (Act 25:3). At any rate there is a tone of scorn towards the Jews.
Before that the accused have (prin ē ho katēgoroumenos echoi). This use of the optative in this temporal clause with prin ē instead of the subjunctive an echēi is in conformity with literary Greek and occurs only in Luke’s writings in the N.T. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 970). This sequence of modes is a mark of the literary style occasionally seen in Luke. It is interesting here to note the succession of dependent clauses in Act 25:14-16.
The accusers face to face (kata prosōpon tous katēgorous). Same word katēgoros as in Act 23:30, Act 23:35; Act 25:18. This all sounds fair enough.
And have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him (topon te apologias laboi peri tou egklēmatos). Literally, “And should receive (laboi optative for same reason as echoi above, second aorist active of lambanō) opportunity for defence (objective genitive) concerning the charge” (egklēmatos in N.T. only here and Act 23:19 which see).